VIII.—THE PENITENT SINNER
And he said to Jesus: Remember me, Lord, when Thou comest in Thy Kingdom. And Jesus said unto him: Verily, I say unto thee, this day shalt thou be with Me in Paradise."— Luke xxiii. 42, 43.
There was a man who lived in the world for seventy years, and all that time he lived a life of sin. And this man fell sick, and he did not repent. And when death came, in his last hour, he burst into tears and said: “Lord, forgive me as Thou forgavest the thief on the cross!” Scarce had he succeeded in saying this when his soul departed. And the soul of the sinner loved God and believed in His mercy, and came to the doors of heaven.
And the sinner began to knock and beg to be admitted into the Kingdom of Heaven.
And he heard a voice behind the door saying: “What man is this that knocketh at the door of Heaven, and what deeds hath he done in his lifetime?”
And the voice of the Accuser answered, and counted up all the sinful deeds of this man. And he named no good deeds at all.
And the voice behind the door answered: “Sinners cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Depart hence!”
And the man said: “My Lord! I hear thy voice,
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