Today you will be with me X

I like how our Lord Jesus so often prefaces what He says with “truly.” Or, as in John’s gospel, “truly, truly.”

When talking with friends, I often say before I start a story, “Now this is the truth.” My wife tells me I say this because there have been times when she thinks I have embellished my stories, and now finally I am planning to tell the truth. I explain to her that I say, “this is the truth,” because the story that will follow is especially interesting and thought provoking.

Of course all that our Lord said was interesting and thought provoking, but, generally, whatever followed His “truly” was something only Someone who was Deity, could legitimately say: “Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” “Truly I say to you, as you did not do to the least of these, you did not do it to me.” “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”