Redeemed

"Are all of you angels?" he asked.
"Is it speaking to us!" exclaimed one of the angels.
"Am I an angel?" The approaching creature paused and slowly looked around. "No, I guess I am not an angel. I think I used to be a human being. But oh, look at me!"
"I have never seen such innocence, purity, and perfection," whispered one of the angels. "He does not seem to be aware of how beautiful he is or how bright his light is."
"Where am I? What am I doing here? Who are you? Please pray tell what am I?"
"Dare we speak to him?" asked one of the angels.
"You have never seen anything like me have you?"
"You are the first," stammered one of the angels, finally, "but...I have an idea you will not be the last. As to who you are...I would be pleased to tell you, but I do not know who or what you are." "He told me that I would be here today. Is this today?"
The mouths f the angels fell open. One said, "At least we know who you are!" Another said, "That is not possible. After all, remember what he was: He was an old thief. That old, cheating, lying thief."
"Now I remember!" exclaimed the thief. "And oh, oh, oh! He remembered me!"
"We know who you are now, dear one. But we are a little surprised, considering what you were this evening."
"I am a thief. Or was. What am I now?"
"You are the first of the redeemed." You are the handiwork of Christ's redemption."
"That is what I am!" exclaimed the thief. "I have another question. Am I as beautiful as I think I am?"
"Even more so," replied the angels as one. "
"Am I as bright as you are?" he inquired again. "
"No. More so. Much more! We have never been that bright."
"Never before have I been able to see places which cannot be seen," observed the thief in wonderment. "Are you sure I am the only one of my kind?"
"Yes," answered on of the angels. "But we expect many more of your kind." "You are the first of your species," another angel informed him.
"I think I died," said the thief. "I was on a cross just a few moments ago. Now look at me! Am I in ...in...paradise?"
"This is at the least paradise," replied the angel, "and perhaps it will be even more. We will know in three days. In fact, with your arrival, we are sure this will be much more than paradise-in three days."
At those words, this child of God grabbed one of the terrified angels, embraced him, and began to dance.
"Angels do not dance," observed one of the heavenly host gruffly. "We do now," smiled another. "I do not know who I am. I know not where I am. I do not know what I am, but I sense I am not what I used to be- and that I am wonderful and beautiful." he shouted.

Suddenly he paused. "The one dying next to me said that I would be with him in paradise, but he also mentioned something to me about a book. A Book of Life. Is there something called the Book of Life? Oh, also, there was something about being known even as I am known." With that the angels rushed to the Book of Life. Just as they had expected, the very first name written in the Book was that of the thief. The angles began to shout praises, joined by peals of laughter. They bust into a crescendo of song as rarely known before.
"I am the first of what?" he asked.
"You are the first of those for whom we have waited throughout the ages. We have long waited for this day to arrive."

"One last question: You are called angels. What am I called?"

"You are called a holy one."

chapter 39 The Day I Was Crucified