—Michelangelo (not the Sistine Chapel artist)
Among my favorite events of the 1980s was the arrival of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. TMNT looked like turtles. But their mutations meant they could talk, walk on two legs, had arms and hands.
These four “teenagers” were named for renaissance artists: Michelangelo, Raphael, Leonardo, and Donatello. As the name implies, they were ninjas, and they were trained to use their martial-arts skills by Splinter, their mutated-rat-Sensei. They lived in the New York City sewers, wore masks, fought crime, and celebrated victories with delivery pizza.
Ludicrous? Ridiculous? Maybe.
Yet, against all reason, that comic book was popular from the get-go. People were drawn to these wise-cracking, adolescent, street-warrior amphibians. Also against all reason, the TMNT are still around, still going strong, and still 🖤NY. The TMNT franchise spans books, films and TV shows. These days you can expect to see them buddy up with the likes of Batman to fight crime on (and under) the streets of the city.
But it’s not crime-fighting we’re going to zero in on: It’s that delivery pizza. My favorite TMNT quote comes from an early film in which the Turtles pay the Domino Pizza delivery guy only $10 for a $13 pizza. When he complains about being shorted, Michelangelo replies: “Wise man say: Forgiveness is divine—but never pay full price for late pizza.”
From the moment I heard those words, I knew I could put them to work. Never again, I vowed, would I reward someone for delinquency. At that point in my working career, I had people who reported to me, people to whom I assigned projects with deadlines. I reasoned that if they thought that work was important, they would make the effort, and the arrangements, to ensure on-time delivery—maybe even early.
Oh, it’s not that I punished my staff if they were late. I just didn’t reward tardiness. And at that time, in that setting, the philosophy worked pretty well. Those who needed that lesson learned it.
But—penalizing tardiness doesn’t always work.
And I, for one, am really glad it doesn’t. What if Jesus followed that approach in this week’s Luke selection? I am happy to report that Jesus, when face to face with a real latecomer, soundly rejected that philosophy.
The latecomer was a thief on the cross next to Jesus. He asked to be remembered when Jesus came into His kingdom. He was, in effect, saying, “I’m very, very late to this, but I am hoping you will reward me, anyway.” And Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” Can you imagine two people, soon to die, having such a conversation?
Ridiculous. Crazy. Completely irrational.
It gets even wilder. Jesus isn’t watching the clock. Yes, he was very, very late, but Jesus didn’t penalize him for his tardiness. Instead, Jesus paid the full price for that thief.
Ridiculous. Crazy. Completely irrational.
Like paying full price for late pizza.
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PHOTO: Adobe Express filters through Photoshop Express
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Blessings,
Steve
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SCRIPTURES FOR SUNDAY AND THE COMING WEEK
Find them here:
https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?y=384&z=p&d=86
Print them here:
https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/Cx_ReignofChrist.pdf
Jeremiah 23:1-6
Luke 1:68-79
Psalm 46
Colossians 1:11-20
Luke 23:33-43
Proper 29 (34) (November 23, 2025)
