As Jesus was being crucified, two criminals were also crucifed with Him, one on His right and His left. Jesus prayed "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." We do not know who exactly Jesus was interceding for, but most likely it was everyone involved in His crucifixion.
In the middle of all the pain, all the suffering, all the humiliation, Jesus still prayed for others, including His enemies. When everything is going against you, can you still forgive others?
As one criminal started to deride Jesus, the other one admonished him and asked Jesus if He would remember him when Jesus came into His kingdom. Jesus told him that today He would be with Him in paradise. That criminal had done nothing religious; he had not even repented of his sins. Yet Jesus promised him His presence. This criminal shows us there is nothing we can do to earn salvation; it is a gift.
Looking back at what the criminal said; he asked Jesus to remember him. Technically memberance is not what he needed, but he did cry for re-member: to put him back together from his dis-memberment. He needed restoration. Jesus is in the business of re-membering us back together.