The Good Thief II

The Good Thief IIITHE Good_THIEF II

Also Known As — Saint DISMAS

Saint Monica obtained the conversion of her son, Saint Augustine ... who became one of the eight (8) Fathers of the Church ... understood the value of being a "thief".
"How can "one" despair when the Good Thief displays the power of hope and confidence."
"We see upon the CALVARY, three men crucified, one that gives Salvation, one receives it and one denies ... a terrible discernment! The Cross has elevated one to Paradise because of his confession and precipitated the impenitence of the other into darkness ... it is NOT enough to suffer here on earth, it is NOT enough to be crucified ... for some of those are ... still far away from Salvation."

"There can only be two kinds of sufferings: the one that is NOT lost, and the one that IS lost."

... so Peter did deny Him three times. And then? Us, we have denied Him thousands of times through sins ... a cock sounded three times ... how many times did the cock sound for us? We somehow do NOT hear the sound ..."

... while everybody denies OLJC (through some form of an apostasy) ... He has set aside this "happy" thief to glorify Him through the Cross ... the faith of the good thief started to blossom, while the faith of the disciples faltered. OLJC dishonored by ALL, is NOW exalted by Dismas alone ... Dismas forgets nothing (ie: like Job) that has to be done while suffering. Dismas with humility confesses his sins ... he accepts the cross that "punishes" him.

This holy thief, this happy thief does NOT stop there. But "this One" (ie: OLJC) has done NO harm ... this thought sooths the good thief ... he knows he is in good company ... this association with OLJC insures the holy familiarity with the Sufferer ... then Dismas ask and/or extends his claim to His Paradise ... TRIUMPH OF GLORY, brothers ... my heart is in ecstasy ... in seeing the Faith of this holy thief.

A dying man sees OLJC dying and asks for his LIFE eternal.

Notice the Faith ... notice the Hope.

If we imitate the patience of the good thief, consolation will follow, it will NOT fail us.

Today, today (said OLJC) you will be with me in Paradise.

Don't worry, it will be soon, this life goes so fast, it will flow like one winter day, sunrise and sunset are touching each other ... it is only one day ... the morning and the night are one moment only.

And if mercy does NOT elevate the heart with the good thief ...

a more terrible thing ºJUSTICE, will break the harden thief on the Cross.

The actual sufferings (and sins) of the "bad-thief" become the mother of new crimes.

Peguy adds:
"The one that eats too much of the ¾daily bread¾ has NO MORE taste for eternal bread."
And turning towards lukewarm Catholics (ie: "us") versus newly converted ... (ie: "them")
Peguy continues:
It is for "them" a glorious state to suffer, however it is for "us" shameful to allow sufferings.
Their poverty is witnessing for "them", yet against "us" (ie: against our will).
the honor of their Faith is the conviction of "our" justice.

MERCY makes FAMILIAR company for DISMAS

Every day crosses are NOT an insurance for Salvation, for it is useless to suffer very much IF we cannot bear it with tranquility and serenity. Crosses must be borne with the confidence and the humility of Dismas.

Strange opposition of the two thieves ... one confesses, the other one extends his crimes with blasphemy.

Overall, we must observe the answer to the FIRST grace.

The start of the conversion is the natural compassion towards OLJC suffering with so much patience as to pray for his tormentors. A summit of Holiness. The spontaneous cooperation of Dismas with the divine inspirations makes him "instantly" perfect.

When we "narcistically" soak into our imperfections ... whose fault is it?

Men are so jealous of their own liberty, authority, that they cannot see it shrinking without great resentment.

It is marvelous to witness God Almighty without restraints.

Since all of human life is a "punishment ... Vs the original sin" ...

... patience advises to sustain courageously whatever cannot be avoided.

In using his involuntary sufferings, St Dismas adds martyrdom to his confession.

He is both a confessor and a martyr of the Church.

St Bernard adds:

The cross to Dismas became the way of OLJC, the way to glory and the way to Paradise ... in spite of his 40 years as a thief, and thousands upon thousands of crimes. The angel guardian of Paradise, upon the commandment of OLJC opens the door ... Adam had been an outcast because of one sin, Dismas comes in notwithstanding thousands of crimes. The mercy of the New and Eternal Alliance has made such a marvelous step possible.

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