FAITH

The faith of Dismas is said (by St Chrysostome) greater than that of Abraham, Moses, Isaiah, and Ezekiel C not that one wants to shrink the faith of the above, but one that shows the superiority of Dismas' faith. The previous had seen the glory of God, Dismas only saw God in the ignominy of the Crucifixion. 

You have seen Him on the Cross ... and you proclaim Him King of kings.

More faith than that of the apostles. Without the benefit of the teaching of OLJC on heaven, hell, of his miracles. They had seen with their own eyes, heard with their own ears; yet they abandon Jesus on Holy Friday. Dismas believed when OLJC was suspended on the cross. The Lord had never seen this type of faith within Israel, or in the whole world. In our times (Y2K) of collective apostasy Dismas is a "tailor made" saint. He is a popular hero of faith.

Hope

Dismas dares to ask and obtains Paradise. On holy Thursday the Prayer says: "O God, from Whom Judas received the punishment of his crime, and the thief the reward of his confession, grant us the effect of Thy clemency, that ... He may bestow upon us the grace ... 

Dismas is the anti-thesis of Judas.

Evil invaded the soul of Judas in a time of despair ... while Dismas opened his soul to the confident love of Charity. The good thief is guilty of all evils, a stranger to all goods, transgressors of all laws, plunderer of all lives, hopeless about the present life ... he conceives hope in the eternal life, so often dismissed, never deserved ... he does NOT hesitate to lay claim on eternal life.

Charity

Nailed to the cross, Dismas can only rely on his heart and tongue. Dismissing the hatred of the Synagogue, he becomes an apologist and a missionary. First, toward his fellow thief. Notwithstanding his own sufferings, he wants to promote the good of OLJC. Wonderful wisdom!

MORAL virtues

Prudence

Dismas perceives a treasure cove and hesitates NOT. He starts with a confession ... and the gates of Paradise are opened. Most of the sanhedrites ignore the significance of the cross. Dismas was NOT scandalized, instead he drew the wisdom, the philosophy beyond the appearances, and aimed for the eternal kingdom. Dismas does NOT say: "give me access ..." he says "Remember me ..." or don't forget me... Furthermore he uses his crimes as a stepping stone. It is NOT how much we suffer, but how we sustain the wounds. 

Justice

The professional thief is precisely a distorter of "justice" ... yet Dismas will succeed to keep "all" (God, men and himself) satisfied. For all, it is "just" that we suffers ... but Jesus, He has done nothing wrong ... Dismas turns toward his companion, you and I, (so far) have walk the walk, we are both on the cross ... But since, I have deviated from the mutual way ... now you come this way, or you go your separate way. 

Fortitude

Dismas' strength bursts in the middle of tortures, far from rebelling, he is resigned, he holds back patiently, he becomes unmindful of his own suffering and wants to convert his companion through his own example. His strength equals the sacrifice of other great martyrs. And "in fact" he becomes not "only" a confessor, but also a martyr.

Temperance

Temperance is averse to pusillanimity, the product of low views and a mean-spirited will. It ought to be noted, however, that in its primary and generally understood sense temperance is concerned with what is difficult for a man ...  It is not, however, the greatest of moral virtues. That rank is held by prudence; then come justice, fortitude, and finally temperance.      (Re: RC Encyclopedia)