St. Dismas |
Dismas, the real biblical character whose name is handed down to us by strong tradition, whose narrative in Luke 23 identifies him as the Good Thief. He died on one of the crosses next to Our Savior Christ Jesus. His straightforward, astute mindfulness to honestly repent of his misspent life; his courageous acknowledgment of Jesus as Lord, when no one else would defend Jesus; and his request to simply be remembered by Jesus, won Paradise for himself, instead of condemnation, South of Heaven. Our incarcerated Catholic men, and upon their release, as The Brothers of St. Dismas, strive to give a human face to this genuine, reflective human life in sacred scripture. We match the radical, yet intelligent, metanoia transformation of this unlikely myrmidon. If Jesus Himself can mercifully forgive and save a rascal-robber-murderer like Dismas in the last hour of his life on a Cross, He will not forsake the true contrition efforts, and faith belief efforts, of a ‘modern-day rascal’ who must also accept the Way of the Cross. Like Dismas, they see that God exists. God is knowable. God’s Word, Jesus, shows how to choose right from wrong, how to choose life from death, seeking Paradice.
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