Second Word
Amen, I say to you,
today you will be with me
in Paradise.
Tradition has given the name Dismas to the man who rebukes his fellow criminal who reviles Jesus while hanging on the cross and requests from Jesus a remembrance when He comes into his kingdom. I can remember hearing as a child that in life Dismas stole as a means of supporting himself and in death he stole heaven as well.
While yesterday's word made me uncomfortable, today's word is very consoling. Jesus knew what type of life Dismas lead up until that point. Yet, Jesus also knew Dismas' heart.
By acknowledging that he was receiving a just punishment for his actions and by standing up to his companion in crime when he reviles Jesus, Dismas showed that there was another Dismas inside who wanted to begin to live anew. One that was done with his old way of life and ready to being a life of faith. In other words, Dismas had a real conversion of heart.
That's what Lent is meant to do. It's a time for us to turn our hearts back to Jesus. To allow Him access to our lives and allow Him to live and work in us. During these days of Lent, let us pray to Dismas to help us to have that same conversion of heart that he did so that we can live a fuller life in and through Christ.
By acknowledging that he was receiving a just punishment for his actions and by standing up to his companion in crime when he reviles Jesus, Dismas showed that there was another Dismas inside who wanted to begin to live anew. One that was done with his old way of life and ready to being a life of faith. In other words, Dismas had a real conversion of heart.
That's what Lent is meant to do. It's a time for us to turn our hearts back to Jesus. To allow Him access to our lives and allow Him to live and work in us. During these days of Lent, let us pray to Dismas to help us to have that same conversion of heart that he did so that we can live a fuller life in and through Christ.
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