By Eric Girten
The Catholic Kitchen
My brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ,
As I write this, we are on the doorstep of the Easter Triduum. Closing my eyes and picturing the cross upon which my savior hangs, my mind’s eye is drawn to the two who were crucified with him.
Luke’s Gospel identifies Dismas as a repentant thief (though Sts. Matthew and Mark call those who were crucified with Jesus revolutionaries) who wins his place in heaven by humbly and faithfully submitting to God’s mercy, love and forgiveness. It is interesting that the name of the other criminal crucified with Jesus and Dismas is not mentioned.
This reminds me of another story that played out with St. Peter and Judas only hours before. In both dramas, we see one character who accepts his reality and reaches out to Jesus Christ while on the other side, we see two characters who cannot bring themselves to fall upon Jesus’ mercy, both falling into death.
It is a lesson for me that Jesus Christ, at his moment of triumph over sin and death, took time to elevate this criminal to sainthood. God does not hesitate to grab one more soul from the clutches of sin, even so close to death.
As we move further and deeper into the richness of our Catholic liturgy this week, it may be worth a prayerful pause to allow this scene to soak into the soul a bit. Where does it start getting a little uncomfortable?
The gospels do not hang God’s mercy on the type of crime each committed. Both criminals are identified exactly the same. The difference is one’s acceptance of Jesus Christ as his savior versus the other’s rejection.
What does this mean for us as Christians? How does it challenge our belief in the worth of all people, including those who have committed crimes; those on death row; those who have perpetrated acts on children or the elderly; the pre-born? How do we reach out in mercy to those who, by all human accounts, deserve none?
I will offer no answer but to state that I pray we all attempt to move closer in union to Christ in order to fulfill more fully God’s “will be done, on earth as it is in heaven…”