The Western church celebrates today as the feast of St Dismas, the name that has been attached to the story of the two thieves who died with Jesus, for the “good” one. In the story actually the thief has no name.
We no longer live in a biblically literate culture, so for you who do not know, the short version of the story is that there are thieves on either side of Jesus as he is hoisted up on the cross. One mocks him. I get that guy.
However the other says something to the effect we deserved our fate, but he didn’t and then asks to be remembered “when you come into your kingdom.”
Then there’s some delightful confusion about what Jesus said in reply. The generally accepted understanding is Jesus promises, yes, you will be. To me a totally uninteresting statement in the midst of a terrible scene.
The other version, consider it a minority report from the center of the heart, is that Jesus says you are with me in paradise, as in you are with me in paradise now.
There is a world of difference between will be and are now.
I think a lot about his now.
Terrible. So, achingly terrible. And beautiful. So beautiful.
If there is a paradise I can’t see it anyplace other than here in this suffering world.
The lotus in the fire.
I like thinking there’s one who found it even on a cross.
Even if a story, it points to something each of us can find.
Makes it, in my book, a true story…
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