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'The man on the middle cross said I could come.'
  
  Is it possible that the most positive story or message from the Bible came from the darkest of days in the life of Christ?

  I'd argue yes. 

 Ask most people to quote something, ANYTHING from the Bible and they'll come up with, 'let he without sin cast the first stone' or 'judge not, lest ye be judged'.

Both solid answers.

But we forget about the man many consider to be the very first saint.

His name was Dismas and he was a thief who hung next to Jesus at the hour of his death. 

While another convicted criminal hung on the other side of Jesus and was mocking him, it was Dismas (the good thief) who saw that the man on that middle cross was not like them. 

  In that moment of fear and pain, he found the wisdom to listen to Jesus and ask for forgiveness. 

Then he did the unthinkable, asking for Jesus to remember him in his kingdom. 

Who was he to ask anything?  Yet he did.  
And as the story tells us, he was promised a place in heaven.

 When I was an altar boy I didn't like serving Good Friday service.

The service was long, the cross they had me carry heavy and hearing about what happened to this man named Jesus upset me, especially knowing he didn't deserve any of it. 

Then, many years later, I heard a preacher talk about Dismas and what that day must have been like for him, AFTER he died.

 Getting to the gates of heaven and being asked why he deserved to be there?

His answer... 'Honestly, I probably don't deserve this.'

  When asked then, why he was there then?

His response, 'The man on the middle cross said I could come.'

  I know most of us, me included, won't find our way into a church today or tonight.

  But if your life is hard and you've made mistakes, just know we are all there with you.

 And it is never too late to ask forgiveness and put ourselves on a better path.

   Just ask Saint Dismas ❤

Gospel written word