Last night, Rich and I joined some church members to serve dinner to the residents of the local Dismas House. We enjoyed a homemade meal of chili, cornbread, salad, brownies, and ice cream. It was a delicious feast. 

If you are not familiar with St. Dismas, let me refresh your memory. Dismas was probably the first saint admitted to heaven. He was the thief who hung beside Jesus on the hill of Calvary. He was the one who pleaded for mercy for Jesus who had committed no crime. He was the one who opened his heart and admitted his guilt to Christ and asked to be saved.  

And, Jesus, as we can all count on, accepted his confession and assured him that he would find a place in heaven that very day. God loves all his children unconditionally. 

St. Dismiss is the patron saint of prisoners, penitents, and all who need a second chance. There were four residents eating dinner with five church guests plus the house director. The conversation was cordial and interesting but not stilted or embarrassing. We didn’t ask why the men ended up in jail, but the men were willing to talk about their hopes for a new chance at life. 

These men made mistakes, no one trying to minimize that reality. However, they earned their release by serving their sentences and deserve a chance to live a fulfilling life. Sadly, when they are released with a few dollars in their pockets and nowhere to live, if there is no family to help, they are starting that new life with a distinct disadvantage.  

Dismas Houses around the country offer a safe haven to those ex-convicts who qualify to live there. They received housing, food, guidance and love. The community assists with food and other types of help. The residents may be living there for a long period of time until they feel confident enough to go out into a world that often hates them for their crimes. 

Dismas reminds us that mercy is never out of reach with God. When Dismas reached out to Jesus, his conversion was not polished, public, or long prepared; it was honest, humble, and immediate. That is why he speaks so powerfully to anyone burdened by regret. He shows that holiness begins with turning toward Christ, even at the eleventh hour. What a powerful example to people who need hope for the future. 

What about our part in this process? Christians who claim a true relationship with Jesus Christ have an obligation to act with Christlike mercy to all those whom they meet. A smile or wave to someone who looks or acts differently than we do, can make that person’s day. The men at table last night were not neat and tidy. They had just come back from difficult and dirty jobs. They did not all speak correctly. But they are God’s children. Just like you and me. And God loves them unconditionally-all the time-no matter what! Amen and Alleluia! 

Terri