Disma, the good thief

Disma, the good thief

This good thief who will magnificently fulfill his conversion on the cross is, according to various clues, the thief whose gang was about to rob travelers at Modin. The one who, later, will supply, like Elijah the great prophet, the apostolic group sheltering at Mount Cherith for a retreat after the third Passover. The same who, arrested by The Romans in September 29, will be crucified seven months later alongside Jesus.

"In the very bitter hour, the love of the one who did not want to hate the Innocent will be my comfort, my light in the Darkness of this hour of Darkness, my gentleness in the cup of wine mixed with gall and myrrh."

Apostolic journey. A conversion in several stages

May 14, 28 - Modin, the first encounter

Disma is part of the gang that wants to rob travelers in a valley near Modin. He is moved by the speech of Jesus:

"It is never too late to repent. Change by true repentance the verdict that is being written to the Heavens for you. Let Sheol not be for you hell, but a penitential waiting, at least, thanks to your will.

Disma will be touched, but will not immediately go to repentance.

April 2, 29 - Mount Cherith, growing sympathy

The apostolic group is on a retreat there after the 3rd Passover. They are supplied by thieves.  

Jesus accepts their gifts, even though they come from their thefts, and which have for him "the stench of sin". He explains to the Apostles that this charity they showed will help the best among them to grow, and that it will have its reward. He adds that it is important not to destroy by pushing away their movement of goodness, because their conversion can happen gradually.

September 29 - Arrest near Jericho, conversion underway

Another young thief has decided to undertake a path of conversion in the house of charity opened by Zacchaeus and gives news of Disma who has been arrested. Jesus talks alone with him.

- "Oh! Lord, and could I do it knowing that you do not despise us, even us thieves? I too was among those who brought you the lamb at Mount Cherith. One of us was taken by the Romans — at least that is what is said; what is certain is that before the (feast) of Tabernacles he was no longer seen in the thieves' shelters — that man told me your words in a valley near Modin... For I was not yet with the thieves then. I joined them at the end of last Adar and left them at the beginning of Etanim."

- "In the very bitter hour, the love of the one who did not want to hate the Innocent will be my comfort, my light in the Darkness of this hour of Darkness, my gentleness in the cup of wine mixed with gall and myrrh."

April 5, 30 - Golgotha, the immediate effect of Redemption

The other thief, the one on the right, has Mary almost at his feet and he looks at her almost more than at the Christ. For a while he weeps murmuring: "The mother," he says to the other thief:

"Be quiet. Do you not fear God, even now that you suffer this punishment? Why insult the one who is good? And his torment is even greater than ours. And he did nothing evil."    

When the latter resumes his curses and blasphemies, he says:

"Be quiet! Remember that you were born of a Woman. And think that ours have wept because of their sons, and those were tears of shame... because we are criminals. Our mothers are dead... I wish I could ask him forgiveness... But will I be able? She was a saint... I killed her by the pain I gave her... I am a sinner... Who will forgive me? Mother, in the name of your dying Son, pray for me."

Then comes the moment when Jesus speaks for the first time:

"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do!"

This prayer defeats all fear in Disma. He dares to look at the Christ and says:

"Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom. For me, it is right to suffer here. But give me mercy and Peace beyond life. Once I heard you speak and, in my madness, I rejected your word. Now I repent of it. From my sins, I repent before You, Son of the Most High. I believe you come from God. I believe in your power. I believe in your mercy. Christ, forgive me in the name of your Mother and your very Saint Father."  

Jesus turns and looks at him with deep compassion and he still has a very faint smile on his poor tortured mouth. He says:

"Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."

The repentant thief calms down and, no longer knowing the prayers learned in his childhood, he repeats like a jaculatory prayer:

"Jesus Nazarene, king of the Jews, have mercy on Me. Jesus Nazarene, king of the Jews, I hope in You. Jesus Nazarene, king of the Jews, I believe in your Divinity."  

After the death of Jesus, a soldier arrives at a gallop with the order to give Jesus over and to break the legs of the others. Longinus, the centurion, calls the four executioners and orders that the two thieves be finished off with blows of a club. This happens without protest from Disma, to whom the club blow, deferred to the Heart after striking the knees, breaks the name of Jesus halfway on his lips, in a gasp.

His name

Disma, Dimas, Dymas, or Dumas. This name would come from the Greek "dys" meaning difficulties or crooked and "maza", dough.

Where is he mentioned in the work?

EMV 223.8 EMV 298.10

EMV 380.3

EMV 524.6 EMV 554.12

EMV 609.13 EMV 630.11.14 EMV 647.7

Learn more about this character

"My Heart is the same, now that I am in Heaven, as it was on Golgotha when I prayed for your fathers and forgave Disma." – Dictation of December 6, 1943.  

Evangelium Nicodemi, 9th or 10th century manuscript

The Church celebrates Saint Disma on March 25.

Disma is mentioned in The Golden Legend by Blessed Jacques de Varazze (or de Voragine), archbishop of Genoa, in the 13th century (1230-1298). This compilation of texts refers to the gospel of Nicodemus:

"This passion was ignominious because of those to whom Jesus Christ was associated, since he was placed among scoundrels, that is, with thieves, who were initially criminals; one of them, Disma, later converted; he was on the right of the Savior, according to the gospel of Nicodemus; the other on the left was damned, his name was Gestas."

The gospel of Nicodemus, which reveals his identity, is an apocryphal writing from the 4th century that had wide circulation and some Church Fathers refer to it. The story it gives conforms to the Gospel of Luke, the only one to report the episode. "And they crucified also the two thieves with him, one on his right hand and the other on his left." The surrounding stories depict him as a leader of bandits, which corresponds to Maria Valtorta's visions. He would have been involved during the flight to Egypt, which Maria Valtorta's texts do not mention.

In the Bible, it is the abode of the dead.