MEDITATION TIPS (Episode 279)
Christ the King
November 23, 2025

“Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43)

　This criminal, traditionally called Dismas, promised paradise by Jesus, was a fortunate man. Though he had led a sinful life, he repented at the end of his life and was promised paradise—that is, heaven. The Church has elevated Dismas—who was declared eligible for Heaven not by the Pope but directly by Jesus—to sainthood. Yet today’s Gospel also mentions another criminal, traditionally called Gestas. Dismas repented before dying and went to heaven. So did Gestas go to hell because he reviled Jesus before dying? The Gospel says nothing about this, nor is it necessary for us to imagine it that way.

　I believe Dismas and Gestas represent not two separate individuals, but two sides of the same human being. A long life has its ups and downs, its times of success and its times of adversity, its days of joyful living and its days of despair when we curse God. Life is this cycle—the cycle of Dismas and Gestas. Yet, “Adversity is the greatest teacher” (British Prime Minister Disraeli). People learn vital lessons not from success, but from adversity and failure—from Gestas. “How great a person is can be measured by how they live during the times when the sun is not shining on their life” (Bakumatsu/Meiji-era statesman Katsu Kaishū). How we live during those “times when the sun is not shining”—that is, when we are in Gestas’s state—is what truly matters.

　Ultimately, much of life’s suffering stems from comparing ourselves to others. “It is no shame to be inferior when compared to others. But if you compare yourself to who you were last year and find yourself inferior this year, that is truly shameful” (Konosuke Matsushita). The only person we should compare ourselves to is ourselves. If today’s self has progressed even a millimeter compared to yesterday’s self, we are moving closer to Dismas. Because “God does not want us to succeed; He wants us to challenge ourselves” (Mother Teresa)

　That challenge is: “Hope rather than fear, breathe rather than complain, speak rather than hate. Then everything will be alright” (Swedish proverb). In other words, when you feel anxious, think of something joyful. When you feel like complaining, take a deep breath and refrain from speaking harsh words. Before thinking someone is unpleasant, speak to them with a smile. This way, we can transform every difficulty into hope. Repeating such challenges, let us too, in the end, speak as Dismas did: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom” (23:43).

　This address of “Jesus” by Dismas is not an address for a teacher or an important person, but an address as a “friend”— this is the form of address that only Dismas uses in the Gospel. Let us too find Jesus in everyone we meet from now on, and speak to them as friends, just as Dismas did.　　

 　　　　　(Contributed by Father Yutaka Akabae)