Absolute Proof That The "Good Thief" Was Not "Saved" By The "Baptism Of Blood" (Nor By The "Baptism Of Desire"), Nor Did He Go To Heaven When He Died On His Cross.

 Are you ready?

I recently listened to an interview with two folks that I admire because of their orthodoxy, knowledge and adherence to the perennial teachings of the Church.

Yet something troubled me about that interview...

The discussion turned to the Dogma that outside the Church there is no salvation, but that there is the so-called "baptism of desire" (and along with that, the so-called "baptism of blood").

Now, keep in mind that those who proclaim such are sharing their opinions, not church teachings on the way that someone can be saved without receiving the Sacrament of Baptism -- by water.  (See St. John, Chapter 3, verse 5 and Our Lord's discourse with Nicodemus.) 

But there are those who speak and write as if the "baptism of desire/blood" is a hard and fast article of Catholic Faith -- it is not!

The gent, and the lady being interviewed, "agreed" that the "good thief" was saved by the "baptism of blood" (and or "desire"?) was the fact that Our Blessed Lord told the "good thief" that this day you will be with Me in paradise.

Note: the "good thief" was still under the old law, it was not until Pentecost that true Baptism became mandatory to enter the Church, as St. Peter baptized 3,000 Jews and Gentiles on that very day!

But was this "paradise" Heaven?

No, it was not.  

In the Creed, we read and proclaim that when Christ died on the Cross, He descended into "hell" -- not the hell of the damned, but to the Limbo of the Just of the Old Testament, also called the Bosom of Abraham -- and that is church teaching!

But what about the promise to the thief that he would be in paradise??

Anywhere Our Lord is, is Paradise!

Am I splitting hairs here?  

Not in the least, and here is the proof that the "good thief" descended into the Bosom of Abraham, not Heaven: From the Douay-Rheims Vulgate...

Saint Luke, Chapter XVI, verses 19 and forward...

"There was a certain rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen: and feasted sumptuously every day.

And there was a certain beggar, by name of Lazarus, who lay at his gate, full of sores, desiring to be filled with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table; and no one did give him: moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores.

And it came to pass that the beggar died, and he was carried by the Angels into Abraham's bosom.  And the rich man also died: and he was buried in hell, and lifting up his eyes when he was in torments, he saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom: and he cried and said: Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, to cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame.

And besides all this, between us and you there is fixed a great chaos: so that they who would pass from hence to you, cannot, nor from thence come hither.

And he said: Then Father, I beseech thee that thou wouldst send him to my father's house: For I have five brethren, that he may testify to them, lest they also come into this place of torments.

And Abraham said to him: They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. (That's the Old Law -- the Old Testament!)

But he said: No, Father Abraham; but if one went to them from the dead, they will do penance.

And he said to him: If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they believe if one rise again from the dead." 

End of Chapter XVI...

Why is it then, that the gent doing the interview didn't know the fact that the "good thief" didn't go to Heaven -- by the "baptism of blood" -- at that time, but to the Bosom of Abraham?

Just a little food for Catholic thought...

Pray for strength and honor!

Viva Cristo Rey!  Bl. Fr. Miguel Pro, Fr. Emil Kapaun and Fr. Vincent Capodanno, pray for us...

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle...

St. Joseph pray for us!!

Gene DeLalla