Friday, the Second Week of Lent

First Station of the Cross - Jesus is condemned to death

   The King of Kings stood before a Roman official who had no understanding of who Jesus was.  The High Priest and the Sanhedrin had brought Jesus to him with their false claims and charges against Jesus.  The Scriptures, in particular the Gospel of John, indicate that Pilate was not convinced that Jesus had committed any crime which would deserve death.  He had Jesus scourged, at least in part, hoping that the punishment would satisfy the High Priest.  Still the Jewish religious leadership called for Jesus to be crucified.  Pilate even tried to release him, but the High Priest and the Jewish leaders would not allow it.  In the end he ordered Jesus to be crucified.

   Many would hold Pontius Pilate responsible for Jesus’ death; and so he was.   But an honest reading of the Scripture shows that he would have preferred to let him go. He saw no reason for Jesus to die.  Pilate washed his hands of the whole affair, saying to the Jewish leaders, “I am innocent of this righteous man’s blood; see to it yourselves.” (Matt 27: 24)

   The High Priest and the Jewish leaders replied to Pilate, “His blood be on us and on our children! (Matt 27: 25).  They were so wrapped up in protecting themselves and the status quo that they could not or would not accept that the Messiah they had been praying for was right in front of them.

   What of the crowd?  They too joined in the demand for Jesus to be crucified.  I’ve often wondered how many of them were in the crowds spreading palms and singing praise to Jesus just a week before when He entered Jerusalem for the last time.

   As we contemplate this beginning of Jesus’ journey to Calgary we must look inside ourselves and see where we fit in to this event.

   How many politicians swallow their integrity and honesty to secure their place in power.  If the decision is tough they, like Pilate, want to wash their hands of it rather than take a stand for what is right.  How many of our elected officials claim to be Catholic and yet for vote for abortion on demand up to the point of the baby’s birth?  How many of them claim to be pro-life while running for office but refuse to stand up for the rights of the unborn; or the elderly being pushed into euthanasia; or those wrongfully executed through the death penalty?  I see Pontius Pilate in these politicians.  Go along to get along is their faith and religion.

   How many of our religious leaders stand in the pulpit and speak against the sins committed in this country and by those in the pews before them?  When was the last time you heard your Priest or Pastor state unequivocally that abortion is murder?  In too many cases those who are supposed to be our religious leaders echo the High Priest Caiaphas.  They want to maintain the status quo rather than rocking the boat.  Why do they refuse to take a stand for what the Scriptures clearly state?  That is their duty before God. 

   And while we are at it we can’t leave ourselves out of the picture.  Do we, like the Jews of Jesus’ time praise Him when it’s convenient and deny Him when it isn’t?  We sit in those pews on Sunday and sing praise to Jesus and then spend the rest our week ignoring Him.  We too tend to have a go along to get along mentality.  Especially when standing up for Jesus has a price that we think too high.

   There was plenty of sin involved in Jesus’ condemnation to death.  Virtually everyone involved failed the test.  Yet today we fail the test as well.  Isn’t it time we stood for Him regardless of the cost?  Even if it means going to Calgary with Him.