Today’s Picture: What is truth? by Nikolai Ge
Jesus is Attacked by the Romans
The Gospels seem to be agreed that Pontius Pilate,
the Roman Governor of Palestine, wasn’t very keen on killing Jesus.
But he was risk averse.
He wasn’t going to risk a riot.
Better to sacrifice one man to keep the peace.
It’s a temptation that all charged with law and order tend to fall into.
Today, as in times past, people are punished for things they didn’t do,
or imprisoned for being seen as a threat to authorities rather than for doing something wrong.
Today’s Prayer
Preparation: Begin by stilling, then dedicating the time of prayer to God and asking God that all you think, feel and imagine are for the glory of God.
Gift: Ask for what you desire.
Suggestion: That I may have the courage to stand up for what I believe.
Setting: Imagine yourself listening to Jesus and Pilate, perhaps you are a Roman soldier, Pilate’s wife, a bystander.
John 19:5-16 HCSB
Then Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and a purple robe.
Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!”
When the chief priests and the temple police saw Him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!”
Pilate responded, “Take Him and crucify Him yourselves,
for I find no grounds for charging Him.”
“We have a law,” the Jews replied to him, “and according to that law He must die,
because He made Himself the Son of God.”
When Pilate heard this statement, he was more afraid than ever.
He went back into the headquarters and asked Jesus, “Where are You from?”
But Jesus did not give him an answer.
So Pilate said to Him, “You’re not talking to me?
Don’t You know that I have the authority to release You
and the authority to crucify You?”
“You would have no authority over Me at all,”
Jesus answered him, “if it hadn’t been given you from above.
This is why the one who handed Me over to you has the greater sin.”
From that moment Pilate made every effortto release Him.
But the Jews shouted, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend.
Anyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar!”
When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside.
He sat down on the judge’s bench in a place called the Stone Pavement.
It was the preparation day for the Passover,
and it was about six in the morning.
Then he told the Jews, “Here is your king!”
But they shouted, “Take Him away! Take Him away! Crucify Him!”
Pilate said to them, “Should I crucify your king?”
“We have no king but Caesar!” the chief priests answered.
So then, because of them, he handed Him over to be crucified.
Conversation: Talk to Jesus, how do you imagine he might reply to you?
Final Prayer: End with a formal prayer such as the Lord’s Prayer/Our Father.
Today’s Music
Today’s Music: Praise to the Holiest in the Height by St. John H. Newman.
Click for more Catholic Hymns
Your Next Move
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