2nd Week of Lent - Trials before Pilate and Herod

"Lord, it is good for us to be here." St. Matthew, 17:4

"He suffered under Pontius Pilate." Creed.

In the Metropolitan Museum of New York City there are several paint­ings by a Hungarian, Michael Munkacsy. Born in 1844, he produced in 1881 his masterpiece, "Christ Before Pilate," which was purchased by John Wanamaker, and exhibited in Europe and America.

One day a veteran missionary was studying this picture as it hung in a New York Church. Three rollicking, tipsy men came up behind him, to see what was going on. They slowly removed their hats, while one re­marked: "I think I'll go up closer and get a better look at that picture."

Half turning, the missionary told him: "Yes, by all means, come closer. The nearer you get to Jesus, the better it will be for you."

"Do you really think so, governor?" asked the interested one.

"I know so," answered the priest.

"But, just how do you know, governor?"

"Well," the priest explained, "I have known Him for over forty years, and He has never let me down. That picture tells just part of what He went through for you and me."

"If you don't mind, would you te1l me something about Him?" begged the now rather sober visitor. Briefly the priest reviewed the story of Jesus before Pilate, and what it meant for all of us. When he concluded he.saw tears in the eyes of his listener, and heard him mutter: "It's a good thing we came in here."

We want to paint that same scene this week, not upon unfeeling canvas, but upon the warm and worshipful walls of our hearts. The nearer we get to Jesus the better it will be for us. When that sobered drunkard declared it was a good thing he had come in to see the picture, he was echoing the words of St. Peter we just quoted: "Lord, it is good for us to be here." Both were near Christ. In the transfiguration Jesus appeared in all His glory; before Pilate He appeared in all His agony. The first makes us happy; the second makes us sad. But both are necessary, the sad and the glad picture of Christ, to make a complete portrait of Him.

About eight o'clock on the morning of the first Good Friday, the soldiers led our Lord to Pilate. They repeated their charges: this man leads the people astray; He forbids to give tribute to Caesar; He calls Himself Christ the King. Pilate questions Christ privately: "Art thou the king of the Jews?"

Jesus answered that He was, but His kingdom was not of this world. When the governor, heard that Jesus was from Galilee he sent Him to Herod, who was pleased; he wanted to meet Christ and see a mira­cle, if possible. To Herod's questions, as to Pilate's questions, Jesus an­swered not a word. He was mocked, dressed in a white garment, the gar­ment of a fool, and sent back to Pilate.

Herod and Pilate, former enemies, were made friends that day; neither wanted to take the responsibility, yet neither wanted to free our Lord.

Pilate declared Christ innocent. To please the Jews he consented to torture Our Lord and release Him. He had an idea. Every year on the pasch the Jews released a criminal. One of the most notorious was Bar­abbas. The Jews could choose: Jesus or Barabbas. Persuaded by their leaders, the people chose Barabbas, and to the governor's query as to what they should do with Christ, the mob cried out: "Let him be cruci­fied." St. Matthew, 27:23.

Seeing that his feeble efforts to release Christ were of no avail, Pilate called for water, washed his hands and exclaimed: "I am innocent of the blood of this just man: see to it yourselves." St. Matthew, 27:24. Pilate permits the cruel scourging and crowning with thorns, the mocking and torture by the soldiers, but still the crowd cries out for a crucifixion.

Again Pilate made an effort to free Christ by asking Him where He came from. When Jesus did not answer Pilate reminded Him that he had power to condemn Him and he had power to release Him. But the eternal Judge simply told His earthly judge that all power was from above. The Jews kept screaming that the governor could not be a friend of Caesar if he set this man free. Worn, weary and wounded, Jesus was brought forth upon the balcony, where Pilate announced to the Jewish mob: "Behold your king." "We have no king but Caesar," they shouted back. The sen­tence was passed.

In this picture of a weak and wavering man who should have stood up for simple justice, we have a picture of ourselves. When Jesus and His principles stand trial, we often act like Pilate. We shift responsibility; we avoid blame; we carry water on both shoulders; we try to be friends and enemies of Christ at the same time; we try to release Him and we also con­demn Him, in the same breath.

When you pray those words of the Apostles' Creed: "He suffered under Pontius Pilate." be sure that you are not another Pilate. Now that you have studied this scene, however briefly, stand with that converted drunk­ard, who resolved to do better when he saw the picture of "Christ Before Pilate." Realize that it is good for us in every way to be present at this scene.
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Adapted from Talks on the Creed
by Fr. Arthur Tonne, 1946