Day 21- The Soldiers Mock and Torture Jesus

Matthew 27:27-31

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor's headquarters, and they gathered the whole cohort around him.  They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on his head.  They put a reed in his right hand and knelt before him and mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!"  They spat on him, and took the reed and struck him on the head.  After mocking him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.

This scene takes place immediately after Jesus was scourged.  I didn't really understand what scourged meant until recently.  The soldiers used whips with sharp objects (sharpened bone or lead) attached to the ends.  With each lash, the sharp ends ripped skin and muscle tissue from the body.  The victim looses so much blood that it was very difficult if not impossible for him to carry the cross for his crucifixion.  So at this point in Matthew's gospel, Jesus' whole body feels as if he were on fire.  He is covered in blood.  He is weak due to his massive blood loss.  They dress him in a robe. And while they make fun of him, the robe sticks to his fresh wounds as the blood attempts to form a scab.  They press a crown of thorns into his head, so now the only part of his body that probably wasn't bleeding, is now bleeding and exploding in fresh pain.  As they make fun of him, they spit on him and hit him in the face.  Each blow jostles the crown of thorns causing new waves of pain.  When they are bored with their antics, the soldiers strip the robe from Jesus' bloody body, opening up all the fresh wounds once again.  His whole being explodes in fiery agony all over.

They make fun of Him by calling him king and staging a mock coronation.  This is rather ironic because he is the King of Kings.  Jesus, as the Son of God possesses the power to make all this stop.  But he doesn't.  He doesn't get angry. He doesn't fight back.  He doesn't call a legion of angels to help him.  He doesn't because He is fulfilling the will of the Father.  He is doing what Adam failed to do in the garden: hand over His life for another.  The bloody mess that is now his body is wearing all our sin.

In John's gospel, Pilate parades Jesus back out in front of the crowd.  He gives the crowd another chance to change their minds.  They have a chance to see Jesus beaten, bloodied, humiliated and weak.  They see exactly what their demands have done to him.  But they have no compassion.  They demand his crucifixion. What role would you play in the crowd?  Where would you be?  How would you feel?  You hear the chanting all around you.  You see the bloody mess that is your Lord.  What would you do?

Jesus taught that we should love one another as He loves us.  Even though we can't physically be in that moment 2000 years ago, we can help Jesus here and now.  Mother Theresa is a great example for us to follow.  She saw Jesus in the face of all the suffering people she encountered and she comforted them.  She had the compassion for others that the crowd failed to have for Jesus.  While the crowd held to their law, she held to the meaning of the law- love.

So what will you do the next time you encounter someone who is suffering?  Will you turn away with the crowd?  Or will you reach out and offer comfort?  Jesus said: "Amen, I say to you, what ever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me." (Mat 25:40)  So, look that the bloody mess that is your Lord.  Look at all your sin on his flesh. Look at what he has endured out of love for you.  Even though you can't reach back 2000 years and help him then, you can help him now by reaching out and offering comfort to those who are suffering all around you. 

Mary, Mother of God, pray for us that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Day 20- Barabbas Is Released While Jesus is Condemned

Matthew 27:15-26

Now on the occasion of the feast the governor was accustomed to release to the crowd one prisoner whom they wished. ⁹ And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called (Jesus) Barabbas. So when they had assembled, Pilate said to them, "Which one do you want me to release to you, (Jesus) Barabbas, or Jesus called Messiah?" ¹⁰ For he knew that it was out of envy that they had handed him over. ¹¹ While he was still seated on the bench, his wife sent him a message, "Have nothing to do with that righteous man. I suffered much in a dream today because of him." The chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas but to destroy Jesus. The governor said to them in reply, "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?" They answered, "Barabbas!" ¹² Pilate said to them, "Then what shall I do with Jesus called Messiah?" They all said, "Let him be crucified!" But he said, "Why? What evil has he done?" They only shouted the louder, "Let him be crucified!" ¹³ When Pilate saw that he was not succeeding at all, but that a riot was breaking out instead, he took water and washed his hands in the sight of the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this man's blood. Look to it yourselves." And the whole people said in reply, "His blood be upon us and upon our children." Then he released Barabbas to them, but after he had Jesus scourged, ¹⁴ he handed him over to be crucified.

In his commentary, Binz explains that the Roman government released a prisoner at Passover in order to calm the nationalistic crowds gathered to celebrate Israel's independence from Egypt.  Pilate knows that the chief priests have impure motives for wanting Jesus to die, so he offers the worst of the criminals to the crowd, Barabbas.  Barabbas' name means "son of the father" which is interesting because Jesus is really the true Son of the Father.  So, the crowd has to choose between the truth and a lie.  I think you know how the story ends.  It is interesting to note that Pilate's wife sent him a note asking him not to condemn Jesus.  As we see, Pilate chooses to listen to the crowd's pressure and silence his own and his wife's intuition.

How many times have we chosen Barabbas over Jesus?  How many times have we silenced that voice telling us what is right and wrong?  How many times have we let our passions drive our decision rather than our minds or our hearts?  It is so easy to see how wrong the crowd is when we are reading it from afar.  But, it is not so easy when we are in the crowd.  It is not so easy when we are asked to be the one lone voice standing up for what is right- like a lamb surrounded by wolves.  But that is exactly what Jesus was- a lamb surrounded by wolves.  When we are asked to live this life, we are asked to live Christ's life.  He lives in us and through us.  He is the flame while we are the candle.  He asks us to completely surrender to Him just as he completely surrendered to us- agape love.  As we see in the Passion account, the lamb was slain by the wolves.  He allowed himself to be slain for the sake of the wolves.  When we find ourselves in a crowd of wolves, will we announce that we are not one of them?  Will we say who we really are?  Will we risk our lives so that the lamb can live through us?  Or will we be one of the wolves?

Day 19-Herod Mocks Jesus

Luke 23:6-15

On hearing this Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean; and upon learning that he was under Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod who was in Jerusalem at that time. Herod was very glad to see Jesus; he had been wanting to see him for a long time, for he had heard about him and had been hoping to see him perform some sign. He questioned him at length, but he gave him no answer. The chief priests and scribes, meanwhile, stood by accusing him harshly. (Even) Herod and his soldiers treated him contemptuously and mocked him, and after clothing him in resplendent garb, he sent him back to Pilate. Herod and Pilate became friends that very day, even though they had been enemies formerly. Pilate then summoned the chief priests, the rulers, and the people and said to them, "You brought this man to me and accused him of inciting the people to revolt. I have conducted my investigation in your presence and have not found this man guilty of the charges you have brought against him, nor did Herod, for he sent him back to us. So no capital crime has been committed by him.

Binz offers great commentary for this passage.  Pilate, in another attempt to not make a judgement concerning Jesus, sends Jesus to be judged by Herod who is the ruler of Jesus' home country, Galilee.  Jesus was born during the reign of Herod's father- the ruler who sought to kill Jesus as an infant.  The current Herod was the ruler who killed John Baptist and had his head brought on a platter to Herodias as a gift at her request.  He lead a decadent life and the expense of those in his kingdom.  And he wanted to meet Jesus- not because he was a great prophet or the Son of God.  He wanted to meet Him so he could see Jesus perform a miracle.  Jesus was a spectacle for Herod's entertainment.  When Jesus didn't respond to him, Herod made fun of him and found him not guilty and sent him back to Pilate.  Basically, Jesus was not of any use to Herod so he passed the buck back to Pilate.  It is interesting to note that Pilate and Herod were enemies until this day after which they became friends.  Somehow Jesus was able to pass an olive branch between the two men.  Even here, in His greatest suffering, He sows reconciliation.

Today, on Facebook, a link put out by the local news station caught my attention: 'Pray for Rain' to end Wildfires, Drought in West Texas.  It was a story about how the leaders in one west Texas county issued a proclamation asking its citizens to pray for rain.  The local diocese ran with it and is calling upon all its churches to include this request in the prayers during Mass this weekend.  When these links about religion come along on Facebook from this news station, I always read the comments and I usually make a positive comment to balance out all the religion haters chiming in with how Christians are a bunch of "ignorant idiots."  I am always amazed with how hateful people can be when it comes to religion.  Anyhow, in one such comment, the non-religious person said he was going to sit back and wait for this "miracle" and when the rain didn't come, he was going to laugh at all these "fools."  I imagine that is what Herod did.  He asked for a miracle and when Jesus did not come through, he laughed at Him.  He mocked Him and dismissed Him.  If Jesus wasn't going to preform for him, then he had no use for Him. 

There was a time in my life when I was a little like Herod.  I had my life all planned out.  I had all my ducks in a row.  And I expected that God would be on the same page as me.  But, it turned how that He wasn't.  And when life started making unexpected turns, I dismissed God from the board room.  If He wasn't going to follow my plan, then I had no use for Him.  Little did I know how miserable I would become.  Little did I know how lonely I would become.  Little did I know how un-purposeful my life would become.  Fortunately, God gave me the grace to realize that He was what I was missing.  He was who I needed.  He was my purpose. 

We can't use God to get what we want.  He isn't a puppet to make our lives go the way WE think they should go.  A friend in class last night said this:  "The faith walk is walking with God while not knowing what is coming along.  We walk blindly into the night and trust that the trials that cross are path are there to bring us closer to salvation."  Our prayers to God shouldn't just be a list of what we need and want, but our submission to His will and our willingness to walk blindly into the night and trust He is leading us to the path of holiness- the path of salvation.

Day 18- Pilate Hands Jesus Over for Crucifixion

John 19:5

Then Pilate took Jesus and had him scourged. And the soldiers wove a crown out of thorns and placed it on his head, and clothed him in a purple cloak, and they came to him and said, "Hail, King of the Jews!" And they struck him repeatedly. Once more Pilate went out and said to them, "Look, I am bringing him out to you, so that you may know that I find no guilt in him." So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple cloak. And he said to them, "Behold, the man!" When the chief priests and the guards saw him they cried out, "Crucify him, crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and crucify him. I find no guilt in him." ² The Jews answered, "We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God." Now when Pilate heard this statement, he became even more afraid, and went back into the praetorium and said to Jesus, "Where are you from?" Jesus did not answer him. So Pilate said to him, "Do you not speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you and I have power to crucify you?" Jesus answered (him), "You would have no power over me if it had not been given to you from above. For this reason the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin." Consequently, Pilate tried to release him; but the Jews cried out, "If you release him, you are not a Friend of Caesar. ³ Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar." When Pilate heard these words he brought Jesus out and seated him ⁴ on the judge's bench in the place called Stone Pavement, in Hebrew, Gabbatha. It was preparation day for Passover, and it was about noon. ⁵ And he said to the Jews, "Behold, your king!" They cried out, "Take him away, take him away! Crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your king?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar." Then he handed him over to them to be crucified.

In his commentary, Binz explains that Pilate is actually the one on trial.  He does not want to make a decision concerning the fate of Jesus.  He does not want to have to choose between right and wrong.  Pilate has Jesus scourged and mocked in an effort to show the crowd that Jesus is just a miserable man who does not deserved to be listened to.  The crowd (and the religious leaders inciting the crowd) are not fooled.  They continue to call for Pilate to crucify Jesus.  It is interesting to note that it was noon on the Day of Preparation for the Passover when Pilate handed Jesus over to be crucified.  Ritually, at noon on that day, the priests in the temple slaughter the passover lambs.

Have you ever seen the Passion of the Christ?  I watched it for the first time last year.  I always avoided that movie because I wanted to remain in the dark about the suffering of my Lord.  I love Him with all my heart and I just couldn't bear to watch that movie.  I knew the visual images in that movie would be burned into my memory and haunt me for the rest of my days.   And I was right.  Those images did haunt me.  After I watched that movie, I dreamed I was in the crowd.  I dreamed I was watching the whole thing.  I locked eyes with the Lord.  I was in the crowd paralyzed with fear.  I could do nothing.  I wonder if that is how his disciples felt.  I wonder if they were in the crowd.  I wonder if they felt helpless and afraid.  I wonder if they were waiting for a miracle.  It must have broken their hearts to see their Lord and Master in this condition.  There was someone else in the crowd watching this whole thing too.  Our Mother Mary.  Not only was she in the crowd, but she watched when they beat him almost to death.  She was his divine support here on earth.  When God made Mary, he gave her all the graces she needed to watch this moment and stay strong.  If it were me, I would have acted like a lunatic.  But she was his rock. 

So, think about it.  Put yourself in the crowd.  Be in that moment.  Because that moment is for you.  He died for you.  His Mother watched him die so that you may gain life.  His love for you is greater than all the pain he feels at that moment.

Day 17- Pilate is Put on Trial by Jesus

John 18:28-40

Then they brought Jesus from Caiaphas to the praetorium. ¹³ It was morning. And they themselves did not enter the praetorium, in order not to be defiled so that they could eat the Passover. So Pilate came out to them and said, "What charge do you bring (against) this man?" They answered and said to him, "If he were not a criminal, we would not have handed him over to you." At this, Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves, and judge him according to your law." The Jews answered him, "We do not have the right to execute anyone," ^{14 15} in order that the word of Jesus might be fulfilled that he said indicating the kind of death he would die. So Pilate went back into the praetorium and summoned Jesus and said to him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus answered, "Do you say this on your own or have others told you about me?" Pilate answered, "I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?" Jesus answered, "My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants (would) be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not here." So Pilate said to him, "Then you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say I am a king. ¹⁶ For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice." Pilate said to him, "What is truth?" When he had said this, he again went out to the Jews and said to them, "I find no guilt in him. But you have a custom that I release one prisoner to you at Passover. ¹⁷ Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?" They cried out again, "Not this one but Barabbas!" ¹⁸ Now Barabbas was a revolutionary.

John's account of Jesus' trial before Pilate is the most detailed of all the gospel accounts.  According to Binz, John is bringing out Pilate's inner struggle.  John expands the conversation between Pilate and Jesus during Pilate's questioning.  We hear Jesus explain that his kingdom is not of this world and he is here in this world so that he my reveal the truth.  Then he goes on to say, "Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."  This statement implies a question; Jesus is asking Pilate if he knows the truth.  Pilate's response to Jesus is a question: "What is truth?"  So, we see that Pilate doesn't know the truth.  Binz goes onto explain that "Nothing is more contrary to the truth than Pilate and the world he represents."

I think that we live in a world much like the world Pilate represented.  We live in a society that has compromised the truth.  We live in a society that favors the the will of self over the will of God.  So, how do we live in this society?  Am I like Pilate- blind to the truth?  Or am I like the Saints-those who lived the truth and even died for the truth?  Is it possible to be just a regular person trying to find the line in the sand?  Is it possible to live the truth but not rock the boat? 

Its funny how this study and my catechism class are making wonderful parallels.  I was just reading today about the meaning of the second commandment.  I am not going to attempt to paraphrase Kreeft since he states it so eloquently:

"The faithful should bear witness to the Lord's name by confessing the faith"[cf. Mt 10:32; I Tim 6:12] (CCC 2145).  Catholics should be as zealous as any of the sects... in "witnessing" publicly to their faith, for it is not theirs as a private and personal possession, like their good looks, but is a public divine gift.  They should be proud of it, and certainly never ashamed, for this is not being proud of themselves.

To "witness" to unbelievers is to risk scorn and hostility and, in many places in the world today, even to risk death.  Even in nations that have freedom of religion, to witness to the faith is to risk social ostracism and misunderstanding.  But this is a small price to pay for loyalty to the Christ who paid the ultimate price for us.  And it is a price Christ requires (see Mk 8:34-38).

Kreeft, Peter J.  Catholic Christianity.  San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2001. pp. 211

Day 16- Pilate Questions Jesus and the Crowd

Mark 15:1-15

As soon as morning came, the chief priests with the elders and the scribes, that is, the whole Sanhedrin, held a council. ¹ They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. Pilate questioned him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" ² He said to him in reply, "You say so." The chief priests accused him of many things. Again Pilate questioned him, "Have you no answer? See how many things they accuse you of." Jesus gave him no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed. ³ Now on the occasion of the feast he used to release to them one prisoner whom they requested. A man called Barabbas ⁴ was then in prison along with the rebels who had committed murder in a rebellion. The crowd came forward and began to ask him to do for them as he was accustomed. Pilate answered, "Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?" For he knew that it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed him over. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas for them instead. Pilate again said to them in reply, "Then what (do you want) me to do with (the man you call) the king of the Jews?" ⁵ They shouted again, "Crucify him." Pilate said to them, "Why? What evil has he done?" They only shouted the louder, "Crucify him." ⁶ So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas to them and, after he had Jesus scourged, handed him over to be crucified.

When I was a kid, I really really disliked Pontius Pilate.  I blamed him for the death of Jesus.  And when we listen to our creed, it is easy to come to that conclusion: "And he suffered under Pontius Pilate, died and was buried."  Even though I wasn't Catholic as a kid, I did conclude that Pilate was the executor.  He decided to kill Jesus.  But as an adult, I have studied these passages, read commentaries, and taken classes and now I realize that Pilate isn't the only one with blood on his hands.  In fact, Pilate is more of a puppet than a leader.  He was a little manipulated.  The chief priests are the ones who brought the "convicted" Jesus to Pilate.  Pilate knew their motives were less than pure.  He tried to persuade them by pointing out Jesus' innocence.  But to no avail.  When the Jewish leaders would not be swayed, he turned to the crowd and asked them if they wanted an innocent man to be crucified.  They said yes.  They said yes so emphatically that Pilate was afraid that he would have a riot on his hands if he didn't bend to their wishes.  So, he did.  He would rather satisfy them by killing an innocent man than deal with a riot.  That makes him less of a leader and more of a fair weather Politian in my opinion.

So the blood of Jesus is on the hands of Pilate, the chief priests and the crowd.  It wasn't just one person who wanted him to die, but an entire culture- an entire city.  And the people in the city were His own people.  The same people that His father chose to raise up in order to bring Jesus into the world.  These are the same people that Mary was raised to love and respect.  These people- His family was chanting for His death. Sometimes I wonder if that moment was more horrible for Jesus than all the time he spent being scourged.  Or all the time He spent on the cross.  It's one thing for power hungry leaders to reject Him, but it’s entirely different for the average everyday people who walked with Him, ate with Him and witnessed His miracles to be chanting for His death.  That must have been almost as painful as the moment when His disciples deserted Him in the garden.

I am also intrigued by the role Barabbas plays to the crowd.  Barabbas is a murderer- he takes life.  Jesus is the fountain of life.  It is very interesting that they would choose the person who takes life over the person who gives life. I wonder how many times this same scenario plays out in our own lives.

It is important to realize that Pilate took the easy way out.  Instead of standing up for what he thought was right, he chose to bend to the wishes of the crowd.  That scenario plays out over and over in our lives.  It is easier to go with the crowd or the norms of society than say that you would rather not.  It is easier to say that abortion is a personal decision than to say that it is wrong.  It is easier to justify the death penalty than defend the life the worst criminals.  It is easier to turn a blind eye to a family member's addiction than to help that person seek help.   It is easier to leave religion alone than to invite someone to church.  Yes, I think I have taken the easy way out more than I have stood up for the truth. 

Mary, Mother of God, pray the Lord will have mercy on my soul!

Day 15- Judas Ends His Life with Remorse

Matthew 27:3-10

Then Judas, his betrayer, seeing that Jesus had been condemned, deeply regretted what he had done. He returned the thirty pieces of silver ³ to the chief priests and elders, saying, "I have sinned in betraying innocent blood." They said, "What is that to us? Look to it yourself." ⁴ Flinging the money into the temple, he departed and went off and hanged himself. The chief priests gathered up the money, but said, "It is not lawful to deposit this in the temple treasury, for it is the price of blood." After consultation, they used it to buy the potter's field as a burial place for foreigners. That is why that field even today is called the Field of Blood. Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet, ⁵ "And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of a man with a price on his head, a price set by some of the Israelites, and they paid it out for the potter's field just as the Lord had commanded me."

Here, we see Judas realize the gravity of the situation that he created.  Maybe he never meant for Jesus to be condemned to death.  As I discussed in an earlier post, maybe he was trying to force Jesus to start a rebellion.  Although we may not know Judas' goal for handing over Jesus, we do know that the outcome was not what he expected.  He played Russian roulette and lost.  Also, we will never know what was going through Judas' head when he decided to take his life.  We do know that taking a bribe to shed innocent blood was a serious offense in Israel (Det 27:25).  Maybe he thought his sin was too great. 

In his commentary, Binz compares and contrasts Peter and Judas.  Both men had sinned against the Lord.  Both men betrayed their Master.  Both men failed in their commitment to discipleship.  But their lives had very different outcomes.  Peter "wept bitterly" and threw himself on the mercy of God.  While Judas did not believe in the mercy Jesus taught him and in his desperate moment, he chose death.  Peter gave himself up to the will of God while Judas took matters into his own hands once again.

In my Catechism class, we just finished studying the sins against faith, hope and charity.  I was surprised to learn that it is a sin(against hope) to not believe that God will forgive your sins or to lose hope that He will grant you personal salvation.  I didn't realize those were actual sins.  I think there are a lot of people out there who fall into this category.  They think that the things they have done are so bad that there is no possible way they could be forgiven.  And that is their excuse to not ask for forgiveness.  Sometimes, that is their excuse to not go to church.  But the Jesus didn't teach that.  He taught that sins will be forgiven.  If we don't believe in that, then we are calling God a liar.  We are saying to him that he suffered and died on that cross for nothing.  Choosing not to believe in that forgiveness is offensive to God.

So, I guess, we have to choose.  Do we want to be like Peter or like Judas?  Do we surrender to God and find life or do we cave to despair and choose death?

Day 14- Peter Denies Knowing Jesus

Matthew 26:69-75

Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. One of the maids came over to him and said, "You too were with Jesus the Galilean." ³⁸ But he denied it in front of everyone, saying, "I do not know what you are talking about!" As he went out to the gate, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, "This man was with Jesus the Nazorean." Again he denied it with an oath, "I do not know the man!" ³⁹ A little later the bystanders came over and said to Peter, "Surely you too are one of them; even your speech gives you away." At that he began to curse and to swear, "I do not know the man." And immediately a cock crowed. Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had spoken: "Before the cock crows you will deny me three times." He went out and began to weep bitterly.

This must have been the worst moment of Peter's life.  Peter LOVED the Lord.  Peter left everything he had to follow Him.  Peter witnessed many miracles and was one of the three disciples to see Jesus' transfiguration.  He even offered to lay down his life for Jesus.  And now look at Peter.  He is denying that he even knew Jesus. Jesus predicted this would happen and Peter was devastated that Jesus would think he would do such a thing, and then he did it. 

Let's look at the way this scene unfolded.  When Peter denied Jesus the first time, he sort of deflects the accusation by saying he doesn't know what the girl is talking about.  But when the second time rolls around, he is more adamant about not knowing Jesus- he swears an oath that he doesn't know Jesus.  When he is questioned publicly by a group, he curses and swears another oath saying he doesn't know Jesus.  So with each instance, Peter's denial grows more escalated.  In Luke's gospel, Jesus is said to have locked eyes with Peter when the cock crowed.  Peter must have felt that sin like a dagger to his heart.

The way in which Peter's denials escalate from a passing lie to one person and then to shouting and swearing in his denial to many people illustrates how easily sin grabs a hold of us.  At first, the sin seems small.  And when we feel like we got away with it, we find it easier to sin again- maybe even something more serious.  If left unchecked, the sinning gets easier and easier and before we know it, we are in a real mess.

I can relate well to this cycle of sin.  I can relate well to Peter's denial of our Lord.  When I was working three jobs as a full time student in college, getting to Mass was almost impossible.  So, sometimes, I didn't go.  And as time passed, I didn't go more and more often.  Before I knew it, I was hardly going at all.  When I wasn't going to church, I sometimes found myself in conversations where the Catholic/Christian faith was being attacked.  And I didn't say anything.  I didn't stand up for my faith.  I didn't want to be labeled as the "girl with religion."  I also didn't always behave like someone who loved the Lord.  For the most part, I just did what I wanted and silenced the now very soft voice calling me to a better life.  By the time I was older, I realized that I was missing something important in my life.  I knew I needed to start going to church.  I knew I needed the Lord.  And in that moment, the cock crowed.  And I realized that I had denied my Lord.  I had not been a good witness.  I had cast Jesus out of my life.  So, I went to confession for the first time in 10 years.  And I said to the Priest that I felt like Peter.  I knew and LOVED the Lord, but I fell away.  And I publicly denied that I knew Him.  It wasn't a good feeling.  But in that confessional, I felt forgiveness.  I felt as if my slate had been wiped clean.  And I took the Lord's hand and started out on the road less traveled once again.

Jesus taught: "Everyone who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven" (Matthew 10:32-33).  Peter's sin was horrible.  If Peter never confessed it, it would have cost him his salvation.  But he did confess.  And the Lord forgave him.  And then He gave him the keys to the Kingdom.  Peter was the rock upon which He built His Church.  That is a powerful lesson in the Lord's mercy.

Day 13- Caiaphas Charges Jesus with Blasphemy

Matthew 26:57-68
Those who had arrested Jesus led him away to Caiaphas ³¹ the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. Peter was following him at a distance as far as the high priest's courtyard, and going inside he sat down with the servants to see the outcome. The chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin ³² kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus in order to put him to death, but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two ³³ came forward who stated, "This man said, 'I can destroy the temple of God and within three days rebuild it.'" The high priest rose and addressed him, "Have you no answer? What are these men testifying against you?" But Jesus was silent. ³⁴ Then the high priest said to him, "I order you to tell us under oath before the living God whether you are the Messiah, the Son of God." Jesus said to him in reply, "You have said so. ³⁵ But I tell you: From now on you will see 'the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power' and 'coming on the clouds of heaven.'" Then the high priest tore his robes and said, "He has blasphemed! ³⁶ What further need have we of witnesses? You have now heard the blasphemy; what is your opinion?" They said in reply, "He deserves to die!" ³⁷ Then they spat in his face and struck him, while some slapped him, saying, "Prophesy for us, Messiah: who is it that struck you?"

In this passage, Jesus is put on trial before the high priest.  They know that they can not find solid evidence upon which to convict him, so they find several false witnesses to testify against Jesus.  In the end, they get him to admit that he is the Messiah.  Immediately Caiaphas charges him with blasphemy and issues the death sentence.  Jesus' fate is a little more sealed.

I am struck by the difference in Peter at the trial as compared to his behavior when Jesus was arrested in the garden.  In the garden, Peter fights Jesus' attackers with a sword.  He is ready to do what it takes to protect his Lord.  But at the trial, Peter sneaks in and sits with the guards so as not to draw attention to himself.  He sits and he watches.  And that is it.  He never stood to defend the Lord.  He didn't try to save Him.  Was he afraid?  Was he obeying the Lord's instructions regarding his behavior in the garden?  Has he given up in himself or has he surrendered to the will of God?  He must have been pretty calm, cool and collected to be able to sit with the guards and not draw attention to himself.  I wonder what was going through his head.

I am also struck by the difference in Caiaphas and Jesus.  Both are leaders in their community and both hold power.  Caiaphas sees Jesus as a threat to his power.  He is afraid that Jesus is going to take some of that power away from him.  So, he wants to get rid of Jesus.  Caiaphas wants to take a life in order to keep his power.  Jesus has a different approach.  Jesus is going to sacrifice his life and conquer death to show the world his power.  Jesus is ready to give his life.  Caiaphas wants to take and Jesus wants to give.  It is easy to see which person is the true priest- the one who embraces the love of God rather than the love of power. 

I find it interesting that one of the final false witnesses testifies that Jesus said he would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days.  This statement is not entirely untrue.  Jesus is eluding to himself.  He will allow himself to be destroyed, but then he will rise from the dead and walk this earth again just three days later.  If I were Caiaphas, and the following week, I heard that Jesus was risen from the grave, I think I would be doing a little repenting.  Caiaphas must have been shakin' in his boots.

Day 12- Annas Interrogates Jesus

John 18: 12-14, 19-24

So the soldiers, their officer, and the Jewish police arrested Jesus and bound him.  First they took him to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year.  Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it was better to have one person die for the people.

The high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching.  Jesus answered, "I have spoken openly to the world; I have always taught nothing in secret.  Why do you ask me?  Ask those who heard what I said to them; they know what I said."  When he has said this, one of the police standing nearby struck Jesus on the face, saying, "is that how you answer the high priest?"  Jesus answered, "If I have spoken wrongly, testify to the wrong.  But it I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me?"  Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

Jesus was a threat to Annas and his powerful family.  Annas was the chief priest and several of his sons were chief priests after him.  The current chief priest was Annas' son-in-law.  So, you can see how this man holds power in the religious community.  Jesus threatened that power.  Jesus was undermining Annas' influence over the religious community and Jesus had to be stopped.  I think that it is interesting that Caiaphas prophesied that "Jesus was about to die for the nation" and "to gather the dispersed children of God" (11:51-52). 

Jesus' domineer during the questioning is courageous.  He did not dance around their "accusations".  He answered them with the truth- that he said what he said and he was stickin' to it.  And if they really weren't sure what he said, then they could ask those who heard him say it.  He didn't understand why they were asking him these questions because they already knew what he taught.  When he pointed that out, Annas was stopped in his tracks.  Out of frustration, he sent him to the official high priest, Caiaphas.  You see Annas didn't want to hear the truth.  His mind about Jesus was already made up.  Jesus, the threat to his power, had to go.

There is one other thing in this passage that really caught my attention- Jesus answered, "I have spoken openly to the world; I have always taught nothing in secret.  Why do you ask me?  Ask those who heard what I said to them; they know what I said."  If we were there, and forced to testify in the case of Jesus to the high priest, would we know what Jesus said?  Do we know our faith?  Could we tell the high priest the truth?  Would we have the courage to tell the truth or would we cave in the face of fear?  I think that we are faced with these situations daily.  When the world comes at us with all of its temptations, we are forced to testify.  We are forced to choose the truth, or not.  We are forced to cave into the fear or rise above the temptation.  Jesus was crucified because he taught the truth to a world who did not want to hear it- a world drunk on its own power.  If we are to let Jesus live through us, then we must be willing to be crucified for the truth. We must be willing to allow that part of ourselves that is drunk on the world to be crucified.  The part of us that must die is our bushel basket hiding our light.  We must get rid of that bushel basket before the truth can shine.

O Mary, Mother of God, pray for us that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.