The Struggle for Right

Along with the birth of Jesus, this is probably one of the readings I have heard, and vividly remember, more than any other reading. Not only because it is a long gospel reading, but also because it is such an emotional gospel reading. Emotions that range from being at peace at the beginning of the reading when Jesus is going to a garden with his disciples; to anger when both Judas and Simon Peter betray Jesus; to sympathy when Pilate is trying so hard to release Jesus as he repeatedly says “I find no guilt in him”; and finally to sadness when Jesus is crucified and dies on the cross with his own mother Mary watching him suffer.

After reading the gospel several times, the one emotion that kept coming back to me was my sympathy for Pilate. Pilate was enthralled by Jesus and wanted to learn more about him. After listening to Jesus, Pilate did not find him guilty of any crime and did not want to be the one who passed judgement on the King of the Jews. After trying multiple times to release him, Pilate finally handed him over to the Jews to be crucified.

Can you imagine being presented with such an internal struggle - one where you know something is expected of you, but you also know deep down in your heart, that what you are about to do is not right? If you think about it, though, we probably face these type of struggles daily - struggles where we are presented with several choices, but knowing one of them is not right and will, in the end, be a betrayal of our own faith in Jesus. I’ve told myself “it’s not a big deal - it’s only this one time.” Or “it’s just a small inappropriate choice - nothing major!” The daily struggles may not be quite as big as what Pilate faced, but if we continually betray Jesus by making poor decisions over and over, then I’ve realized that I may need to slow down and really think about what I am doing. Maybe it would be helpful to talk with a trusted friend who shares the same values as I do, or find a meaningful prayer that I can use when I need some guidance, or simply turn to God’s words in the Bible more often (my personal favorites are the Psalms - filled with encouraging words!).

I hope and pray you and your family have a wonderful Easter weekend and that you can find strength through Jesus. Blessings to all of you!

Author: Maureen Miramontes, Admissions & Learning Resource Center