9 April, Antonio, Cardinal Bacci: Meditations for Every Day

Jesus Before Pilate and Herod

1. After a night of extreme suffering Jesus was led in bonds before Pilate so that He might be condemned to death. The Jews were so determined to achieve this purpose that in a spirit of diabolical hatred they brought false accusations against Jesus. Our divine Redeemer knew well the deceitful hypocrisy of His accusers. He showed no resentment, however, but bore witness to the truth by His calm and brief replies. When He saw that it was useless to insist, He remained silent, so that even Pilate was astonished. (Cf. Mt. 27:14) Let us study this scene and note the brutal hatred of the Jews on one hand and the divine humility of Jesus on the other. Let us consider how we behave when we are offended or calumniated. Perhaps we flare up and hit back proudly and sharply. This shows that we lack real humility and charity. “To him who strikes thee on the one cheek,” Jesus taught, “offer the other also.” (Cf. Luke 6:29) Not only did He preach this, but He also gave us the highest possible example. If anyone accuses or offends us, there is nothing to prevent us defending ourselves quietly and reasonably. We are not obliged to practise to the full the heroism of St. Francis de Sales, who remained silent when he was insulted and suppressed entirely his feelings of resentment. Nevertheless, this is the ideal towards which we must tend. We should never speak in a moment of anger when wounded self-love is boiling up inside us. We should know how to make the sacrifice of remaining silent for the time being and thinking humbly about the matter before replying eventually in a spirit of Christian peace. We should follow the example of Jesus, Who said: “Learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart.” (Cf. Mt. 11:29)

2. Pilate was struck by the inconsistency and contradictoriness of the charges made by the Jews, and by the peaceful behaviour of Jesus. “I find no crime deserving of death in him,” he declared openly. (Cf. Luke 23:22; John 18:38; 19:4) In the face of this solemn declaration of Jesus' innocence, one would have expected to have seen Him released. Unfortunately, however, people do not always act in accordance with their express convictions. We have probably had this experience ourselves on many occasions. We have experienced the truth of Ovid's phrase: “Video meliora proboque, deteriora sequor.” (Ovid, Met., VII. 20, 21) We see, in other words, what is the better thing to do, but we are attracted by the more evil. We see what we should do in order to be humble, but we are proud in our behaviour. We see what we should do in order to be charitable, but we are selfish. We see what we should do in order to be just, but we behave unjustly. We see the way in which we should resist temptation immediately, and we hesitate instead and fall. We see that it is necessary to pray fervently, because by ourselves we are capable of nothing; yet we are weak and careless. Let us reflect and make serious resolutions which we shall certainly put into practice.

3. Pilate sent Jesus to Herod, the ruler of Galilee, which was the homeland of our Redeemer. Herod was a cruel and sensual king. It was he who had given orders for the slaying of St. John the Precursor. Jesus had said no more than was necessary in the presence of Pilate, but He was completely silent in front of Herod, so much so that the king decided that He was mad and sent him away. Perhaps Jesus was silent because He did not believe that Herod was worthy of His reply. It will be a sad day for us if Jesus does not speak in our hearts any more. Let us never make ourselves unworthy of His words and inspirations. Let us say with the Psalmist: “But not silent; Lord, be not far from me.” (Ps. 34:22) Without Jesus we are lost for all eternity.