5th Scriptural Station of the Cross

Jesus is Judged by Pilate (Mark 15: 1-15)

Prepare your setting. Take a few deep breaths and exhale slowly. Set your timer.

Begin with the Sign of the Cross. Then: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Invite Jesus to visit with you. Tell Him of any concerns that are on your mind.

“Read” the image. Look from top to bottom, left and right. What strikes you? What is happening? What objects and symbols do you notice? Ponder the messages. I’ll share my thoughts [in brackets], but your thoughts are what matter.

[Jesus is wearing the red of sacrifice. A guard is holding the back of his garment. It’s huge. Not only did they put it on Him to mock Him as a King, they made it oversized to make Him look even more ridiculous. Bullies.

Pilate is trying to convince the crowd that Jesus has done nothing wrong. But they are fired up against him. I remember hearing about “Barabus, the insurrectionist.” That was my favorite phrasing until lately when the U.S. President was accused of being an insurrectionist. I’m sure most people didn’t like Roman rule at all and I understand why Barabus was motivated to overthrow it.

I saw a picture once of Jesus and Pilate and they were both wearing white garments with blue cloaks. I thought it was perfect because Pilate thought he was “innocent” (white) and knew the “truth” (blue) because he knew and followed Roman law. Jesus, of course, really was innocent and knew the truth. When Pilate questioned Jesus about truth (blue) he said, “What is truth? Is mine the same as yours?” I ask “what is true” a lot these days.

The floor of Pilate’s palace has square tiles. Square represents earth. Pilate is all about this world, not heaven.

My favorite part of the picture are the two women who are talking. Surely one is Pilate’s wife. She wants to tell Pilate about her dream (that Pilate was blamed for Jesus’ death.) The taller woman has her hand on the shorter woman’s shoulder as if to stop her, as if to say, “Keep these things to yourself” or perhaps “It’s no use. He won’t listen to you.”

Jesus, the whole idea of You communicating with us through dreams intrigues me. I know psychologists would say dreams are just the mind’s way of working through tensions of the day. And I fully understand that some mental disorders manifest in dreams “telling” the dreamer to do harmful things. But You spoke through dreams in the Old and New Testaments many times. Jacob. Joseph, Mary’s husband. Maybe You always sent an angel in a dream. Maybe that’s a sign it’s from You.

I feel sorry for Pilate in one way. He wanted to do his job correctly. He just didn’t know his job trained him wrong. Crucifixions! How gorey. How could anyone allow–let alone demand–a human suffer in such a horrific way. And humiliation in addition to torture and death. I just don’t understand the degree of hate people have–including today.]

Meditate. Talk to God about the image, how you feel and why. Ponder your thoughts. Wrestle with Him about your questions until you have nothing else to say.

Pray. Lord Jesus, grant me the gift of discernment. [I want to do what’s right in Your eyes. I’m often confused what that is when it gets down to details. Please help me..]

Contemplate. Relax. Breathe deeply. Enjoy God’s presence. Listen.

Write something to keep in your heart until your next prayer session.

Thank Jesus for visiting with you. End with the Sign of the Cross. Amen.

Thank you for joining us for this meditation. I look forward to praying with you again at the next Station.