Day 14: With Jesus Before Pilate
Take a moment to quiet yourself: close your eyes and take some deep breaths.
Pray this prayer or something similar in your own words: Jesus, help me draw close to you by seeing my suffering in yours and your suffering in mine.
Herod found no reason to convict Jesus and sent him back to Pilate. Pilate also believed Jesus was innocent and tried several ways to satisfy the angry religious leaders while letting Jesus go. In the end, he gave in to their pressure.
As you read, imagine you are watching Pilate's interaction with the crowd as Jesus stands nearby. What do you see, hear, and feel? What might Jesus have been experiencing as the crowds and leaders shouted for his death?
Beaten and weary, facing the anger of the religious leaders and the indifference of the political rulers, Jesus came to the end of hours of interrogation. Prayerfully read the passage a second time. What image or images does God press upon your heart?
As you close this time of prayer, talk with Jesus about what this passage has brought up for you.
Reflection Questions
Personal reflection:
How must Jesus have felt when the death sentence finally came? How bitter would it have been to see a guilty man freed while he was condemned?
Community discussion:
Can you identify with the mental, emotional, and spiritual exhaustion Jesus may have felt, or with facing hostility or condemnation in your difficulties? How might your experiences deepen your appreciation of Jesus' suffering?