2nd Sunday of Easter Year B - 15/4/2012 - Gospel: Jn 20, 19-31
The Silent One
During the trial Pilate interrogated Jesus but He refused to talk to Pilate and remained silent. After a few questions Pilate claimed to have the power to give life or take life away.
Are you refusing to speak to me? Surely you know I have the power to release you and the power to crucify you.
Jesus replied:
You would have no power over me if it had not been given you from above. Jn 19,10
Jesus reminded Pilate that even though he presently had the power to govern his people the power he has wasn't of his own but that God had given it to him. He would not have it forever but there was a time limit to what he has. It is better to use it wisely, properly and justly and that is to protect life, promote justice and maintain peace for the public.
The dialogue between Jesus and Pilate happened in private, within his palace. He thought the dialogue was dead but since the news that Jesus came back to life His teachings became a common topic discussed daily in public and among the leaders of the community. What the authority prohibited in the pass has become the Good News that people talk of freely. Those who believed in His resurrection went on to spread the Good News as far as to the end of time; those who refused to believe in His resurrection would heavily get involved in the debates. The Silent One became the most spoken of and some spoke with respect while others wondered.
It first happened at the foot of the cross and spread to the temples and the king's palace. At the cross when the officer who was in charged of carrying out the Passion witnessed the sign on the sky, darkness covered the whole country, confessed that:
Certainly he was a good man Luke 23,47
After the resurrection of Jesus, Pilate and his ministers used money to bride the soldiers to spread the lie.
You are to say that his disciples came during the night and stole his body while you were asleep. And if the Governor should hear of this, we will convince him that you are innocent, and you will have nothing to worry about Mat 28,15
This is another form the misuse of power. Earlier the abuse of power was to threaten the life of others. This time the misused of power was to conceal the truth. The statement spread by the soldiers was the public confession that the royal army was defeated. The resurrection changed everything upside down. Before the crucifixion the apostles of Jesus were scattered and in hiding; after the resurrection they gathered together while the chief priests and the Scribes were in disarrayed. They felt defeated with the confession that the disciples of Jesus took his body and the guards were powerless to retrieve it.
The authority failed to explain what made the apostles came out from hiding and banded together to be the living witnesses for Jesus. Their faith and their boldness came from the silent power that is the power of the Holy Spirit which is hidden from non believers.
We pray that the Holy Spirit empowers us to confess like Thomas:
My Lord and my God.
Are you refusing to speak to me? Surely you know I have the power to release you and the power to crucify you.
Jesus replied:
You would have no power over me if it had not been given you from above. Jn 19,10
Jesus reminded Pilate that even though he presently had the power to govern his people the power he has wasn't of his own but that God had given it to him. He would not have it forever but there was a time limit to what he has. It is better to use it wisely, properly and justly and that is to protect life, promote justice and maintain peace for the public.
The dialogue between Jesus and Pilate happened in private, within his palace. He thought the dialogue was dead but since the news that Jesus came back to life His teachings became a common topic discussed daily in public and among the leaders of the community. What the authority prohibited in the pass has become the Good News that people talk of freely. Those who believed in His resurrection went on to spread the Good News as far as to the end of time; those who refused to believe in His resurrection would heavily get involved in the debates. The Silent One became the most spoken of and some spoke with respect while others wondered.
It first happened at the foot of the cross and spread to the temples and the king's palace. At the cross when the officer who was in charged of carrying out the Passion witnessed the sign on the sky, darkness covered the whole country, confessed that:
Certainly he was a good man Luke 23,47
After the resurrection of Jesus, Pilate and his ministers used money to bride the soldiers to spread the lie.
You are to say that his disciples came during the night and stole his body while you were asleep. And if the Governor should hear of this, we will convince him that you are innocent, and you will have nothing to worry about Mat 28,15
This is another form the misuse of power. Earlier the abuse of power was to threaten the life of others. This time the misused of power was to conceal the truth. The statement spread by the soldiers was the public confession that the royal army was defeated. The resurrection changed everything upside down. Before the crucifixion the apostles of Jesus were scattered and in hiding; after the resurrection they gathered together while the chief priests and the Scribes were in disarrayed. They felt defeated with the confession that the disciples of Jesus took his body and the guards were powerless to retrieve it.
The authority failed to explain what made the apostles came out from hiding and banded together to be the living witnesses for Jesus. Their faith and their boldness came from the silent power that is the power of the Holy Spirit which is hidden from non believers.
We pray that the Holy Spirit empowers us to confess like Thomas:
My Lord and my God.
Written by Fr Vũđình Tường
St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Australia
St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Australia