Holy Week

During Holy week, we remember the time that politicians attempted to silence a man whose words of truth threatened their influence and power. A man whose words rang so true, that to discredit him was nearly impossible. He had to be killed, but only after being humiliated. 

We remember how His words were manipulated in hearings so as to seem like blasphemy. How political threats were used to convince a Governor to act when his instincts knew that the man before him did no wrong. 

How political leaders swayed the public with propaganda into a frenzy against an innocent man who spoke of peace, faith, and charity. How they created a tone of fear in the region that made even the most faithful of apostles deny even knowing their Master. 

How the politicians nurtured hatred to the point where a simple sentence of death became amplified into a bloodbath of torture, humiliation, and suffering. 

We remember these events by reliving them through theatre, music, and dramatic storytelling. We make sure to sing hymns that remind us, "I Crucified You." We remember the crowd shouting, "Let His blood be on us and all our children."

Surely, one reason for this is that it is important to remember how easily people who claimed to be people of faith were so easily manipulated by the simple tools of politics. These same tools are being used today. In this election campaign, for example, politicians once again are manipulating truth, slandering innocent people, and breeding hatred and violence. And once again, people who claim to be people of faith are allowing themselves to be manipulated. 

Let this Holy Week remind us that there is a truth beyond the words of people who wish to acquire or maintain power. Let us remember the consequences of allowing these lies to turn us against each other, and away from God. Let us NOT respond with thoughts of, "Look at what THOSE people did;" but rather with, "Look what, but for the grace of God, we might end up doing." And let it inspire us to focus on the words of Jesus Christ. Let us remember that He defeated them by bearing witness to the Truth. Let us focus on God, and what it truly means to be a Christian.