THE FIFTH STATION
Jesus is judged by Pilate
Antiphona
Eram quasi agnus innocens:
ductus sum ad immolandum, et nesciebam:
Omnes inimici mei adversum me cogitabant mala mihi:
Verbum iniquum mandaverunt adversum me.
Antiphon
Behold, I was like an innocent lamb;
I was led to the slaughter, and I knew it not.
All my enemies have thought evil things about me;
They have spoken evil words against me.
Kyrie eleison.
Christe eleison.
Kyrie eleison.
Pater noster ...
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Our Father ...
Mark 15: 1-5, 15
The chief priests with the elders and the scribes, that is, the whole Sanhedrin, held a council. They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. Pilate questioned him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" He said to him in reply, "You say so." The chief priests accused him of many things. Again Pilate questioned him, "Have you no answer? See how many things they accuse you of." Jesus gave him no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.... Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas and handed Jesus over to be crucified.
Responsoria
V. Proprio Filio suo non pepercit Deus.
R. Sed pro nobis omnibus tradidit illum.
V. Oblatus est quia ipse voluit.
R. Et non aperuit os suum.
Responsory
V. God spared not His own Son
R. But delivered Him up for us all.
V. He was offered up, because He himself desired it.
R. And He opened not His mouth.
Reflection
It is too easy to become a pawn in the games of the world and in the process to forget who you are, and for whom you live, and die. Pilate cared not for the life of Christ yet would have spared him for no other reason than to frustrate the Jewish elders. Let us not deceive ourselves that the ways of the world offer any profit for the soul, nor the schemes of the powerful any sway before the just Judge. The world has always invited man to fit-in with its values, promising, since the Serpent, liberation from the tyranny of God, and immortality. But the Way of the Cross runs counter to the values of the modern world in every generation, what more our own, which champions worldly gratification and shuns suffering; which appeases all but rejects truth; and which advocates equality and justice with no care for true human dignity in the eyes of God. As Jesus said to Pilate, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.” (John 18:36), so we are challenged by our crosses to orient our lives in this world to that eternal Kingdom where Christ reigns in glory.
V. Domine, exaudi orationem meam.
R. Et clamor meus ad te veniat.
Oratio
DOMINE Iesu Christe, qui de caelis ad terram de sinu Patris descendisti, et sanguinem tuum pretiosum in remissionem peccatorum nostrorum fudisti: te humiliter deprecamur, ut in die iudicii ad dexteram tuam audire mereamur: VENITE BENEDICTI. Qui vivis et regnas cum Deo Patri in unitate Spiritus Sancti, Deus per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.
V. Lord, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come before you
Prayer
O LORD Jesus Christ, who out of the bosom of the Father descended from heaven to earth, and shed your most Precious Blood for the remission of our sins; we humbly beseech you, that in the day of judgment we may be found worthy to stand at your right hand, and to hear you say to us, "Come, blessed ones." You, who live and reign with the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever. Amen.
