The Judgment

Solemnity of Christ the King

November 22, 2015

John 18:33b-37

“Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice (Jn 18:37).”

This liturgical year ends with the drama of trail and judgment. However, unlike ordinary court procedure in which one judge is enough to determine the fate of the accused, this trial brought together two judges, facing each other, Pilate and Jesus. Pilate was the ruler of Jerusalem and Judea during the Roman occupation of Palestine. Non-biblical accounts revealed that he was notoriously brutal leader. He ruled with iron fist, and violently crushed any Jewish uprising. Surely, he thought of himself as the powerful ‘king’ of Jerusalem and anyone who stood on his way, would be destroyed.  

When Jesus was brought to trial, Pilate saw Jesus as total failure, Jewish disgrace and delusional Galilean who claimed to be a Messiah, the Savior of the Jews. Jesus might be once a charismatic preacher and a potential nationalist leader, yet in the end, his followers abandoned and betrayed Him, and even the Jewish chief-priests demanded that He should be eliminated. “Just another pain in the ass,” Pilate could have thought.

However, when Pilate began to interview Him, something else was revealed. Despite the imminent torture and death, Jesus was fearless and calm. Even the ruthless Pilate knew that there was something extraordinary in this person. His heart was shaken when Jesus spoke of the Truth. And when Pilate asked Jesus, “What is the Truth?” Jesus was silent, but His silence shook Pilate’s innermost being. He slowly realized that he was standing before the Truth Himself. Perhaps, all the bad deeds Pilate had done in the past, suddenly were flashed before his eyes. He became painfully aware that he had spent his life in awfully wrong way. He was no longer the judge, but one who received judgment before the Truth.

Our lives end with judgment: heaven, purgatory or hell. However, judgment does not only come in the end of our journey here on earth. In fact, every day we face judgment. Before we go to sleep, we may reflect, “Has it been a good day?” In every action we do, does our conscience tell us, “You have done right.” Or, at some moments in life, we confront the fundamental question, “Have I lived meaningfully?”

 

Yet, how do we deal with these judgments? Do we constantly listen to our heart? Are we able to pause and reflect on our lives so far? Or, we hide from it? Do we suppress this inner judgment? Often, like Pilate, instead receiving judgment with open heart, we force on our own verdict. We justify our actions that are not in accordance with the Truth, and tell ourselves, “This is my freedom, my body, my life!” It is fine to be lazy, we can finish it later. It is OK to have free-sex, everybody is doing it. It is useful to do abortion, anyway it is my body. Gradually, the voice of the Truth will no longer be heard.

Though remained contested, some scientists would explain ‘Midlife Crises’ as our psychological mechanism that force us to confront the Truth once again. If we have wasted our lives, made bad choices, indulged into lies, unconsciously, we desire to be young again and to set things right. Unfortunately, we cannot reverse time and regret comes instead. 

Jesus came to Pilate in the least expected moment. A wrenched and harmless criminal stood as a judge. Then, we need to welcome also Jesus who comes in the most unexpected hour. When we are laying on our beds, a desire to ponder on our day suddenly pops up, this may be His voice. When we are reading this reflection, we may stand actually before the Truth. When we feel something not right in our lives, we are invited to pause because Jesus may be knocking our hearts. We must not miss His judgment and His Truth, otherwise we miss the entire point of our lives.

Br. Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP