The Gospel for WEDNESDAY, June 29, 2005 (St. Peter & St. Paul)
Luke 23:1-12
The whole assembly then rose, and they brought him before Pilate. They began their accusation by saying, ‘We found this man inciting our people to revolt, opposing payment of the tribute to Caesar, and claiming to be Christ, a king.’ Pilate put to him this question, ‘Are you the king of the Jews?’ He replied, ‘It is you who say it.’ Pilate then said to the chief priests and the crowd, ‘I find no case against this man.’ But they persisted, ‘He is inflaming the people with his teaching all over Judaea and all the way from Galilee, where he started, down to here.’ When Pilate heard this, he asked if the man were a Galilean; and finding that he came under Herod’s jurisdiction, he passed him over to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time. Herod was delighted to see Jesus; he had heard about him and had been wanting for a long time to set eyes on him; moreover, he was hoping to see some miracle worked by him. So he questioned him at some length, but without getting any reply. Meanwhile the chief priests and the scribes were there, vigorously pressing their accusations. Then Herod, together with his guards, treated him with contempt and made fun of him; he put a rich cloak on him and sent him back to Pilate. And though Herod and Pilate had been enemies before, they were reconciled that same day. -- The New Jerusalem Bible. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1995, c1985
Taking Jesus Seriously
This Herod was so sure of himself as a ruler that he failed to render even the most basic of human courtesies to Jesus, instead treating Jesus as a fool.
A Reflection
How do we treat people today who propose radical ideas?
When we deal with unempowered or disenfranchised persons, we are pre-wired to discount them and whatever they have to say. If we imagine one of the homeless camped out on K Street in Washington appearing at a congressional hearing next to one of the lobbyists whose offices are on K Street, we quickly form our opinions as to the outcome.
It's not "fair" today, nor was it fair then.
Martin King told us, "The content of a man's character is not where he stands in times of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."
We know that while the outcome of a conflict may be influenced by a contestant's character, there are numerous factors that trump character, when we are dealing with human beings. When we are dealing with corrupted humans whose immediate circumstances are threatened, we should expect only outcomes favorable to those humans, not outcomes that achieve justice.
And we can almost guarantee that these outcomes will not be what would be produced by systems grounded in Jesus' commandments. Jesus put it well when He told us to render to Caesar that which is Caesar's, and to God that which is God's -- including justice, and mercy.
The Collect
Almighty God, whose blessed apostles Peter and Paul glorified you by their martyrdom: Grant that your Church, instructed by their teaching and example, and knit together in unity by your Spirit, may ever stand firm upon the one foundation, which is Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
2:53:03 PM 
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