FIFTEENTH MEDITATION OF OUR SAVIOR'S PASSION ~ LUCY HERBERT

PRETI, Mattia 

Pilate Washing his Hands 

1663

XV. Meditation. 

CONSIDER how the Jews having chosen Barabbas and desired Christ should be crucified, the judge condemned him in these words: Pontius Pilate condemns thee Jesus to be hanged upon a Cross. Our Savior hearing the sentence given by the wicked judge, immediately put himself on his knees (as St. Bonaventure relates) and received it kneeling, to show his obedience and submission to the will of his Father, Behold here, on the one side, the judge sitting on a tribunal, a place railed above the rest, and on the other side the Lord of Majesty upon his knees! How comes Majesty to be reduced so low? Ah, it is because the servant had committed high treason against his God, and was to have been punished with eternal death, unless his Lord would satisfy in his own person, for his offences! Can we, after this, doubt of God's love for us, and desire of our salvation? Let us banish such ungrateful thoughts, and putting our trust and confidence in him, as well as confide, that since he would undergo the sentence of death for our salvation, he will not condemn us to eternal death, which we justly deserve for our offences.

LUCY HERBERT