Other Writing – Page 14 – Candle in a Cave

Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus killed. The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” – Matthew 27:20-21

There they are, side by side. I can have either and the choice is mine. Sure, I know good from evil (Genesis 3:22). I know the “right” choice, but today I think I will choose Barabbas. That’s who everyone else keeps shouting for. Even the preacher said it!

“Barabbas!”

Why does that feel so wrong? Why does it feel as though a piece of my soul just died? Who is this man?

“Barabbas.”

This can’t be right. I don’t even know this Barabbas. What did this Jesus do? Someone said that if he didn’t die that they would kill us all. Don’t they know, we’re already dead.

“….”

“Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” – Luke 23:34

Each day is a choice between Jesus and Barabbas. Today you chose Barabbas. There is tomorrow.

Never despair. Lazarus was dead and decaying: “iam foetet, quatriduanus set enim“–“by now he will smell; this is the fourth day,” Martha told Jesus.

If you hear the inspiration of God and follow it–“Lazare, vein foras!“–“Lazarus, come forth!”–you will return to life.

St. Josemaria Escriva – The Way #719

There was once when it actually worked…

On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times. The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city! … When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city. (Joshua 6:16-17, 20)

The God of the Old Testament is the God of the New Testament, but it is in His revealing in the New Testament that we find another way:

When Jesus entered Jerusalem… – Matthew 12:10

Jesus entered a house… – Mark 3:20

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. – Luke 19:1

I came from the Father and entered the world… – John 16:28

What I find curious is that we, as a Christian people, often try the way of the Israelites rather than the way of Jesus. We wrongly believe that we can stand outside the wall, shout at the tops of our lungs, and the walls of the city will come tumbling down.

“You are sinning by _____! (Book Chapter : verse – verse)”

“God said, ‘_____.’ (Book Chapter : verse)” [Swing baseball bat.]

Yes, Jesus gave them a tongue lashing, flipped over some tables, and ran off a few opportunist, but mostly Jesus “entered.” The world. The city. The house. The Temple. LIVES. Jesus entered lives. He sat down and ate a meal, had a conversation, touched, healed… He revealed the Father – not by yelling and beating them with a baseball bat of Holy Scripture – but by entering in and revealing the Father that was within Himself. (John 14:9) Instead of standing outside and yelling at the city walls, enter in and reveal Christ to it’s inhabitants. It won’t mean that you are consorting with the enemy, compromising the faith, soiling your unblemished soul, apostatizing, etc.; it will mean that you are following Jesus and entering in.

Category: Other Writing

Choosing Barabbas

Entering the Walls

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this: