Pontius Pilate and America
“Quid est veritas?” The question posed by Pontius Pilate to Jesus Christ during His Passion, all the while Truth was standing before him (”est vir qui adest”).
Pilate was a politician. He knew of Jesus’ innocence, but was afraid to upset the angry mob before him. So he abandoned what he knew to be true in order to “keep the peace.” In this he erred.
Christian politicians have two role models they can follow: Pontius Pilate and St. Thomas More. Unfortunately, it seems most follow the model of Pontius Pilate. He knew the right thing to do, but he didn’t want to push his beliefs on others. Instead, he “washed his hands of the crime” and allowed it to happen. But sins of omission are just as bad as sins of commission.
St. Thomas More was also a politician. He held one of the highest ranks in England at the onset of the Protestant Reformation. While More was Lord Chancellor, King Henry VIII declared himself head of the church in England, denying the pope’s legitimate authority. Rather than confess this falsity, More maintained his loyalty to the Holy Father, and was eventually executed by the state for failing to go along with them.
Christian politicians have a heavy burden. They have the opportunity to change our world, but they must have backbone if they want to change it for the better. I hope that in the future, these politicians will realize that the Pontius Pilate model fails where the St. Thomas More model succeeds.
~Sancte Thoma More, ora pro nobis~