“So when Pilate saw that he could do nothing but rather that a riot was beginning, he took some water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, ‘I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves'” (Matthew 27:24).
Coming across this meme today made me consider the Pilate in me. I can clearly remember times in my life when I looked away, walked by, thought others could help instead of me, or assumed that things were hopeless, so I did not try. I absolved myself from sin as I washed the pain of others away from my consciousness. As humans, we have all likely been like Pilate at times – frustrated, feeling powerless or tired, wanting to say, “I don’t care anymore,” “It is not my problem,” or “The heck with them!”
Yet, Jesus modeled a new way to live. He reached out to people to heal, and he let himself be touched for healing too. It wasn’t because they deserved it, and it always came free of charge. He never let religious piety or cultural propriety get in his way as he did so. His life embodied the heart of the law which is love – loving God with all he was and others as himself, for God is only love (1 John 4:8).
So, he asked his followers to share what they had with others in need, loving even enemies, and not just from their abundance, but trusting in the provision of our daily bread. He saw the blind man needing help although the man was obscured by a large and noisy crowd – a crowd that wanted him to shut up. He recognized the timid Zacchaeus in his tree. He loved the child of God within each sinner waiting to be set free. He sometimes healed people, understanding their need, before they even asked. He had compassion on me when I felt utterly desolate, far from God, and he changed the direction of my life forever.
I don’t want to be Pilate anymore. I want to love with my life. I pray that by God’s help that I can be more like Jesus every day, no matter the cost. I know its a struggle to do what is right, because I still struggle. I know I will fail, but I trust I will never be condemned. I can repent, get up again, and walk like the forgiven adulteress without shame. It can be hard to speak truth when accusers seem always ready to pounce. We can fear potential consequences. Bullies real and imagined might threaten us. Certainly, we are not Jesus.
Yet, Jesus asks us to bear our crosses in his name anyway. As Paul urged early Christians in Corinth, “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love” (1Corinthians 16:13-14). We have been washed through our faith and baptism, so that the promise of scripture will prove true. There’s no bowl of stagnant, dirty water good enough for those freed by Jesus. Instead, we are told, “Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38). It is a water (and life) meant to be shared; splashing onto others, blessing and nurturing new life with a grace filled abandon. It is a life like Jesus’ own.
© 2025 The Rev. Louis Florio. All content not held under another’s copyright may not be used without permission of the author. Scripture quotes are using the NRSVue translation.
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