First Station:

(1) The chief priests with the elders and the scribes, that is, the whole Sanhedrin, held a council. They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. Pilate questioned him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" He said to him in reply, "You say so." The chief priests accused him of many things. Again Pilate questioned him, "Have you no answer? See how many things they accuse you of." Jesus gave him no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.... Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barrabas... [and] handed [Jesus] over to be crucified.Mark 15: 1-5, 15

Lord, grant us discernment
that we may see as you see, not as the world sees.

Lord Jesus, help us walk in your steps.

Meditation:

(2)Pontius Pilate's verdict was pronounced under pressure from the priests and the crowd.

"Crucify him! Crucify him!"(jn 19,6)

Pilate thought he could disassociate himself from the sentence by washing his hands, just as he had evaded what had been said by Christ - who identified his kingdom with the truth, with witness(jn 18,37)to the truth.

Pilate was trying to remain somehow "not involved." But the cross to which Jesus of Nazareth was condemned, like the truth he told about his kingdom, was to strike deep into Pilate's soul. One cannot remain uninvolved, on the side-lines.

When Jesus, the Son of God, was interrogated about his kingdom and, because of his kingdom, was judged guilty by men and condemned to death, his final testimony began: he was about to demonstrate that "God loved the world so much. . :'

We have this testimony before us, and we know that we are not allowed to wash our hands of it.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father.

Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us.