By Fr. Glenn Jones:
Well, here we are … another election. (sigh). Endless ads … endless placards … endless biting rhetoric about “the other guy/gal”. We shouldn’t complain TOO much, I guess; it’s a lot better than the alternatives—absolute monarchy, dictatorship or, on the flip side, anarchy. Socrates’ all-wise philosopher-king (ref.: Plato’s “The Republic”) remains as elusive as the unicorn. Yet, it’s fairly safe to posit that all of us weary of blather as candidates tie themselves in knots pandering to virtually every imaginable group, or at least to not totally alienate potential undecideds. “I’m very flexible! I compromise!!” And then they’re elected and … not so much. Thus I’ve always found it utterly pointless to listen to debates, because it doesn’t matter what politicians say, it’s what they do that counts. Well, that’s true about anyone, for it shows not only what kind of person they are, but what they think of their hearers. Sort of like the old saying: It’s who you are when nobody’s looking that determines who you really are.
Thus our article title today. One familiar with the Gospels will recognize this “Wishing to satisfy the crowd” phrase from the account of Jesus in front of the Roman governor Pontius Pilate. (Mark 15:15) Even though Pilate knows that Jesus has done nothing wrong, “Wishing to satisfy the crowd” which was threatening to riot, Pilate cowardly hands Jesus over for crucifixion.
Little did Pilate know at the time the import of what he was doing, or how his acquiescence to injustice would reverberate throughout millennia. We can see how his conscience obviously burdened him, for when the religious officials wanted to change the sign on the cross above Jesus’ head from “The King of the Jews” to “This man said: ‘I am the king of the Jews’”, Pilate curtly responded, “What I have written, I have written” (John 19:22)—apparently recognizing the nobility of Jesus and, at least partially, the gravity of his own failure and the indignity of his cowardice.
That episode provides us with a counter-example for our lives, for it is often easier and less immediately controversial to accede “to satisfy the crowd” rather than remain firmly rooted and steadfast in virtue and principle. And yet when we do fail in courage, the nag of conscience is ever unsettling; paraphrasing Shakespeare: “The coward dies a thousand deaths; the brave only once.” (Julius Caesar, Act II, Scene II) A little lie here, a little pilfering there, and before long conscience no longer wounds so greatly, deadened by repetition, until ever-increasing lies, stealing etc., don’t seem so bad. Until called to account, at least.
So we might be wary of this slippery slope and remember Jesus: “The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones.” (Luke 16:10) Or, we might look to Jesus predecessor John the Baptist who courageously stood up even to the tyrant Herod, who held the power of imprisonment, and of life and death with a mere word. (Mark 6:18) And we need look no further than the courage of the apostles for example when they declare before hostile and threatening temple officials: “We must obey God rather than men!” (Acts 5:29), knowingly endangering their lives and ending up flogged for it.
One need not be a Christian, or even religious, to recognize courage and virtue in standing for one’s principles, yet remain open to valid argument. Should such not, then, be a foundational principle for those we elect to govern? Do we not place our national welfare largely into their hands, entrusting them to make decisions in accord with the direction they publicly espouse?
Some may try to argue: “If they aren’t vague or don’t lie, they won’t get elected!” One just as well say: “Well, if GPS doesn’t give false direction, it won’t be purchased!”, or “If my broker doesn’t promise huge (but impossible) returns, nobody will hire him!” But like an untrustworthy representative, such a GPS might lead you off a cliff … the broker to destitution.
Is not honesty one of the greatest and most foundational of virtues? And if a representative is not honest, he’s not really representing his electorate, but promoting his own agenda by hook or crook. Trusting such a person is like trying to cross a stream leaping from one floating log to another—always unsteady, always precarious, always uncertain. Another of Jesus’ teachings come to mind: “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other…” (Matthew 6:24) So, if a politician is serving himself and his own agenda, what does he think of the electorate? Are expectations dashed in an “Et tu, Brute?” moment—voters’ trusting embrace followed by a stab in the back. So, if we despise such treachery, certainly we should abhor the very idea of acquiescing to the same. After all…
Why did Pilate capitulate and, against all justice, hand Jesus over for crucifixion? Simple: self-interest.
Why does anyone lie, cheat, steal or do anything unethical? Simple: self-interest.
But why did Jesus submit to crucifixion? Simple: love.
Which acted honorably? Which acted virtuously? Which acted self-sacrificially for others, even to death?
And thus the very simple yet potent prayer: “Jesus, I trust in YOU.”
———————
“Say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and fortress,
my God in whom I trust”…
He will shelter you with his pinions,
and under his wings you may take refuge…’”
(Psalm 91:2,4)
“If God is for us, who can be against us? … I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:31,38-39)
Editor’s note: Rev. Glenn Jones is the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe and former pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Los Alamos.
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November 07, 2022 at 12:42AM
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Fr. Glenn: 'Wishing To Satisfy The Crowd…' - Los Alamos Daily Post
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