{"id":4665,"date":"2023-04-04T07:57:53","date_gmt":"2023-04-04T11:57:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/?p=4665"},"modified":"2023-04-05T23:22:48","modified_gmt":"2023-04-06T03:22:48","slug":"behold-the-man","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/mercy\/behold-the-man\/","title":{"rendered":"Behold the Man"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Pointing to Jesus he says: Ecce homo! Behold the man!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

But the answer comes back: \u201cCrucify him, crucify him!\u201d<\/strong>
Pilate then tries to buy time: \u201cTake him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no crime in him\u201d (Jn 19:5-7). He is increasingly convinced that the Accused is innocent, but this is not enough for him to decide in his favour. The accusers use their final argument: \u201cIf you release this man, you are no friend of Caesar; everyone who makes himself a king sets himself against Caesar\u201d (Jn 19:12).<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is clearly a threat. Recognizing the danger, Pilate finally gives in and pronounces the sentence. But not without the contemptuous gesture of washing his hands: \u201cI am innocent of this \u2026 blood; see to it yourselves!\u201d (Mt 27:24).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thus was Jesus, the Son of the living God, the Redeemer of the world, condemned to death by crucifixion.<\/strong> Over the centuries the denial of truth has spawned suffering and death. It is the innocent who pay the price of human hypocrisy.<\/strong>
Half measures are never enough. Nor is it enough to wash one\u2019s hands.<\/strong>
Responsibility for the blood of the just remains.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why Christ prayed so fervently for his disciples in every age:
Father, \u201csanctify them in the truth; your word is truth\u201d (Jn 17:17).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stations of the Cross led by Pope St John Paul II<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Pointing to Jesus he says: Ecce homo! Behold the man! But the answer comes back: \u201cCrucify him, crucify him!\u201dPilate then tries to buy time: \u201cTake him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no crime in him\u201d (Jn 19:5-7). He is increasingly convinced that the Accused is innocent, but this is not enough for him […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[2,20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4665","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-mercy","category-spiritual-reflections"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7bfMR-1df","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":7903,"url":"https:\/\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/spiritual-practices\/behold-the-man-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":4665,"position":0},"title":"Behold the Man","author":"monks4christ","date":"April 15, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Pointing to Jesus he says: Ecce homo! Behold the man! But the answer comes back: \u201cCrucify him, crucify him!\u201dPilate then tries to buy time: \u201cTake him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no crime in him\u201d (Jn 19:5-7). He is increasingly convinced that the Accused is innocent, but this\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Spiritual Practices"","block_context":{"text":"Spiritual Practices","link":"https:\/\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/category\/spiritual-practices\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/march11.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/march11.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/march11.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/march11.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/march11.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9603,"url":"https:\/\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/consecration-to-the-hearts-of-jesus-mary-and-joseph\/day-17-the-great-love-of-josephs-heart-for-mary-and-jesus\/","url_meta":{"origin":4665,"position":1},"title":"Day 17: The Great Love of Joseph’s Heart for Mary and Jesus","author":"Father Boniface Hicks, O.S.B.","date":"May 25, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"READING 1Matthew 1:18-25 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit; and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Consecration to the Hearts of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph"","block_context":{"text":"Consecration to the Hearts of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph","link":"https:\/\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/category\/consecration-to-the-hearts-of-jesus-mary-and-joseph\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Murillo-sagrada_familia-dublin.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Murillo-sagrada_familia-dublin.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Murillo-sagrada_familia-dublin.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Murillo-sagrada_familia-dublin.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9615,"url":"https:\/\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/consecration-to-the-hearts-of-jesus-mary-and-joseph\/day-21-marys-heart-a-model-of-contemplation\/","url_meta":{"origin":4665,"position":2},"title":"Day 21: Mary\u2019s Heart: a Model of Contemplation","author":"Father Boniface Hicks, O.S.B.","date":"May 29, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"READING 1Luke 2:8-19 And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Consecration to the Hearts of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph"","block_context":{"text":"Consecration to the Hearts of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph","link":"https:\/\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/category\/consecration-to-the-hearts-of-jesus-mary-and-joseph\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Shepherd_adoration.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Shepherd_adoration.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Shepherd_adoration.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Shepherd_adoration.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6865,"url":"https:\/\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/spiritual-reflections\/saint-matthew-4\/","url_meta":{"origin":4665,"position":3},"title":"Saint Matthew","author":"monks4christ","date":"September 20, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Jesus saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax office, and he said to him:Follow me. Jesus saw Matthew, not merely in the usual sense,but more significantly with his merciful understanding of man. He saw the tax collector and, because he saw him through the eyes of mercy and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Saints and Blesseds"","block_context":{"text":"Saints and Blesseds","link":"https:\/\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/category\/saints-and-blesseds\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/sept21.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/sept21.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/sept21.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/sept21.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8600,"url":"https:\/\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/spiritual-practices\/saint-matthew-5\/","url_meta":{"origin":4665,"position":4},"title":"Saint Matthew","author":"monks4christ","date":"September 20, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The Calling of Saint Matthew Jesus saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax office, and he said to him:Follow me. Jesus saw Matthew, not merely in the usual sense,but more significantly with his merciful understanding of man. He saw the tax collector and, because he saw him through\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Saints and Blesseds"","block_context":{"text":"Saints and Blesseds","link":"https:\/\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/category\/saints-and-blesseds\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/sept21.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/sept21.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/sept21.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/sept21.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":335,"url":"https:\/\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/spiritual-practices\/marian-consecration\/day-21-knowledge-of-mary\/","url_meta":{"origin":4665,"position":5},"title":"Day 21 – Knowledge of Mary","author":"Father Boniface Hicks, O.S.B.","date":"March 27, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Day 21 - Mary - abandoned to God becomes our Mother A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke: In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Marian Consecration"","block_context":{"text":"Marian Consecration","link":"https:\/\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/category\/spiritual-practices\/marian-consecration\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Virgin-and-Child-Domenico-Corvi-oil-painting-Edit.jpg?fit=860%2C1062&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Virgin-and-Child-Domenico-Corvi-oil-painting-Edit.jpg?fit=860%2C1062&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Virgin-and-Child-Domenico-Corvi-oil-painting-Edit.jpg?fit=860%2C1062&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Virgin-and-Child-Domenico-Corvi-oil-painting-Edit.jpg?fit=860%2C1062&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4665","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4665"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4665\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4679,"href":"https:\/\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4665\/revisions\/4679"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4665"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4665"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fatherboniface.org\/wordpresshome\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4665"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}