Do you realize I have the power?

by Sister Roberta Treppa, D.C.

“Do you not realize that I have the power to release you and I have the power to crucify you?”

By the time Pilate said this, he had already given in three times to the crowd who kept handing Jesus over to him.  

Three times, the people pushed Pilate to crucify Jesus. 

Three times, Pilate went back to speak with Jesus. 

Three times, Pilate returned to the crowd to say he found no guilt in Jesus. 

But each time, Pilate gave in to the crowd. 

He yielded to the power of the crowd, and used his power to crucify Jesus. 

Jesus' power was love. How do we use our power?

“Do you not realize that I have the power to release you and I have the power to crucify you?”

Jesus said to him, “You would have no power over me if it had not been given to you from above.”

We have power like Pilate.

We each have the power to release, and the power to crucify. 

We can release, through forgiveness, love, comfort...

Or we can crucify, through hate, abuse, neglect...

All this power is given to us from above…it’s called “free will.” 

Jesus died to release us from the bonds of sin.

And all too often, we use our power poorly…

And Jesus, the one we crucified, still has–and USES–the power to release us from the power of sin.