And when [Jesus] was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. (Matt. 27)
St. Matthew portrays the Word as silent in the face of the religious authorities of Israel. He does not defend himself, but rather stands, with quiet dignity, before those who have hardened their hearts against him and would condemn him, no matter what he might say. Behold, then, the humility of God! A humility that allows the Truth to be silent because it is not welcome. Shortly after this, Jesus does speak a single sentence to Pilate, in answer to the question, “Art thou the King of the Jews?” Truth will not lie or dissemble, and in other Gospels, the Lord does speak when asked questions. But St. Matthew is likely trying to make a point about the close relationship between truth and humility. St. Gregory the Great wrote that, “Truth flies from the mind which it does not find humble.” He who is Truth itself cannot be other than humble, even in the face of one friend’s betrayal; of cowardice on the part of his closest disciple; of envy and calumny from those who were entrusted with guardianship of truth; and blatant injustice on the part of civil authorities who recognized the ill-will behind trumped-up charges but who gave in to “keep the peace.” Continue reading “The Sacred Triduum of Passiontide”