First station – Jesus is Condemned to Death

Meditations on the Stations of the Cross
First station – Jesus is Condemned to Death
Scripture - Mark 15:13-15
And they cried out again, "Crucify him." And Pilate said to them, "Why, what evil has he done?" But they shouted all the more, "Crucify him." So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barab'bas; and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.

MEDITATION
Beaten and weary, You are brought before a judge whose power is given to him only by You.
The crowd is asked to choose and, even as You desire otherwise -- yearning for the love of Your people -- You know they will choose the creature over their Creator. "Barabbas" rings out and, with sad heart, You prepare for the grueling way of Calvary that started before Your birth. Innocent, you are condemned to death, betrayed by those who claim to love You and those who claim to be upholding Your truth even as they pass judgment.

The crowd clamors for Your blood, not realizing that it is only through Your blood that they will live.
It is a great irony.
We think that by ridding ourselves of You, we will be free.
And You give us what we wish -- freedom -- using even our evil to raise us up to You, if we will only see and accept.
How different is the choice for man or God. In choosing man we choose death. In choosing You, you use our death to lift us to life in You.

Pilate washes his hands of guilt, and, in doing so, washes his hands of you. Evading the truth of his guilt means rejecting you.

We cannot be Yours if we do not admit what we are, sinners in need of mercy.
Source: Meditations on the Stations of the Cross
http://www.feastofsaints.com/viacrucis.htm