Long reading of the Lord’s Passion for today, Palm Sunday, and so much happening, from Jesus’ triumphant entering into Jerusalem, through His passion and then His crucifixion. However, today I wonder why the crowds chose evil over a good. And I am thinking about this because when Pilate asked them if they wanted him to release Jesus or Barabbas, a criminal, they shouted that they wanted a criminal over Jesus -- a Man who didn’t do anything wrong, but only what was good. Why is that? Well, one reason for that was that people were being manipulated by their leaders. They convinced them that Jesus was a bad person, and Barabbas should be freed from prison. This story reminds me how easily people can be manipulated, especially by their leaders. Look what is happening in Russia, so many are manipulated by their leaders who make them believe that this terrible war is to help, not to destroy lives. Today we need to ask God to open our eyes, ears, and hearts, so that we will always make good choices in life, that we always choose good not evil, and we will not be easily deceived or manipulated by evil.
