Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner,
whom they would. And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas. Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, “Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?” For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.
(From Matthew's Gospel, not Luke which you heard at Mass yesterday)
The choice of Barabbas slips most of us who don't understand that "Barabbas" literally means the "Son of the Father" and that some ancient texts also included "Jesus" as Barabbas' first name.
So when you know that, the interpretation of this event gives much food for thought.
Who does the crowd want? The insurrectionist, violent, attacker of the Romans to be freed or the one who preaches "Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar" and "Turn the other cheek"?
Which "Son of the Father" do we follow or choose?
Another insight is that at the very moment that Our Lord takes up his cross a sinner is freed--the Son of the Father, symbolic of all of us "Sons and daughters of the one Father."
