by Edcer Escudero
A number of special days were given global or worldwide emphasis in September and October namely, World Teachers Day (Sept. 10), World Bread Day (Oct. 11), International Day of Non-violence (Oct. 2), Global Handwashing Day (Oct. 15) and United Nations Day (Oct. 24).
UN Day has been observed for more than six decades without fail and with much fanfare because it is the founding day of the world body. That’s understandable.
All of these international days have their own unique significance and importance. For the moment, however, our main talking point is handwashing day, the latest and least known of global days which started only three years ago.
Although washing of hands is an ordinary common and simple activity, I found it quite intriguing, albeit, trivial, because of its biblical implication. But health authorities say that observing this day will stress the importance of good and correct health habit which will serve as a preventive measure against sickness and diseases. Celebrating the day is worth our time and thoughts, they add. I have no quarrel with that. After all, health is wealth.
The term washing of the hands reminds us of that encounter between Jesus of Nazareth and Pontius Pilate, Roman Procurator of Judea in the year 29 A.D.
The Jews accused Jesus of being revolutionary and an enemy of Rome. After his arrest, he was brought before Pilate for trial. After some questions about His character ( which Jesus refused to answer) Pilate declared Jesus innocent of the charges, and dramatized his verdict by washing his hands, saying that he had nothing to do with the blood of an innocent man. Then he endorsed Jesus to the crowd. And we all know what happened to Jesus.
Pilate washed his hands of responsibility for the death of Jesus. He did so for fear of negative public opinion because he was concerned about his political future.
That was probably the first handwashing day in the world. And Pilate started it all.
Speaking further of washing the hands, our politicians and government officials are experts at it. They have that rare talent of washing their hands of responsibility for bungled jobs, shady deals, scams and all sorts of anomalies involving the money of the people.
In fact, they have developed handwashing into an art. They wash their hands not with soap and water, but with bogus innocence and pompous rhetoric. Their trademark or standard statement is: “My conscience is clear.” (But their hands are not. COA sees their fingers dipping into the government cookie jar)
Remember the Luneta hostage crisis not too long ago? Eight Chinese tourists died as a result of incompetent handling of the rescue operation. All those assigned to resolve the crisis washed their hands of any responsibility. They chorused they were not to blame. The Aquino bright boys were not man enough to accept or won collective blame for the failed operation.
HISTORICAL NOTE: Pontius Pilate served as procurator of Judea for 10 years. His job was to keep the peace and dispense Roman justice in Judea. He was ousted because of a massacre of Samaritans in Samaria. He was said to have embraced Christianity together with his wife Procula. Believe it or not, they are now both revered as saints by the Catholic Coptic Church, a native-Egyptian Christian church now known as Orthodox Church.
This is just a suggestion: Maybe our politicians should honor Pontius Pilate as their patron saint. They have one wishy-washy thing in common. Besides, they are probably soulmates.
ooOoo
