Lori Borgman: The question that still lingers

Lori Borgman, Tribune News Service on Mar 31, 2026

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We have a long-standing affection for courtroom dramas. “Perry Mason” set the standard years ago. He’s still questioning witnesses, introducing dramatic pieces of evidence, and consulting with Paul Drake and Della Street in black and white, albeit in the wee hours of the morning on local channels.

When Andy and Barney finished corralling jay walkers in Mayberry, they were given new life in “Matlock.” Murder mysteries were often solved in a courtroom by a man with a southern drawl whose quirky next-door neighbor was once known as Barney.

And who got through school without reading or watching “12 Angry Men” or “To Kill a Mockingbird”?

We like mystery and we like justice: “Boston Legal,” “Law & Order,” “The Practice.”

In every courtroom drama there’s always the telling moment with the penetrating question, the new piece of crucial evidence or the unexpected testimony. The best stories have surprise endings.

Perhaps the most-watched, real-life courtroom drama in our lifetime was the O.J. Simpson trial. “If the glove doesn’t fit, you must acquit.”

At Easter, Holy Week revolves around a trial as well. Jesus, beaten and bloody, stands accused before Pilate. There was no attorney for the defense or surprise witness to cinch a favorable verdict. Pilate found no fault in Jesus. He had healed the sick, fed the hungry, encouraged the downtrodden, taught of the love of God and raised a man from the dead.

Pilate asks the mob, “What then should I do with Jesus who is called Christ?”

“Crucify him,” screamed the mob.

Pilate’s question lingers these many years later. “What then should I do with Jesus?”

C.S. Lewis framed possible answers in terms of “Lunatic, Liar or Lord.”

It’s a good question. What then should I do with Jesus—when the bottom falls out, when test results are bad news, when prayers bounce off the ceiling, when grief and darkness threaten to swallow you whole?

What should I do with Jesus in the grind of the everyday, the busy years of raising family and holding a home and a marriage together? What should I do with Jesus in choosing a path, a vocation, a spouse?

What should I do with Jesus in the breathtaking wonder of new life, the beauty of spring and the faithfulness of dawn breaking over the horizon each morning?

As for me, I choose “Lord” — and belief — in good days and in hard. I choose faith in ultimate victory over sin, and in trials and tribulations. I choose hope for today, tomorrow and for life after death.

And talk about a surprise ending – three days after the crucifixion, the stone was rolled away and the grave was empty.