When innocent people are falsely accused
July 4, 2023 - Tuesday, 13th Week in Ordinary Time
Psalm 26:2-3, 9-12
At the beginning of the book of Psalms, in Psalm 1, we encounter two distinct groups: the righteous and the wicked. We are advised to avoid the company of the wicked and instead align ourselves with the righteous, who meditate on and live by God's teachings (see Psalm 1). The author acknowledges that those we associate with greatly influence our lives. But what happens when we are falsely accused of doing something we have not done and are wrongly associated with sinners? That is what apparently happened to the author of Psalm 26. Will his assertion of innocence have any effect?
In 1947, a man was arrested by the secret police of the government of Poland. His name was Witold Pilecki, one of the bravest men in recent history. He fought against the German invasion of Poland in 1939. Then he deliberately allowing himself to be captured and sent to Auschwitz concentration camp to gather intelligence. After spending three years in Auschwitz, he escaped in 1943 and subsequently participated in the Warsaw Uprising, which resulted in the total destruction of the Polish capital by the German army.
The psalmist declares, "But I walk in integrity; redeem me, and have mercy on me" (Ps 26:11). From 1945 to 1947, Pilecki secretly reported on the situation in Poland to the legitimate Polish government in exile in London. For this action, he was charged with a crime of spying for “foreign imperialism”. He was tortured, sentenced to death, his name was erased from official records, and all information about him was censored. He asserted his innocence by stating that everything he did was for the good of his beloved country. But in the eyes of his prosecutors he was the worst enemy of the state.
The psalmist asserts that his life was guided by God's unwavering love and truth: "I am aware of Your faithfulness and always walk in Your truth" (Ps 26:3). On Polish passports, a motto is inscribed: "God, honor, fatherland." These three words have shaped the life of Witold Pilecki. In 1990, under the democratic government of Poland, Pilecki’s name was rehabilitated, and he posthumously received Poland's highest decoration, the Order of the White Eagle. Poland's Chief Rabbi, Michael Schudrich, stated, "When God created the human being, God had in mind that we should all be like Captain Witold Pilecki, of blessed memory."
"God, honor, fatherland." We are called to serve our nations and the world, but in doing so, we must never compromise our faith or dignity. "God, honor, fatherland" reflects the correct order of priorities. We love God above all else, uphold the inherent dignity bestowed upon us as created in the image and likeness of God, and serve our nations to shape the world according to God's plan.