St. Longinus

I was just reading Bob Klitzkie's post in the jungle and I found it amusing.  He was telling a story and in it was a Father Barry. In his story, Father Barry goes to the docks and tries to rally the men to stand up against Johnny Friendly and the mob. According to the story found in the jungle Father Barry cried out to the people (the bold is mine): 

Some people think the Crucifixion only took place on Calvary. They better wise up! Taking Joey Doyle's life to stop him from testifying is a crucifixion. And dropping a sling on Kayo Dugan because he was ready to spill his guts tomorrow, that's a crucifixion. And every time the Mob puts the pressure on a good man, tries to stop him from doing his duty as a citizen, it's a crucifixion. And anybody who sits around and letsit happen, keeps silent about something he knows that happened, shares the guilt of it just as much as the Roman soldier who pierced the flesh of our Lord to see if he was dead."

In the first place, we know that this story is a metaphor in which Mr. Klitzkie tries to encourage the priests of Guam to rally together the Catholic faithful to stand up against Archbishop Hon.  It is the wrong movie to choose for a metaphor.  The Archbishop is not the Mafia. 

Secondly, Mr. Klitzkie puts this Roman soldier in an unfavorable light compared to those who were willing to stand up for human justice. But in truth, we are all guilty of nailing Christ to the cross and killing him. We all share in the guilt because Christ carried all our sins on His shoulders.    

Finally, I guess Mr. Klitize did not know that the Roman soldier who pierced the flesh of Jesus became a holy saint.  His name was St. Longinus.  After piercing the heart of Christ, he was covered in the blood and water of Christ.  It was at that moment that he declared the divinity of Christ, repented from his sins and later became a deacon. According to the Catholic Herald:

Sister Anne Catherine in her visions recorded this event, adding that when the soldier pierced the heart of our Lord, blood and water covered his face and body. She wrote, "Grace and salvation at once entered his soul. He leaped from his horse, threw himself upon his knees, struck his breast, and confessed loudly before all his firm belief in the divinity of Jesus." Moreover, he was miraculously cured of failing eyesight. According to the visions, Mary, St. John, the holy women, and the soldier gathered up the blood and water in flasks, and soaked-up the remainder with linen cloths.

Sister Anne Catherine identified the Roman soldier as "Cassius." She noted, "Cassius was baptized by the name Longinus; and was ordained deacon, and preached the faith.

A statue of this Roman soldier who pierced the heart of Christ is found in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.  The jungle who claims to be the defender of the Catholic faith did not even know that the Roman soldier whom they placed in an unfavorable light became a holy saint.