Dramatic Monologue

My name is Saint Longinus. The ancient traditions of the church say I was martyred in the service of Jesus. I was just Longinus then. You'll remember me for a number of things I did on that Friday of Holy Week: commanding the execution squad, giving Jesus a drink of cheap wine as he hung on the cross dying, confessing that he was the Son of God, and finally piercing him with my lance to ensure that he was dead. And you wonder why I'm called Saint Longinus? I understand your confusion. I guess I'm best described as your famous Dr. Luther would have put it: simil iustus et peccator, saint and sinner at the same time. Rather like you, I suspect. I hope you won't hold it against me, that I was there doing what I did. It was just part of my job, a job I had learned to do wel…