Peter Denies Jesus
1. St. Peter was by nature impetuous and generous. He loved Jesus
sincerely. Even after the other Apostles had run away when Jesus was
arrested in Gethsemane (Cf. Mt. 26:56), he followed Him at a distance as
far as the courtyard of the High Priest's house. “Peter was following
at a distance.” (Luke 22:54) In his generous enthusiasm, however, he
depended too much on himself. During the
last supper Jesus had foretold to His Apostles His approaching passion
and death and their desertion. Immediately, Peter had solemnly declared
that, even if all the others would be scandalised on the night of the
passion, he would never be scandalised. He would, he said, be ready to
go with Jesus to prison and to death. (Cf. Mt. 24:33, Luke 22:33) But
Jesus tried to put him on his guard against presumption. “I tell thee,
Peter, a cock will not crow this day, until thou hast denied three times
that thou knowest me.” (Cf. Luke 22:34) In spite of this prophecy, the
impetuous Apostle went as far as the courtyard of the High Priest. While
the divine Redeemer was brought in chains before the judgment seat of
the High Priest, where He was calumniated, struck and condemned to
death, Peter was asked if he was a follower of the Galilean. Three times
He denied his Master with oaths and protests. Unfortunately, this is
what happens to anyone who trusts presumptuously in his own strength.
This is what happens when we forget that we can do nothing, as St. Paul
points out, without the help and the grace of God. “Not that we are
sufficient of ourselves to think anything, as from ourselves, but our
sufficiency is from God.” (2 Cor. 3:5) Anyone is courting disaster if he
foolishly places all his confidence in himself and neglects to seek the
help of God when he is in danger. He is certain to fall.
2.
While Jesus was praying and suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter
was asleep. He followed Jesus at a distance, admittedly, but he
followed fearfully and slowly. Unfortunately tepidity is the first step
towards falling into sin. A man who is lukewarm and does not pray will
fall victim to the first assault. This is what happened to Peter. The
same will happen to us if we do not preserve a bond of love and prayer
with Jesus. At least after his first fall, Peter should have remembered
Jesus' prophesy. He should not have continued to trust in his own
strength and should have escaped from the occasion of sin. Instead of
this, he remained in it. As a result, instead of falling only once, he
denied his divine Master three times with oaths and protestations. Let
us learn to flee from the occasions of sin. When we find ourselves in
them, let us escape as quickly as possible. If our duty obliges us to
face them, God will certainly give us the strength to overcome them as
long as we humbly ask for it. On the other hand, if we are imprudent
about placing ourselves in danger we shall certainly fall. “He who loves
danger will perish in it.” (Ecclus. 3:25)
3. St. Peter, the
Prince of the Apostles, was endowed with many gifts and graces. He was
taught by Jesus for three years and had seen many wonderful miracles.
Moreover, he loved His Master very much. If he could fall so wretchedly,
we who are so weak and helpless should tremble at the approach of
temptation. We should fly to Jesus without delay and tell Him that He
may do anything to us if He desires, even take our lives, as long as He
does not allow us to desert or to deny Him, nor to offend Him by any
sin. The example of Peter's fall is a grave warning to us. It is a
warning to us to be humble and persevering in prayer and to place all
our confidence in God.
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