Fickle Friends
Holy Week – Season of Passion
Peter, Peter, foolish, fickle man. How you protest your love and devotion. How you speak from your heart, your feelings, and let these emotions get the better of you. One minute you are promising to follow Jesus anywhere, a true promise inspired by your love; then less than twelve hours later you are running in fear, allowing fear to rule your actions.
Jesus knew you better than you knew yourself. Jesus loves you better than you love yourself.
Peter was genuine in his protestations of love. At that moment he truly believed what he was saying. He didn’t take into account the power of fear to drive out good intentions, to drown out the voice of love. Fear is a powerful emotion. It hijacks the best of us, takes us off course and keeps us from doing that which we are called to do.
So many good intentions, promises born of love, are thrown away as a sacrifice on the altar of fear. So often, caught up in the excitement of the moment we volunteer for committees, jobs, we later find ourselves unable to fulfill. It’s human and it’s okay. Peter was human, and that is okay.
Jesus knew Peter. What if Peter had stayed with Jesus and been crucified with him? What would have happened to the fledgling church he was to head if that had happened? It was not the time for Peter to die. It would be later; Peter would follow Jesus later.
Somehow, with all of our failings and weaknesses, God is able to use us anyway. God was able to use Peter. God will use us.
Peter said to him, “Master, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” John 13:37
This post is part of a series of reflections on the Church year. This week of Lent, we are focusing on preparing for Holy Week. click here to follow blog
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