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Then Jesus said to the chief priests, captains of the temple, and the elders who had come to Him, "Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs? When I was with you daily in the temple, you did not try to seize Me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness."
Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest's house. But Peter followed at a distance. Now when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them. And a certain servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, "This man was also with Him." But he denied Him, saying, "Woman, I do not know Him." And after a little while another saw him and said, "You also are one of them." But Peter said, "Man, I am not!" Then after about an hour had passed, another confidently affirmed, saying, "Surely this fellow also was with Him, for he is a Galilean." But Peter said, "Man, I do not know what you are saying!" Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." So Peter went out and wept bitterly.
- Luke 22:52-62
On Saturday, we read that left the Last Supper and He went to the Mount of Olives to stay the night, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed Him. When He came to the place, He said to them, "Pray that you may not enter into temptation." And He was withdrawn from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, "Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done." Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. When He rose up from prayer, and had come to His disciples, he found them sleeping from sorrow. Then He said to them, "Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation." And while He was still speaking, behold, a multitude; and he who was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them and drew near to Jesus to kiss Him. But Jesus said to him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" When those around Him saw what was going to happen, they said to Him, "Lord, shall we strike with the sword?" And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus answered and said, "Permit even this." And He touched his ear and healed him.
Then Jesus said to the chief priests, captains of the temple, and the elders who had come to Him, "Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs? When I was with you daily in the temple, you did not try to seize Me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness." Jesus makes it clear what "darkness" is. He's openly taught in the temple, but they need to seize Him in secret, by night, with weapons, as if He's a robber or another kind of criminal. My study bible cites John 3:19-21 here in reference to darkness: "This is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”
Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest's house. But Peter followed at a distance. Now when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them. And a certain servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, "This man was also with Him." But he denied Him, saying, "Woman, I do not know Him." My study bible says that a girl being the first to test Peter gives us a kind of type or icon of Eve tempting Adam (Genesis 3:6). It's a picture of our fallen state -- which is overcome as women are the first to hear, believe, and proclaim the Resurrection (Luke 24:1-10). It is quite a humiliation for Peter that his denial comes in the face of a servant girl.
And after a little while another saw him and said, "You also are one of them." But Peter said, "Man, I am not!" Then after about an hour had passed, another confidently affirmed, saying, "Surely this fellow also was with Him, for he is a Galilean." But Peter said, "Man, I do not know what you are saying!" Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." So Peter went out and wept bitterly. My study bible says that Peter is so overcome with fear that neither Christ's prediction (see Saturday's reading, above) nor the crowing of the rooster calls him to repentance. Only the gaze of the Lord causes him to come to his senses and weep bitterly. But, to quote Ambrose of Milan, "through tears, what cannot be defended can be purged, for tears wash away the offense which is shameful to confess out loud."
There is one thing consistent that we read about Peter all throughout the Gospels: he's got his heart on his sleeve. Whatever he's thinking or feeling, we know about it. It tells us both about his exuberance -- and his honesty. Peter is not a person to keep something hidden. This one time he does something "in darkness," away from his companions, while Christ is inside, he comes to his senses and to understand what he's done with one glance from Christ. His response is bitter tears for his betrayal and failure. It's important that we pay attention to the commentary of St. Ambrose, that tears can wash away what it's shameful to confess. But there is something that we learn about Peter that is related to a purity of heart: his constant sincerity. That's the good ground for faith. He can't hide his Galilean accent, and he can't hide from who he is. Christ has warned him that he would deny Him three times. But we remember Jesus' words to Peter: that the "darkness" is after all of them. He said, "Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren." The really important thing here is that Peter should return to Christ, and to strengthen His brethren -- his brothers and sisters in Christ. He lives in a community, and He's an extraordinary member of that community. None of us is isolated from the whole, in the sense that even our prayers strengthen the faith of others; each may bring the light of grace more deeply and potently into the world. We remember Peter's sincerity; he fails but he repents. He will return to Christ and to the brothers and sisters he will strengthen. Let it be a vivid reminder for all of us of the possibilities we have in Christ and in the love of Christ. Let us remember Peter's failure in our own times of temptation, as well of his success in the love of God and the strength of faith.
Then Jesus said to the chief priests, captains of the temple, and the elders who had come to Him, "Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs? When I was with you daily in the temple, you did not try to seize Me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness." Jesus makes it clear what "darkness" is. He's openly taught in the temple, but they need to seize Him in secret, by night, with weapons, as if He's a robber or another kind of criminal. My study bible cites John 3:19-21 here in reference to darkness: "This is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”
Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest's house. But Peter followed at a distance. Now when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them. And a certain servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, "This man was also with Him." But he denied Him, saying, "Woman, I do not know Him." My study bible says that a girl being the first to test Peter gives us a kind of type or icon of Eve tempting Adam (Genesis 3:6). It's a picture of our fallen state -- which is overcome as women are the first to hear, believe, and proclaim the Resurrection (Luke 24:1-10). It is quite a humiliation for Peter that his denial comes in the face of a servant girl.
And after a little while another saw him and said, "You also are one of them." But Peter said, "Man, I am not!" Then after about an hour had passed, another confidently affirmed, saying, "Surely this fellow also was with Him, for he is a Galilean." But Peter said, "Man, I do not know what you are saying!" Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." So Peter went out and wept bitterly. My study bible says that Peter is so overcome with fear that neither Christ's prediction (see Saturday's reading, above) nor the crowing of the rooster calls him to repentance. Only the gaze of the Lord causes him to come to his senses and weep bitterly. But, to quote Ambrose of Milan, "through tears, what cannot be defended can be purged, for tears wash away the offense which is shameful to confess out loud."
There is one thing consistent that we read about Peter all throughout the Gospels: he's got his heart on his sleeve. Whatever he's thinking or feeling, we know about it. It tells us both about his exuberance -- and his honesty. Peter is not a person to keep something hidden. This one time he does something "in darkness," away from his companions, while Christ is inside, he comes to his senses and to understand what he's done with one glance from Christ. His response is bitter tears for his betrayal and failure. It's important that we pay attention to the commentary of St. Ambrose, that tears can wash away what it's shameful to confess. But there is something that we learn about Peter that is related to a purity of heart: his constant sincerity. That's the good ground for faith. He can't hide his Galilean accent, and he can't hide from who he is. Christ has warned him that he would deny Him three times. But we remember Jesus' words to Peter: that the "darkness" is after all of them. He said, "Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren." The really important thing here is that Peter should return to Christ, and to strengthen His brethren -- his brothers and sisters in Christ. He lives in a community, and He's an extraordinary member of that community. None of us is isolated from the whole, in the sense that even our prayers strengthen the faith of others; each may bring the light of grace more deeply and potently into the world. We remember Peter's sincerity; he fails but he repents. He will return to Christ and to the brothers and sisters he will strengthen. Let it be a vivid reminder for all of us of the possibilities we have in Christ and in the love of Christ. Let us remember Peter's failure in our own times of temptation, as well of his success in the love of God and the strength of faith.
