Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times"

 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 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 coming out from the Passover supper (the Last Supper),  Jesus went to the Mount of Olives, 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  And He was withdrawn from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, "Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but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."  Regarding the power of darkness, see John 3:19-21, 13:30.

 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 is an icon of the temptation by Adam of Eve (Genesis 3:6).  This state is reversed for all of us when it is overcome in Christ through the women who are the first to hear, believe, and proclaim the Resurrection (24:1-10).

And after a little while another saw him and said, "You also are 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 (verse 34) nor the crowing of the rooster calls him to repentance, but only the Lord's gaze causes him to weep bitterly.   It quotes the commentary of St. Ambrose of Milan, who writes that nevertheless, "through tears, what cannot be defended can be purged, for tears wash away the offense which is shameful to confess out loud."

Let us recall Peter's words to Jesus, when the Lord told him that "Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat."  Peter replied, "Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death."  Jesus told him, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me."  Repeatedly, Christ has tried to warn the disciples, and in particular, Peter, of this time of great trial and temptation.  It is part of the power of darkness.  All of the tensions are heightened at this time.   The disciples sleep while Christ is in agony, during which we were told His sweat fell like great drops of blood to the ground.  Three times He sought them out,  and He finally warned them,  "Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation."   The servant of the high priest was struck with a sword when they went to arrest Jesus (after which He healed the servant's ear).  It is a picture of confusion and heightened terror and enormous strain.  It is in this atmosphere that Peter enters the courtyard of the high priest's home, and is confronted by a servant girl as they sat by the fire in the darkness.  As time passes, two more assert that Peter was one of Christ's followers, which he vehemently denies.  Then the rooster crowed, and from inside the house, the Lord turned and looked at Peter.   Peter's great intention of going both to prison and to death with Christ, his confident assertion of such loyalty, has come to this moment, in which he realizes that he has failed His Lord.   Here he is, the one who speaks for the rest of the apostles, in this place where Christ is imprisoned -- and Peter has denied he even knows Him, in the face of confrontation by a servant girl.   There is a saying which comes from a Scots-language poem by Robert Burns:  "The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry."  We are all fortunate that we are given St. Peter's impulsiveness and fallibility in the Gospels.   He who is re-named "Rock" by Christ, is the one who will go on to be the leader we know him to be, and will in fact go to prison and death for Christ.  But the picture of humility, tears, and redemption in Peter is the picture for each one of us.  When the women return from the tomb and report the Resurrection, the apostles think they're spouting nonsense (which might be indicative, once again, of the tenor of the time surrounding the death of Christ for His followers).  But it is Peter who will run to the tomb, and find the linen cloths, and marvel (24:9-12).  In the impulsivity and beloved qualities of St. Peter, we find ourselves, and we find a saint that is, indeed, for everyone.  Laid out like images in a play or announcements posted on a wall for all to see, are Peter's stumblings and foibles.  He represents for us an irrepressible quality in his energy and zeal, and his immediate declarations (such as when he asks if they should make three tabernacles at the Transfiguration, or when he insists that Christ not be killed, and of course, that he will go to prison and die for Christ in our recent reading).  Perhaps it's his very impulsivity and seeming foolishness that is beloved to us, as he doesn't mask what he feels and his subsequent humility (and humiliation) is deliberately laid out for all of us to see.  He's even taken to task by St. Paul in the Letter to the Galatians (Galatians 2:11-13).  We should give thanks, it seems to me, that our example of the leader among the apostles is one given to many mistakes, and to suffering and humiliation -- needing this correction of humility to his assurances that he is capable of the greatest heroism.  His heroism will prove true, but through the assistance of the Holy Spirit and his own growth in the ministry of preaching, teaching, and being sent out with the Gospel.   Perhaps his impulsiveness and exuberance serve to remind us of a heart that is true, even when mistaken -- one that does not hide behind poses and masks.  In Peter is the work of the Kingdom, and of the Holy Spirit, for all of us -- for he figures so prominently in the story of the Church that he the very person we need to teach us that faith is a process within us.  As a mature man, Peter will figure for us as one truly shaped by experience, having learned the hard way his deep need for reliance upon God.  Our ideas of perfection must be turned upside down, even as we understand through tradition that St. Peter requested his crucifixion to be upside down, not considering himself worthy of full imitation of the Lord.  Do you or someone you know have problems with impulse control?   Have you ever walked into a circumstance full of confidence, only to find yourself vulnerable where you least expected it?  Do you frequently need to be reminded of the value of humility?  Does your own cowardice ever shock or shame you?  Does the phrase "fools rush in where angels fear to tread" (originally from a poem by Alexander Pope) ever fit you?  Does your own exuberance betray you, or do you find yourself blurting out things best left unsaid when under stress or strain?  Has your failure ever belied your good intentions?  Well, the Church has a saint for you -- and for all of us.  Let us be truly grateful!