And the women who had come with Him from Galilee followed after, and they observed the tomb and how His body was laid. Then they prepared spices and fragrant oils. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment

 Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.  Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two.  And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, "Father, 'into Your hands I commit My spirit.' "  Having said this, He breathed His last.  So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, "Certainly this was a righteous Man!"  And the whole crowd who came together to that sight, seeing what had been done, beat their breasts and returned.  But all His acquaintances, and the women who followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching these things.

Now behold, there was a man named Joseph, a council member, a good and just man.  He had not consented to their decision and deed.  He was from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who himself was also waiting for the kingdom of God.  This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a tomb that was hewn out of the rock, where no one had ever lain before.  That day was the Preparation, and the Sabbath drew near.  And the women who had come with Him from Galilee followed after, and they observed the tomb and how His body was laid.  Then they prepared spices and fragrant oils.  And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment. 

- Luke 23:44-56a

On Saturday, we read that were also two others, criminals, led with Jesus to be put to death.  And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.  Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do."  And they divided His garments and cast lots.  And the people stood looking on.  But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, "He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God."  The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine, and saying, "If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself."  And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew:  THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.  Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, "If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us."  But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, "Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?  And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong."  Then he said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom."  And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."

 Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.  Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two.  How is it that the natural elements of the world are affected by the Crucifixion of Christ?  He is the light of the world (John 8:12); at His murder all things are "topsy turvy."  My study bible notes that the veil that separated the Most Holy Place from the rest of the temple was a symbol of the separation between God and man.  Christ's death opens the way into the presence of God for all people, giving people access to that which is the most holy of all, which is God Himself.  In many Orthodox churches, one will see a curtain between the altar and the nave, which is open during liturgical services to emphasize our communion with God -- at one time sealed off from human beings,  now available to all who approach in faith.

And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, "Father, 'into Your hands I commit My spirit.' "  Having said this, He breathed His last.  Jesus gives us all an example, as on the Cross He is praying; this is a verse from Psalm 31 (verse 5) which we may read carefully in its entirely to understand its significance to this time.   My study bible tells us that Christ does not have His life taken from Him, but rather He will voluntarily commit it to the Father.  In the understanding of the Church, His was the first human soul that was not taken to Hades (the place of the dead); rather it is freely given into the hands of God.  In this way, He frees all of humanity from the power of death.  His death reconciles human beings to God -- not as satisfaction for blood-justice, but because every aspect of our fallen human nature is transformed in Him, even death.  Whatever divinity touches is healed; this is our faith.  Christ becomes human in order to sanctify human nature; as my study bible notes, He takes on our sin in order to free us from sin, He accepts our weakness in order to make us strong, He suffers in order to transfigure suffering, and enters death in order to destroy it (1 Corinthians 15:20-28).

So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, "Certainly this was a righteous Man!"  My study bible quotes St. Cyril of Alexandria, who writes, "Observe that no sooner had Christ endured the Passion on the Cross for our sakes than He began to win many unto knowledge of the truth."

And the whole crowd who came together to that sight, seeing what had been done, beat their breasts and returned.  But all His acquaintances, and the women who followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching these things.    To beat their breasts is a formal sign of mourning, an act of grief.  But we note Christ's followers -- and especially Luke mentions the women who followed Him from Galilee.  They stand at a distance and watch, true witnesses, with Him even in death.  They do not participate with this fickle crowd.

Now behold, there was a man named Joseph, a council member, a good and just man.  He had not consented to their decision and deed.  He was from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who himself was also waiting for the kingdom of God.  This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a tomb that was hewn out of the rock, where no one had ever lain before.   My study bible says that if the apostles had buried Christ, then doubters could have claimed that His body was simply hidden away.  Joseph of Arimathea is both a council member and also a good and just man.  His involvement refutes any possibility that deceptive activity had taken place with Christ's body.  My study bible adds that there is as spiritual significance to the tomb where no one had ever lain before.  That is, Christ died a death unlike any person had ever died before.  It is a death without corruption, and a death which leads to victory over death (or the grave) itself.

That day was the Preparation, and the Sabbath drew near.  And the women who had come with Him from Galilee followed after, and they observed the tomb and how His body was laid.  Then they prepared spices and fragrant oils.  And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.  My study bible notes that Christ's rest in the tomb fulfills the image of His birth in a cave, traditional place in the Near East where animals are kept (see 2:7).  It reveals the ultimate purpose of His coming into the world.  The faith of the women, it says, while stronger than that of the disciples who are in hiding, was still imperfect in that they prepared for the corruption of Christ's body.  But, we note, they continue in their role as ministers to Him (8:1-3).  Preparation is Friday.  The original Sabbath (Saturday) is the day God rested from God's work of creation (Genesis 2:1-3), and so Christ rests from the work of the new creation on the Sabbath.  Therefore, my study bible says, He gives the Sabbath its ultimate meaning and even in death, He fulfills the Law, as do the women. 

Let us note a certain sense of the beauty of the Gospel of Luke.  Luke is the one who also gives us a picture of Christ's birth -- an event of cosmic importance (in fact the central event of cosmic history from the point of view of the Bible), first prepared by angels making announcements not to the world, but to individuals of quiet status in the society, news known only to them (Luke 1).  It is the shepherds living out in the fields to whom the angelic hosts proclaim this event, and Mary who keeps these tidings, pondering them in her heart (Luke 2).  This is a quiet revelation that shakes the reality of all that is, of the birth of the One whose death creates darkness at noon, and rents in two the temple's veil.  So it is in Luke with His death.  There is a sense of quiet over it all:  the women who have faithfully followed from Galilee stand and watch His crucifixion from afar, like silent witnesses who follow His command to "watch."  They have been "ministers to His ministry" and continue to minister to Him in their preparation of His body for burial.  They are obedient unto the Law, and rest on the Sabbath.  In this quiet, the whole of the world is awaiting a new birth from this cave.  At the crucifixion, one man, the centurion, recognizes Christ's righteousness and will later become an early member of the Church.  One thief on the cross confesses and is reconciled to Christ (see Saturday's reading, above).  Joseph of Arimathea, member of the council who did not consent to Christ's death, a good and just man -- and obviously a man of wealth -- privately goes to Pilate and requests Jesus' body, having quietly prepared with great care a new tomb.  There is a humble quality to the verses in which we're told he wrapped Christ's body in new linen and laid it in the tomb.   Of the apostles we read nothing.  They are scattered and in hiding.   These acts of cosmic importance do not come with great fanfare, and their very silence is a beauty given to us in Luke's Gospel.  It teaches us of the centrality of our own faith, which so often comes as a mere whisper in the heart, a prayer in silence, in our own room with our Father in the secret place who sees in secret (Matthew 6:6).  Contrary to the blockbuster films that ever seek to make up for lack of meaning through increasing explosions, special effects, and grittier violence, the actual blood and grit of crucifixion is absent here.   Christ's suffering, in fact, has as much or more to do with the cruelty and spiritual blindness of those who mock than anything else.  This is a book written by those who know full well the violence of the world, its gore, its illnesses, its physical suffering (and after all, St. Luke was himself a physician).  It is a book which tells us the importance of this story in the women who watch from a distance, who remain obedient to the Law, and the greatness of One who loved us so that He died for us and will change the entire order of the cosmos in so doing.   By contrast, it is the fickle crowds who clamored for His death and now beat their breasts.  This is a book for the faithful, who accept the world matter-of-factly on its terms, and yet retain a faith through all things, keeping in mind what is truly important and essential.  That is, that this crucifixion, one among countless in the Roman Empire, is of our Savior, the Lord of all, the One for whom we seek to live each moment and follow by taking up our own crosses.  His story is not yet finished and not yet complete, for it is the Resurrection that transforms all of this, everything, anything that came before and all things afterward.  It is the Resurrection that enters us into the end time, the sureness of His Return, and the way in which we also watchfully live our lives.  Let us prepare, as do the women, and understand the true place in which we take our rest, even through all things, and remember why. 

Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise

There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death.  And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.  Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do."  And they divided His garments and cast lots.  And the people stood looking on.  But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, "He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God."  The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine, and saying, "If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself."  And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew:

THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, "If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us."  But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, "Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?  And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong."  Then he said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom."  And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."

- Luke 23:32-43

Yesterday we read that as they led Jesus away to be crucified, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus.  And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him.  But Jesus, turning to them, said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.  For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!'   Then they will begin 'to say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" and to the hills, "Cover us!" '  For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry?"

 There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death.  And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.  Calvary is from Latin, and literally means "the Skull" (in the Greek Kranion, a translation of Hebrew Golgotha).  My study bible says that being crucified between the two criminals shows Christ's complete identity with fallen humanity and fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah 53:9-12.

Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do."  My study bible tells us that this intercession isn't simply for those who sentenced and crucified Jesus, but for all of humanity; that is, for a people who have no insight into the profound mystery of God's salvation.  Jesus speaks these words, it says, not as a request, but rather with divine authority.    My study bible adds that their great sin would still have been forgiven them had they repented.   We know that one of the soldiers did repent (verse 47) and that he is considered to be a saint of the Church.

And they divided His garments and cast lots.  And the people stood looking on.  But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, "He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God."  The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine, and saying, "If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself."  Save Yourself is, according to my study bible, yet another of the continuing temptation of Satan to deter Jesus from completing His mission (see 4:9-13). 

And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew:  THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.    My study bible notes here that what was intended as an accusation and a mockery became instead a triumphant symbol that all nations would come under the reign of Jesus the King.

Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, "If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us."  But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, "Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?  And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong."  Then he said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom."  And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."   My study bible tells us that the first of the criminals wanted to use Jesus in order to avoid responsibility for his actions.  But the other accepts his sentence and asks only to be remembered.  This is the way to Paradise.   Jesus says that today he will be with Him in Paradise.  To be reconciled to Christ is to immediately be in a place where our sin is let go or forgiven, "in Paradise" (as in the state of our earliest ancestors, in Eden).  Moreover, my study bible adds, the souls of the departed are in the presence of God and experience a foretaste of God's glory before the final resurrection.

Jesus prays, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do."  Certainly we can understand that the soldiers who crucify Christ at that moment have no idea of the Scriptures and their fulfillment, who and what the Messiah is, who and what Christ is, and no preparation in terms of the understanding of Jewish spiritual history.  But righteousness is something meaningful in all cultures, and the centurion's pronouncement that "certainly this was a righteous Man!" becomes clear to him in the presence of Jesus.  But in the bigger picture, upon which my study bible focuses, it is also true for all humanity, in the sense in which my study bible puts it -- Christ speaks for a people who have no insight into the profound mystery of God's salvation.  To some extent, that remains true for each of us, since such a mystery is infinite, and we can always continue more deeply into God's salvation through the journey of our faith.  We look also to St. Stephen, the first martyr, who prayed as he was stoned, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."  Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not charge them with this sin," just before he passed (Acts 7:57-60).  Forgiveness is a tricky subject; but even as He is dying, Christ forgives.  Forgiveness does not mean God's own justice does not prevail.   It does not mean there is no judgment.  But it does mean that we place all things in the hands of God.  It is a way of giving up our own impulses for vengeance to our faith in God's justice instead.  After all, it is only God who really understands the extent to which people "know not what they do."  Therefore, it is truly only God who can judge.  The story of the Crucifixion does not teach us that there is no injustice in the world, nor that we will not suffer injustice -- quite the opposite, in fact.  But it does teach us that there is a higher justice that is at work.  Christ going first before all of us gives us a sense that our lives are to be lived in the light of God's justice, even when we suffer injustice.  There is a judgment that will come, but it is a much greater and larger reality in which we seek to participate through faith than we understand in the immediate circumstances of our lives.  And yet, each is precious to God, even Christ's fellow thief on the cross, who is promised that he will be with Him in His kingdom, even today.  Let us also remember Christ's prophecy about what is to come in Jerusalem.  In a very real sense, there are ways in which our choices work out in our own lives -- for the most part, we should be glad of this, because it means we have a chance to revisit and change our minds (the literal meaning of the word for "repent" in Greek).  But Christ's entire mission -- even here on the Cross -- is for the salvation of all, of each.  It is not vengeance nor punishment He seeks for all of us, even those who harmed Him, but salvation; that is, the capacity to be truly healed (see Matthew 13:15, in which Jesus quotes from Isaiah 6:10).  Let us consider our own very real hurts and injustices in the light of Christ.  What if we gave up each of them to God, asking only for our own salvation and healing, and considering that we, too, like the thief, wish most of all for a place with Him in His kingdom, even today, here and now?  Would that not be good for our own lives, our perspectives, our forward-looking road of faith?  Let us consider how we fit into that bigger picture in light of the example He sets, and how He sets us each free to live our lives to the full, despite the hurts and harm of the past.

If they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry?

 Now as they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus.  And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him.  But Jesus, turning to them, said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.  For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!'   Then they will begin 'to say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" and to the hills, "Cover us!" '  For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry?"

- Luke 23:26-31

Yesterday we read that Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people, said to them, "You have brought this Man to me, as one who misleads the people.  And indeed, having examined Him in your presence, I have found no fault in this Man concerning those things of which you accuse Him; no, neither did Herod, for I sent you back to him; and indeed nothing deserving of death has been done by Him.  I will therefore chastise Him and release Him" (for it was necessary for him to release one to them at the feast).  And they all cried out at once, saying, "Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas" -- who had been thrown into prison for a certain rebellion made in the city, and for murder.  Pilate, therefore, wishing to release Jesus, again called out to them.  But they shouted, saying, "Crucify Him, crucify Him!"  Then he said to them the third time, "Why, what evil has He done?  I have found no reason for death in Him.  I will therefore chastise Him and let Him go."  But they were insistent, demanding with loud voices that He be crucified.  And the voices of these men and of the chief priests prevailed.  So Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they requested.  And he released to them the one they requested, who for rebellion and murder had been thrown into prison; but he delivered Jesus to their will.

 Now as they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus.  My study bible says that Simon means "obedience."  It notes that this faithful man stands for all those who desire to follow Christ and to carry the cross Christ places on them (9:23; 14:27).

And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him.  But Jesus, turning to them, said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children."  My study bible remarks that weeping is not appropriate for the One who redeems the world through the Cross.  Rather, it is appropriate for one's own sins, and for the sufferings of others.

"For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!'   Then they will begin 'to say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" and to the hills, "Cover us!" ' "  This blessing on the barren women is an acknowledgement of the overwhelming pain of a mother who sees her children suffer (which is illustrated by the "woe" in Matthew 24:19).  Jesus quotes from Hosea 10:8.  John Chrysostom's comment is cited by my study bible here:  "Mothers are held by the tie of feeling for their children, but cannot save them.  How can one escape the bonds of nature?  How can she who nurses ever overlook the one who has borne?"

"For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry?"  My study bible tells us that the green wood is Christ, who is full of virtue and truth.  But the dry will be the end result of bad leadership, barren of life and righteousness.   If at this time the Romans eagerly destroy the righteous, my study bible asks, what horrifying things await the unrighteous?

The green wood is wood recently cut, that still retains its moisture. St. Ephrem the Syrian comments on this passage that Christ is the green wood, cut down while it bore much fruit.  But the dry wood is the future of those without virtue, who would reject His spiritual gifts for themselves.  If even one who is found to be without sin is given crucifixion (see yesterday's reading, above, and Pilate's pronouncements), then what is to come in Jerusalem at the time when its siege will result in the burning of the temple and culminate in tremendous destruction and loss of life?  In chapter 3, John the Baptist warned, "Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.'  For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.  And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire" (3:7-9).  The image of the dry wood teaches us about a lack of spiritual fruit, and warns us about our own "dryness" when we are without moisture, keeping in mind that water is an image of the Holy Spirit (John 7:38).  If one such as Jesus, in whom no fault is found, may even be crucified, then what is to come to Jerusalem and the common people at the time of her siege?  Christ predicted quite well the wrath and passion in the midst of fighting, the uncontrolled slaughter and fire that was to come.  The fire that destroyed the temple, according to the Jewish-Roman historian Josephus, was inadvertent and unintended by the military leadership.  But the fury of the fighting meant that destruction of all kinds was extreme, senseless, even in some sense beyond measure.  No wonder Christ teaches the women to weep for themselves and for their children, and alludes to a time when it is the barren who are blessed.  In His love for Jerusalem, let us note, Christ never flags.  He is still trying to warn of things to come, even as He is led to the place of His crucifixion.  He knows where He goes, and weeps not for Himself, but for what is to come to those who will suffer for the blindness and lack of recognition "especially in this your day," of "the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes" (Luke 19:42).  Isaiah writes, "The way of peace they have not known, and there is no justice in their ways; they have made themselves crooked paths; whoever takes that way shall not know peace" (Isaiah 59:8).  Let us consider our own way, in a time filled with examples of ruthless passion (easily stirred through media), violence uncontrolled, selfishness unchecked by considerations of community, disaster which is possible under all kinds of circumstances -- and in the context of a world filled with weapons far greater and more powerful than those of the Romans.  We live with violence that is closer than we think, from the personal sphere, to our communities, and to that of the wider world.  At such a time, it is the things that make for our peace which become ever more precious.

Why, what evil has He done? I have found no reason for death in Him

 Then Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people, said to them, "You have brought this Man to me, as one who misleads the people.  And indeed, having examined Him in your presence, I have found no fault in this Man concerning those things of which you accuse Him; no, neither did Herod, for I sent you back to him; and indeed nothing deserving of death has been done by Him.  I will therefore chastise Him and release Him" (for it was necessary for him to release one to them at the feast).  And they all cried out at once, saying, "Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas" -- who had been thrown into prison for a certain rebellion made in the city, and for murder.  Pilate, therefore, wishing to release Jesus, again called out to them.  But they shouted, saying, "Crucify Him, crucify Him!"  Then he said to them the third time, "Why, what evil has He done?  I have found no reason for death in Him.  I will therefore chastise Him and let Him go."  But they were insistent, demanding with loud voices that He be crucified.  And the voices of these men and of the chief priests prevailed.  So Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they requested.  And he released to them the one they requested, who for rebellion and murder had been thrown into prison; but he delivered Jesus to their will.

- Luke 23:13-25

Yesterday we read that after Christ's trial in the council, the whole multitude of them arose and led Him to Pilate. And they began to accuse Him, saying, "We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, saying that He Himself is Christ, a King."  Then Pilate asked Him, saying, "Are You the King of the Jews?"  He answered him and said, "It is as you say."  So Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowd, "I find no fault in this Man."  But they were the more fierce, saying, "He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place."  When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked if the Man were a Galilean.  And as soon as he knew that He belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.  Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad; for he had desired for a long time to see Him, because he had heard many things about Him, and he hoped to see some miracle done by Him.  Then he questioned Him with many words, but He answered nothing.  And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused Him.  Then Herod, with his men of war, treated Him with contempt and mocked Him, arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe, and sent Him back to Pilate.  That very day Pilate and Herod became friends with each other, for previously they had been at enmity with one another.

 Then Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people, said to them, "You have brought this Man to me, as one who misleads the people.  And indeed, having examined Him in your presence, I have found no fault in this Man concerning those things of which you accuse Him; no, neither did Herod, for I sent you back to him; and indeed nothing deserving of death has been done by Him.  I will therefore chastise Him and release Him" (for it was necessary for him to release one to them at the feast).  And they all cried out at once, saying, "Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas" -- who had been thrown into prison for a certain rebellion made in the city, and for murder.  Pilate, therefore, wishing to release Jesus, again called out to them.  But they shouted, saying, "Crucify Him, crucify Him!"  Then he said to them the third time, "Why, what evil has He done?  I have found no reason for death in Him.  I will therefore chastise Him and let Him go."  But they were insistent, demanding with loud voices that He be crucified.  And the voices of these men and of the chief priests prevailed.  So Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they requested.  And he released to them the one they requested, who for rebellion and murder had been thrown into prison; but he delivered Jesus to their will.  My study bible points out that Pilate attempts to release Jesus three times.  In response, three times the chief priests and the rulers incite the people to demand He be put to death.  Finally, the demand is for the release of a rebel.  Barabbas means "son of the father."  My study bible says it indicates to which father these particular rulers belong -- the devil, a fellow rebel (John 8:44).

Why is it that the innocent suffer?  Why do we see this scene repeated in our world, where it is the most innocent -- and in this case, the only true innocent -- who suffers and pays the price for the sins of the rest?  Perhaps Christ is the only one who is not manipulating anyone; He does not scheme for material power, He does not have a hidden agenda.  There is nothing duplicitous about Him.  My study bible uses the term "rebel" for the religious leaders, meaning their own rebellion against God, against the coming of the Son (see the parable of the vinedressers given by Jesus to them in the temple).  Certainly we understand that Christ has known that this would be His end -- for after all, He has warned the disciples three times of what was to come to Him in Jerusalem, in quite explicit detail.   Another question comes a close second, and that is, why does God permit it?  Indeed, we may ask why God permits any evil in our world.  I don't have all the answers to these questions.  But first of all, we may be given to understand clearly that evil is a choice we can make in our lives.  That is, evil exists as an option, an influence, a rebellion against truth and the good and the beautiful -- those things we associate with God.  We can point to the usual "culprits" inside of us, the influences and impulses that are at work in such a choice, all forms of selfishness and self-centeredness (as opposed to being God-centered), in particular, envy.  (Pilate, if anything a clever observer of human nature, probably essential to his rise in the Roman hierarchy, understands this himself; see Matthew 27:18, Mark 15:10).   These leaders want what they feel is their entitled share of the full pie, the whole ownership of the vineyard.  An innocent person, one who wields little to no currency or power in a given circumstance, makes an easy target, for obvious reasons.  Consistently the Gospels tell us that the religious leaders fear only the people, who love to hear Christ, and who have sought out champions for themselves, holy people like John the Baptist and Jesus.  Here in this crowd which they can easily stir up, the leaders have their way; they long to be rid of one who is not of their order, has no material authority, and stirs up the people as a natural leader.  It is only Gamaliel who will later show the wisdom befitting his position, when he counsels the religious leaders not to persecute the early Church (Acts 5:33-42).  It is a separate question to ask why the innocent suffer, and why Christ bears His suffering.   The Revelation, our book of the eschaton, the fullness of time, tells us that Christ is the Faithful and True Witness (Revelation 1:5, 3:14).  What is Jesus witness to?  Why does going to His death fulfill this role of witness (martyr in the Greek)?  He is a witness against the evil of this world, against the one "who was a murderer from the beginning" (John 8:44), and those who continue to carry out his work in the world.  Christ bears witness, through His innocence.  He does not participate in the evil Himself, and therefore His testimony is true and pure.  It is a part of the culmination of the age which is judgment, a final and true reckoning, which is only possible through true witnessing, honest testimony.  Who makes a more competent witness than one who has no split allegiances, no hidden agenda, no conflict of interest?  Our own need to follow in Christ's footsteps may mean that we, too, experience what He did:  the injustice done to the innocent.  Truth is a threat to those who hate truth; the light is problematic for those who do not want their deeds to come to light (John 3:19).  Until such time as we are given to know better, we understand the need for living our lives in that light, so that we, too, may be witnesses and give true testimony.  We seek to live His way, alert and awake to who we are and what we need to serve -- but not in naivete.   It is part of our mission to be wise as serpents and simple as doves; to know what our world is about, and yet to see the purity of heart Christ praises.  It is in this struggle and tension that we are true witnesses, and we may live and share in His life by bearing our own cross as He did.  Let us be glad to share in His light, for it means the salvation of the world from the alternative we can observe only too well if we but look with the eyes He asks of us.

Then he questioned Him with many words, but He answered nothing

 Then the whole multitude of them arose and led Him to Pilate. And they began to accuse Him, saying, "We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, saying that He Himself is Christ, a King."  Then Pilate asked Him, saying, "Are You the King of the Jews?"  He answered him and said, "It is as you say."  So Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowd, "I find no fault in this Man."  But they were the more fierce, saying, "He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place."

When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked if the Man were a Galilean.  And as soon as he knew that He belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.  Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad; for he had desired for a long time to see Him, because he had heard many things about Him, and he hoped to see some miracle done by Him.  Then he questioned Him with many words, but He answered nothing.  And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused Him.  Then Herod, with his men of war, treated Him with contempt and mocked Him, arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe, and sent Him back to Pilate.  That very day Pilate and Herod became friends with each other, for previously they had been at enmity with one another.

- Luke 23:1-12

Yesterday we read that, while He was in custody in the house of the high priest, the men who held Jesus mocked Him and beat Him.  And having blindfolded Him, they struck Him on the face and asked Him, saying, "Prophesy!  Who is the one who struck You?"  And many other things they blasphemously spoke against Him.  As soon as it was day, the elders of the people, both chief priests and scribes, came together and led Him into their council, saying, "If You are the Christ, tell us."  But He said to them, "If I tell you, you will by no means believe.  And if I also ask you, you will by no means answer Me or let Me go.  Hereafter the Son of Man will sit on the right hand of the power of God."  Then they all said, "Are You then the Son of God?"  So He said to them, "You rightly say that I am."  And they said, "What further testimony do we need?  For we have heard it ourselves from His own mouth."

 Then the whole multitude of them arose and led Him to Pilate. And they began to accuse Him, saying, "We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, saying that He Himself is Christ, a King."  Then Pilate asked Him, saying, "Are You the King of the Jews?"  He answered him and said, "It is as you say."  So Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowd, "I find no fault in this Man."  But they were the more fierce, saying, "He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place."   My study bible tells us that the religious accusations against Jesus, which concern blasphemy and making Himself equal with God (see yesterday's reading, above), would not be appropriate or adequate to justify a death sentence under the Roman occupation.  The chief priests therefore invent false accusations (see 20:20-26), which are politically charged, in order to persuade Pilate to put Jesus to death.  Note that these particular charges put pressure on Pilate as well, given that they concern the regard due to Caesar.  Pilate's question, Are You the King of the Jews?, is, according to my study bible, more a mockery of the accusation itself than ti is of Jesus, as Pilate clearly doesn't take the political charges seriously (as we can see by his subsequent statement that he finds no fault in Jesus.  Christ's answer, It is as you say, could also be translated with a more ambiguous turn of phrase:  "You say so."  As in His response to the council in yesterday's reading, above, this answer actually prevents condemnation of those who question Him, as it avoids a direct teaching to those who "will by no means believe."

When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked if the Man were a Galilean.  And as soon as he knew that He belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.  Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad; for he had desired for a long time to see Him, because he had heard many things about Him, and he hoped to see some miracle done by Him.  Then he questioned Him with many words, but He answered nothing.  And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused Him.  Then Herod, with his men of war, treated Him with contempt and mocked Him, arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe, and sent Him back to Pilate.  That very day Pilate and Herod became friends with each other, for previously they had been at enmity with one another.  My study bible comments here that Herod sees Jesus as a novelty.  Once more, Jesus' silence here is an act of compassion.  To reveal divine mysteries in the face of his blasphemy would have brought Herod even greater condemnation.  My study bible notes that St. Ambrose sees Herod as a figure which represents all unrighteous people.  If Jesus is not understood as the Christ, then neither the meaning of His words and teachings, nor His miracles, will be recognized.  Note that Herod responds to Jesus the same way as did the men guarding Him in the home of the high priest, with contempt and mocking.

What do we make of Herod?  Pilate seems to be a serious man, or at least to take his position quite seriously as the Roman governor.  But Herod Antipas (son of Herod the Great) is given to impulsive behavior, as we learn from the story of the beheading of John the Baptist (see Mark 6:14-29).  Although he is called a "king" of Galilee -- the province from which Jesus comes, he rules as Roman tetrarch ("ruler of a quarter"), recognized by Augustus after the death of his father Herod, and rules the region as a client state for Rome.   Herod (Antipas), we've been told in the Gospels, fears that Jesus is John the Baptist returned from the dead (9:7-9).  As with John while he was in his custody, Herod has a fascination with the holy; he was curious about John and is now curious to see a miracle by Jesus.  In some sense he is like a powerful and wealthy man fascinated by some rare treasure or exotic animal in his possession.  He understands nothing of the holy himself, otherwise Christ would not have remained silent.   As he was given to fulfill a gratuitously extravagant oath before all the "great men" assembled for his birthday when John was beheaded, so he now -- together with his men of war -- responds by mocking Jesus and treating Him with contempt.  Such is the picture we have of this man of power.  It is an interesting one, for Herod seems easily swayed by the manipulations of others, including Herodias his wife, needing the approval of those around him, and therefore is at heart weak and rules irresponsibly.  It is no accident, then, that Herod and Pilate become fast friends after Jesus is handed to Herod for judgment, and then sent back to Pilate.  Over the ridicule and diminishing of Christ, Herod binds himself to a new political friend.  But even such a one, who had John the Baptist beheaded and his head brought on a platter to his birthday dinner, is still treated by Christ as one who bears a soul to which He will not add more condemnation by presenting to Him holy things to trample.  Christ has taught us, "Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces" (Matthew 7:6).  But we rarely stop to think that this teaching, too, isn't merely a negative characterization.  It's also a form of protection against a deeper condemnation for those who will not receive nor understand what is holy, and will respond with contempt, mockery, hostility, violence, rage.  Let us understand Christ, and have respect for the power of the holy by taking the realities of the Kingdom as seriously as does Jesus.  There will be those for whom we may not repeatedly present our faith, nor entreat with Christ's pearls for all kinds of important reasons.  There will be times to remain silent, and to stay away, keeping important boundaries with wisdom.  Let us respect our Teacher, and learn from His conduct, even under the worst circumstances.

Then they all said, "Are You then the Son of God?" So He said to them, "You rightly say that I am"

 Now the men who held Jesus mocked Him and beat Him.  And having blindfolded Him, they struck Him on the face and asked Him, saying, "Prophesy!  Who is the one who struck You?"  And many other things they blasphemously spoke against Him.

As soon as it was day, the elders of the people, both chief priests and scribes, came together and led Him into their council, saying, "If You are the Christ, tell us."  But He said to them, "If I tell you, you will by no means believe.  And if I also ask you, you will by no means answer Me or let Me go.  Hereafter the Son of Man will sit on the right hand of the power of God."  Then they all said, "Are You then the Son of God?"  So He said to them, "You rightly say that I am."  And they said, "What further testimony do we need?  For we have heard it ourselves from His own mouth."

- Luke 22:63-71

Yesterday we read that when they came to arrest Him, 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.

 Now the men who held Jesus mocked Him and beat Him.  And having blindfolded Him, they struck Him on the face and asked Him, saying, "Prophesy!  Who is the one who struck You?"  And many other things they blasphemously spoke against Him.   Christ is beaten, mocked, humiliated.   He is subject to the cruelties visited upon the powerless, and the blasphemy and ridicule of His jailers reflects the intent of those who have ordered His arrest. 

As soon as it was day, the elders of the people, both chief priests and scribes, came together and led Him into their council, saying, "If You are the Christ, tell us."  But He said to them, "If I tell you, you will by no means believe.  And if I also ask you, you will by no means answer Me or let Me go.  Hereafter the Son of Man will sit on the right hand of the power of God."  Then they all said, "Are You then the Son of God?"  So He said to them, "You rightly say that I am."  And they said, "What further testimony do we need?  For we have heard it ourselves from His own mouth."  My study bible comments that Jesus asked many questions of the Jewish leaders which they refused to answer, because doing so would have meant confessing Him as the Christ (20:4-7; Matthew 22:41-46; Mark 3:4).  With the statement, "Hereafter the Son of Man will sit at the right hand of the power of God," Jesus is effectively declaring Himself equal with God.

It is interesting to observe Jesus' response to the elders, chief priests and scribes at the council.  His method of reply seems strange.  But if one considers the power of His words and teachings, and especially His revelation of Himself and His identity, one may observe that Jesus is actually trying to protect them.  That is, the refusal to heed His words, and the absolute rebuke they would make in response to the truth He tells -- especially given the positions of these men as religious leaders -- would necessitate a kind of condemnation that He will not easily nor lightly give.  He says directly, "If I tell you, you will by no means believe.  And if I also ask you, you will be no means answer Me or let Me go."  Since He is already aware of the certainty as to how they will respond, that there is no hope for their belief, He will not directly implicate them in certain condemnation.  Christ's constant directive is salvation.   John's Gospel tells us clearly, "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved" (John 3:17).  Up until the last moment of contact, Christ continues to try to save Judas.  He asks him, upon His arrest, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" (see Saturday's reading).   Even His seemingly mysterious reply to these men of the Sanhedrin can be understood from this perspective.  When they ask Him directly if He is the Son of God,  Jesus replies, "You rightly say that I am."  This answer, by its phrasing, also refuses condemnation of those who would deny this truth to His face.  He will respond similarly even with Pilate (23:3).  What we need to remember in reading these passages is that Christ's overarching directive of all that He does, His ministry, His whole Incarnation, is salvation.  As John's Gospel says, He did not come into the world to condemn it, but to save the world.  That means everything and everyone in it.  By either refusing to speak to those who absolutely will not believe, or responding in this strange way, that "you rightly say that I am" (or, "It is as you say," to Pilate), Christ refuses condemnation, and allows more time for those who have a chance to come to repentance and faith.  Elsewhere, Jesus tells the apostles, "Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces" (Matthew 7:6).  Looking at the behavior of those who cruelly mock and beat Jesus, we may see a kind of literal illustration of this teaching.  Looking more deeply into Christ's conduct among the Sanhedrin, we can understand His prohibition against giving what is holy, and what are pearls of truth, to those who are incapable of receiving is not only futile and dangerous, but it is not at all within the mission of those who would follow Him.  His mission is a saving mission, and into it His disciples enter.  We are reminded that Christ passed through a Samaritan village on His way to Jerusalem, and they refused to receive Him, John and James Zebedee asked if they should call down fire from heaven to consume them, as did Elijah.  But Jesus told them, "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of.  For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them"  (Luke 9:51-56).  We live in a modern world in which they are many who do not share the faith in Christ that those of us who seek to be His followers would declare.  There are those who may even be violently opposed, for one reason or another.  We should remember His conduct and His words within the contexts in which we find ourselves today.   His mission is salvation.  His words are powerful and true.  His teachings have spiritual substance, a full truth with an impact behind them.  And rejection of His teachings will have its consequences, just as those who reject a sincere faith may not know what they are doing.  As His disciples, we, too, must keep His words, conduct, and teachings in mind.  We do not cast pearls before swine, not in order to judge or condemn, not even simply to protect ourselves, but in order to conduct ourselves properly for the One whose overwhelming concern above all else was to save.  We do not seek endlessly to convert those who do not want to hear upon repeated refusal.  We may, like Christ, withdraw into a silence with confirmed rejection of our faith.  Our very best tool, as disciples, is simply a life lived in conjunction with His teachings, through the walk of faith, through prayer, and all the means at our disposal for living life in the way He has taught us.  By our patience we endure.  St. Paul writes of himself and his fellow apostles, "Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; being defamed, we encourage. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now" (1 Corinthians 4:12-13).  This is what it is to live the mission of the One who came to save and not to condemn.  May be all be blessed with the discernment to know where to go, and where not to go.  Let us remember that where the disciples were rejected, they were merely to shake the dust off their feet, and move on.  Sometimes people simply don't have "ears to hear."   In Acts, we're told that the Holy Spirit instructed Paul not to go to particular places at a particular time in his ministry (Acts 16:6-10).   We don't know why, but Christianity and St. Paul himself would go later to these regions.  In the reading for today, and in the other examples, we must keep in mind our dependence upon time for salvation.  The process of repentance and change takes time.  What is rejected one day may be accepted by the same person at a later date.  But there is a time when it is proper to withdraw direct contact and shake off the dust from our feet.  Judas still had an opportunity to return to the group in repentance.  The leaders who reject Christ could conceivably come to a repentance (indeed there are those members of the Council who did become Christ's notable followers).   Until further notice, we seek to live Christ's saving mission -- and until such time as we know differently, we follow as we are taught.

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!