Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“At that moment the cock crowed for the second time. Then Peter remembered that Jesus had said to him, ‘Before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.’ And he broke down and wept.”
NL Daily Devotion for Wednesday, March 27, 2024
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
Was Peter any better than Judas? I wonder how much of this terrible series of events Peter experienced was a way for him to learn the humility that would be required of him as the future leader of the church. I am certain that he was absolutely furious with Judas for what he had done. How dare Judas lead the Roman soldiers right to where they could arrest Jesus with the minimum of resistance! How dare he betray the one he had followed so zealously for so long! I am sure that in that moment, Peter though himself far superior to the traitor, Judas.
Yet a matter of hours later, he discovered that he, too, was a betrayer of the one he loved most dearly. He denied anything to do with Jesus in order to save his own skin. And while it was probably the wisest course—after all, it would have benefitted no one had Peter allowed himself to be arrested and killed along with Jesus—was it really any better than Judas’ actions, which Jesus had pointed out were inevitable and necessary for things to play out as intended?
Peter needed to accept that he was powerless over what happened to Jesus, and even, to an extent, over his own very human response to the danger at hand. His tears of guilt and shame were warranted, and probably necessary. But once he processed these, he had to let them go. Sooner or later, there was work to be done, and Jesus had told him that “on this foundation [Peter] I will build my church.”
Our faith is going to take some knocks. We are going to have to confront our own frailties and failings. It’s the only way for us to learn humility, which is critical to following in the way of Jesus.
What things in my life have taught me the most humility?
