Peter's Denial
Mental Prayer Meditation Helps
Presence of God
Grace I Ask: To understand and feel the sorrow that fills Christ during His Passion.
Mental Picture (cf. Luke 22:54-62): Peter follows Christ at a distance to the courtyard of the high priest - watches Him being unjustly tried. Lying witnesses come forward... Jesus says nothing. Finally He speaks; Peter watches a guard step up, hit Him in the face. Jesus, hands tied behind His back, answers: "If I have said something wrong, accuse me of it; but if not, why did you strike me"?" Christ's courage... and Peter saw it all. Outside. Peter hears the servants around the fire talking about this criminal Jesus and His twelve riff-raff followers. A maid looks at Peter and says, "Look, this is one of them." Peter denies it. Three times he denies that he knows Christ. The swears and curses of his last denial are hardly finished when Jesus turns, and looks at Peter. Peter goes away, weeping bitterly.
My Personal Application: In the garden, Christ had warned Peter: "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation." Peter had slept instead.
Now, afraid of a little servant girl, Peter denies that he even knew Christ. That very night he had told Jesus, "I will follow you to prison and to death!" What was Christ thinking when He turned to look at Peter? What sorrow he caused Christ! How often I, like Peter, have denied Christ and added to His sorrow, by being afraid to do before others what was right.
I Speak to Christ: Lord, how sorry I am for having been such a fair-weather friend! How often I have told you I would be loyal to you, then was too much a coward to stand up before others for my friendship with you. I will not add to your sorrows again. Help me, for I am weak.
Thought for Today: Passion of Christ, strengthen me!
________________
Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)
No comments:
Post a Comment