Friday of Holy Week, March 29, 2024
“Good” Friday of the Lord’s Passion
(click here to listen to or read today’s scriptures)
This was a bad day, this was a good day
The gatekeeper said to Peter, “You are not one of this man’s disciples, are you?” And Peter said to her, “I am not.”
Peter was lying. He had just promised Jesus his everlasting loyalty.
It was cold that night. Peter shivered in his thin robe.
Now Simon Peter was standing beside the fire, keeping warm. The servants and soldiers beside the fire said, “You are not one of his disciples, are you?”
Thinking of course that he was.
Peter denied it and said, “I am not.”
Meanwhile Jesus was bound with a rope and answering his questioners truthfully.
One of the nearby officials slapped him in the face.
Peter, outside, warming himself. An hour or so earlier in the Garden of Gethsemani, soldiers brought Judas to identify Jesus and then arrested him. In his disbelief and fury Peter cut the right ear off one of them. Jesus was not pleased with Peter, he touched the man’s ear, and healed him. This was Jesus’ last healing before his crucifixion.
One of the slaves of the high priest, a relative of the one whose ear Peter had cut off, said, “Didn’t I see you in the garden with him?” For the third time, Peter denied it.
When Peter promised Jesus that his loyalty would never waver, Jesus looked into his eyes and quietly spoke. “Before the cock crows, Peter, you will deny me three times.” Shocked, wanting Jesus’ words to be untrue, Peter must have renewed his resolve. But when Jesus was taken away the disciples scattered, fearing arrest themselves. Like the others, Peter was suddenly alone.
Didn’t I see you in the garden with him? NO NO NO!
And immediately, the cock crowed.
Later that morning (I wonder where Peter is by now) Mary implored the crowd not to turn against Jesus, but they shouted over and over, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” Their eyes were riveted on Pilate and Jesus, and their faces were red with rage. Pilate washed his hands of the whole matter but allowed the crowd to take Jesus to Golgotha.
Like other prisoners Jesus was forced to carry his own cross through the streets of Jerusalem, and Mary, who knew the streets very well, followed, sometimes getting ahead of him to be ready at a cross street to wipe the blood and sweat from his forehead.
On this awful morning, Judas would hang himself and Jesus was crucified. Where was Peter when Mary and his friend John were watching Jesus die?
Sobbing. Unforgiven, at least by himself. Had he been at the cross he would surely have heard Jesus say something like, “Simon, you are forgiven. I love you. Go and sin no more.”
(Isaiah 52-53, Psalm 31, Hebrews 4, Philippians 2, John 18-19)
(posted at www.davesandel.net)
Another thing that happened last night, in 2024 not AD 33 … Illinois won its Sweet Sixteen basketball game with Iowa State 72-69, and will play in the Elite 8 on Saturday night against the University of Connecticut. Jack and Margaret and I watched it, staying in our seats part of the time, screaming and jumping up and down the rest.
Lots of smiles!
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