John 13:21-33, 36-38

Lectio (Reading)

Read the passage twice and get a sense of what it is saying. Pay attention to what strikes you.
Reclining at table with his disciples, Jesus was deeply troubled and testified,
“Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.”
The disciples looked at one another, at a loss as to whom he meant.
One of his disciples, the one whom Jesus loved,
was reclining at Jesus’ side.
So Simon Peter nodded to him to find out whom he meant.
He leaned back against Jesus’ chest and said to him,
“Master, who is it?”
Jesus answered,
“It is the one to whom I hand the morsel after I have dipped it.”
So he dipped the morsel and took it and handed it to Judas,
son of Simon the Iscariot.
After Judas took the morsel, Satan entered him.
So Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.”
Now none of those reclining at table realized why he said this to him.
Some thought that since Judas kept the money bag, Jesus had told him,
“Buy what we need for the feast,”
or to give something to the poor.
So Judas took the morsel and left at once. And it was night.

When he had left, Jesus said,
“Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself,
and he will glorify him at once.
My children, I will be with you only a little while longer.
You will look for me, and as I told the Jews,
‘Where I go you cannot come,’ so now I say it to you.”

Simon Peter said to him, “Master, where are you going?”
Jesus answered him,
“Where I am going, you cannot follow me now,
though you will follow later.”
Peter said to him,
“Master, why can I not follow you now?
I will lay down my life for you.”
Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me?
Amen, amen, I say to you, the cock will not crow
before you deny me three times.”

Meditatio (Reflecting)

Slowly read the passage again, pausing on words or phrases that stands out. Take time to consider the meaning. particularly in your life.

Peter said to him, “Master, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Amen, amen, I say to you, the cock will not crow before you deny me three times.”

Oratio (Responding)

Read the passage again, slowly. Consider how God has spoken to you and respond back to Him. You may want to consider how this passage is asking you to act differently.

This line is so powerful and convicting for me. This is how I think of myself, and how I truly wish to do the right thing. But Just like peter when it is time to actually fulfill these promises, I so often fall short. Why is it that are we so weak and easily tempted. It is our free will that allows us to choose to either love and obey, or to hate and reject. This is the human condition, and it is at the same time our greatest weakness and our greatest strength. The freedom to choose is what causes the worst evils in the world, and also the most incredible love and joy.

This is why I personally cling to Peter and his example, because he is just like all of us. He has moments of incredible faith and courage and moments of horrible doubt and failure. But through it all his heart is with God, and his love is without doubt. If Peter can become a saint, then he gives us all hope for the same. This is why Jesus trusted His church to Peter, despite his betrayal and failure, and his stupid mistakes, he was always the rock of love and fidelity, and can be trusted to eventually do the right thing. And this is why he was made the leader and model for all of the popes that would come after him. Popes will make mistakes, but they should also be the first to admit their mistakes once made, and eventually do the right thing. This is why Peter gives me hope, that God will also forgive me, and that I too will eventually do the right thing.

Jesus started this passage with the statement that “one of you will betray me” and then ends with Jesus telling Peter “Before the cock crows you will deny me 3 times.” Clearly the first statement was for Judas, and the second for Peter, but oh how Peter must have been deeply shaken at these statements, and worried about what they could mean. But Peter is just like all of us, and his weakness and his strength are often two side of the same coin, and for him one actually leads to the other. And I believe that it was his love for God that allowed him to recover from his betrayal, while Judas despaired that he could never be forgiven, and thus destroyed himself.

So we must always follow the model of Peter, get up when you fall down, ask for forgiveness, and try to do better next time. That is our task and our calling as well. It starts this holy week. Get to confession, and start over again, do the right thing and revel in Gods forgiveness and love.

Contemplatio (Contemplating)

Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.

Resolutio (Resolving)

Make a resolution that will improve your life, your relationships, or your faith. Make it small and attainable, and do it.

Oh lord, I pray that your grace can come to me like it did Peter, and I too can be a rock that you can trust your church with.