Scriptural Stations Meditations - Fourth Station

Jesus is Denied by Peter

We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You.
Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.

After arresting him they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest;
Peter was following at a distance.
They lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat around it, and Peter sat down with them.
When a maid saw him seated in the light,
she looked intently at him and said, "This man too was with him."
But he denied it saying, "Woman, I do not know him."
A short while later someone else saw him and said,
"You too are one of them";
but Peter answered, "My friend, I am not."
About an hour later, still another insisted,
"Assuredly, this man too was with him, for he also is a Galilean."
But Peter said, "My friend, I do not know what you are talking about."
Just as he was saying this, the cock crowed,
and the Lord turned and looked at Peter;
and Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him,
"Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times."
He went out and began to weep bitterly.
~Luke 22:54-62

We pray:

Lord Jesus, generous desires and bold words are often
where our fidelity begins and ends;
these are not enough to sustain us through a true test,
as Peter discovered in the courtyard.
At the very moment when You are witnessing to the truth
even though it will cost You Your life, Peter is demonstrating
our natural and fearful response to danger;
he is saying whatever is necessary to “save his own skin,”
even to the point of swearing that he does not know You.
He is denying his own identity in denying You.
Peter heard you say,
“Blessed are those who endure persecution for My sake,” (Mt 5:10)
but he now knows experientially Your more recent words:
“the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Mt 26:41)

Lord, we are short-sighted and self-preserving by nature,
but You came to show us a new way of living:
the Way of self-giving love.
Open us to Your glance –
that glance of mercy and love that will draw from us
cleansing tears of healing and renewal.
In this restoring grace, may we find the strength to
witness to truth and hope,
without being preoccupied with ourselves.

May Your abundant mercy give us courage to
admit our failings, ask Your forgiveness and return to You,
ready to follow You ever anew.