Jesus said, “You are those who have stood by me in my trials; and I confer on you, just as my Father has conferred on me, a kingdom, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
“Simon, Simon, listen! Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” And he said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death!” Jesus said, “I tell you, Peter, the cock will not crow this day, until you have denied three times that you know me.”
Chaos. Can you feel it? Does it seem, as a friend of mine on Facebook (Ben DeHart) said, like emotional and spiritual whiplash? It should feel that way. We should all walk away today feeling like nothing makes sense. We started with a triumphant parade; Jesus on a colt with shouts of Hosannah ringing in the air… and we are left now with Jesus dead and in someone else’s tomb… everything should feel wrong.
This year we use Luke’s version of the Passion, and there are pieces that I never noticed before. Jesus talks lovingly to his disciples and tells them that the kingdom that God the Father has given him now also belongs to them. They are his beloved friends who have witnessed the healings and the feedings; they have heard him teach and they have watched him bring people out from the margins and restore them to life. He tells them that they will sit on thrones in his kingdom to be judges of the tribes of Israel. Then he tells Peter perhaps the thing that is both so loving and so painful…”but I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” Peter’s denials have always felt terrible; a part of the story we wish we could forget. But I wonder, what was it like for Peter to know that Jesus prayed for him? Prayed that his faith would not fail, and that he would provide strength for the others… Jesus prayed for Peter. JESUS PRAYED FOR PETER…I wonder how Peter felt when Jesus told him? If Jesus prayed for Peter, I am certain that he prays for us, and all I can say is, Lord, leave me, I am a sinful woman, I am not worthy… I am not worthy to have Jesus, God’s only son our Lord, God from God, Light from Light, True God begotten not made of one being with that Father, through whom all things were made, I am not worthy to have him pray for me, and for whatever reason, this is the hardest part of the story for me, at least today…I suppose it drives home for me that we follow a king unlike any other, who is capable of the most incredible humility… so of course he rode in on a colt without military fanfare; of course he washed his disciples feet; of course he prayed for Peter; of course his throne is not made of gold and jewels but instead is the hard wood of the cross. It is this king who humbled himself, this king who basically gave up being God so that he could live life as one of us, loving us through darkness and back into light. It is this king who gave his life so that all could live; this king who asked that we be forgiven…this king who was denied by his best friend…
Lord, we know that we have denied you so many times. It fills my heart to breaking that you would forgive us even as you were suffering and dying. We ask you to please keep praying for us so that OUR faith may not fail… pray for us that we may strengthen the siblings you have given us, that we may be bearers of your light and love into a world that murdered pure love. We are not worthy, except through you. Give us hearts to love and hands to serve.
