Mark 14:66–72 (ESV)
Peter Denies Jesus
66 And as Peter was below
in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came, 67 and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You also were with the Nazarene, Jesus.” 68 But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what
you mean.” And he went out into the gateway and the rooster crowed. 69 And the servant girl saw him and began again to say to the bystanders, “This man is one of them.” 70 But again he denied it. And after a little while the bystanders again
said to Peter, “Certainly you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.” 71 But he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know this man of whom you speak.” 72 And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. And
Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept.
Why does Peter take the brunt of the fall when all the
Apostles fell away. I think he is easy to blame, maybe because there is a little Peter in all of us. He tries so hard, yet continually comes up short. We try to, but it is good that we are not saved by our works, but by our faith. When
Peter heard the rooster, he broke down and wept. Later on, Jesus will look at Peter and “love” him and Peter will know that he has been forgiven. But in today’s reading, that is yet to come.
I pray: O Lord, we too fall short of the glory of God and we go against our own words. Forgive us and lift us up, brush us off, and refocus us on what you did on the cross. Amen.