7 April 2020 - you will follow later

Today's Readings

(Audio)

Simon Peter said to him, “Master, where are you going?”
Jesus answered him,
“Where I am going, you cannot follow me now,

We have a lot in common with Peter as we continue into Holy Week. We have the desire to follow Jesus, even to remain with him as he goes to his death for our sakes. But we don't really know what this entails. It is an easy intention to form until it is tested.

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.”

Jesus looked at Peter in that moment with amazing mercy. He knew about the betrayal. It wasn't that it didn't deeply hurt his heart. But he was able to see the bigger plan for Peter's life and how his ultimate restoration and forgiveness would strengthen him to that end.

though you will follow later.

So too with us. God knows that many of our intentions for this week may not be successful. To be successful is not the main point. To remain in process with God, to return to him in humility for mercy is more important. It is right to set these intentions. And it isn't that we set out planning to fail. We set out with the same zeal of Peter, with all the zeal we can muster for a week so sacred. Whether or not our plans succeed God will use them to bring us more deeply into his Paschal mystery.

Even our failures our redeemed by the cross of Christ. The cross was what seemed to be the biggest failure in history, but which turned out to be the greatest victory.

Though I thought I had toiled in vain,
and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength,
Yet my reward is with the LORD,
my recompense is with my God.

Our own failures are subsumed into that apparent failure, giving us the right to share in the victory.

And I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD,
and my God is now my strength!
It is too little, he says, for you to be my servant,
to raise up the tribes of Jacob,
and restore the survivors of Israel;
I will make you a light to the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.