Word to the Wise
Tuesday, March 18, 2008 - Tuesday of Holy Week
[Isaiah 49:1-6 and John 13:21-33, 36-38]"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."
In the South we have an expression we use when we're going to say something a bit (or more than a bit) negative about someone. We begin with the words, "Bless his/her heart..." And poor Peter, bless his heart, falls with his typical bravado when he blurts out his passionate desire to "follow" Jesus wherever that may be! First of all, he misunderstands what Jesus means by "where," and secondly he is going to deny Christ three times! The latter is the reason Jesus tells him that he cannot "follow" Jesus now. He is not ready. No one is ready till after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. For all his enthusiasm, Peter, bless his heart, is just as weak as the other disciples, including Judas! Judas betrays and Peter denies! (Although we might be less sympathetic toward Judas and eliminate the "bless his heart" in mentioning him, is his sin worse than Peter's?) Before we bang down the gavel on either Peter or Judas, we'd better put ourselves in their places to the extent that we can. Judas may have lost faith in the face of the growing opposition to Jesus among the religious authorities. We must remember that up till this time, Judas has been one of the Twelve and a participant in Jesus' ministry! It is not possible to know just what the motive was in detail. In Peter's case it seems to be fear of a similar fate to Jesus' situation. Ironically, that would eventually happen. Political and personal inconvenience, especially fear caused by either one, are common motives for acting against our faith and values. The spiritual intensity of this week will focus our attention on Jesus' strength and the apostles' weakness. Would we (Bless our hearts!) be any more resolute than they were? AMEN