Judas and Peter.
Both are going to betray Jesus.
As I was reading the Gospel this morning, I noticed something I had never thought about. Both men commit to do something: Judas to do evil, Peter to stand by Jesus.
Judas follows through and commits his evil deed. Peter does not, at least initially, follow through with his promise to “lay down” his life for Jesus.
I think that this is something we need to recognize within ourselves as humans. It is hard, once we decide to sin, to stop ourselves. Sinning can just so easily take over our lives and we don’t even have to try.
However, when we commit to being virtuous, like Peter, it can be so difficult to stick by that commitment. We see how quickly Peter loses courage and lies about knowing Christ.
Why is it like this?
I think it’s because sinning is so selfish. It is easy for us to think only of ourselves. Judas could only see the money and what he thought that would buy him.
The point of virtue is to put us in right relationship with God and others. It makes us deny ourselves and elevates us beyond base desires. Because virtue is not self-focused, it is hard to live out.
Both men end up regretting their failure to love Christ well.
Judas despairs.
Peter, thankfully, doesn’t.
What does this mean for us?
Because Christ is the perfection of every virtue, to live out any virtue well, we will require His grace. We cannot rely on our own power, Catholic Pilgrims.
The best and most wonderful news is that if we ask for that grace, God will always supply it. There will come a point where Peter will “follow later” in courage and fortitude because of the graces supplied by the Holy Spirit. It can be the same for us.
Have a blessed Tuesday of Holy Week.
*Picture is of the Holy Sepulcher in Old Jerusalem right before dawn.
