Station 4, Day 2

Station 4, Day 2

Jesus is denied by Peter

Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest’s house. But Peter was following at a distance. When they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them. Then a servant-girl, seeing him in the firelight, stared at him and said, “This man also was with him.” But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.” A little later someone else, on seeing him, said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!”  Then about an hour later still another kept insisting, “Surely this man also was with him; for he is a Galilean.” But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about!” At that moment, while he was still speaking, the cock crowed. The Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.[1]

Meditation

            In Jesus’ day, assigning guilt to a person required two witnesses. In other words, if two people testified to witnessing someone doing wrong, that person was proclaimed guilty. Another person, presumably also among the crowd in the Garden, recognizes Peter as having been with Jesus. Once again, Peter denies any association with Jesus.

            All of us are prone to weakness, particularly in times of great stress. Certainly, Peter was under great stress on this night. His future was uncertain. Would he, too, be taken into custody and suffer the same fate as Jesus?

Spiritual Discipline

            Meditate for 10 minutes on Peter in the court of the high priest’s house. There are crowds of agitated people milling around. Jesus is in custody there. See the dark sky above and the glow of the firelight, casting long shadows around you. What do you see and feel in that courtyard? Will you be found guilty of associating with Christ? Do you deny Christ when you ignore the needs of others? When you gossip? When you laugh at demeaning jokes?

Prayer

            Long-suffering Lord, like Peter, I am not always faithful to you. Too often, I deny my relationship to you in both direct and indirect ways. Please give me the strength of Peter to remain with you, to stand by your side, and to walk with you to the end. Amen.

This is the 16^thin a daily series titled The Stations of the Cross that will run through Easter 2026, at which time I will return to my weekly Life Notes.Life Notes are my explorations into mysteries that interest me. They are invitations for readers to explore more deeply into life’s mysteries. Engage with me or explore contemplative spiritual direction at ghildenbrand@outlook.com.

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[1] Luke 22:54-62