Going through the Passion each Lent starting on Palm Sunday, never fails to find me asking again for forgiveness and expressing my deep desire for a renewed relationship with Jesus.
Going through the fullness of His story reminds me that Peter’s story did not end there, overcome by intense sorrow and pain over his denial of his friend. Instead, Peter was not only forgiven by Jesus, he was given a role in bringing about the Kingdom of God on earth. Later in the Gospels, Jesus comes back to Peter and asks him three times: “Do you love me?” When Peter replies “Yes” three times, an echo of each of his previous denials, Jesus invites him each time to feed his sheep.
Jesus fully recognized that Peter was a work-in-progress and did not give up on Peter when he fell. Instead, Jesus offered Peter mercy and love and kept inviting him to more.
As we head into Holy Week and conclude our Lenten journey we are called to more, let us consider the following questions:
- Are we willing to fall on our knees before Jesus, our friend, and say, “I am sorry” and “I need you”?
- Are we willing to accept his offer of forgiveness even as he hangs on the cross for our sins?
- Are we finally able to accept his magnanimous love and make a return of love to him by saying a resounding “yes” when he asks us to feed his sheep?
As we head into Holy Week, we have one last leg of the journey to take with Jesus… the journey of his last moments on the cross.
What will your response of love be in return?
Smitten With Goodness 