06/04/2023

Today we remember in thanks the Mystery of Faith, the Eternal Sacrament of Forgiveness, the Body and Blood, the fortifier of our souls, the ever greater Sacrament  bestowed on humanity by the Ever Greater Father, Son and Holy Spirit and the eternal significance of the events that begin in the Upper Room and conclude in the tomb.

St Peter as the foundation Rock of the Church which is to be the Guardian of the Way, Truth and Life appointed  by Jesus, plays a prominent part in John's memoir of the "get together", the "team dinner" that the twelve ate with Jesus in the upper room. Judas is the only other one mentioned.

We only know St Peter from his "cameo appearances" in the Gospels. We know that he was married and had a mother-in-law. He was the owner or part-owner of a boat and fished in lake Gennesaret to support his family. He was neither rich nor poor as he was able to drop his work and follow the Lord instantly and neither was he held back by his wealth.

His interactions with Jesus, however, present a character that is consistently as impetuous as was his first reaction to the Lord. He is always the same, bluff and straight forward. He is the "Yorkie" of the gospels."Where shall we go?" Let me build three tents" and today's "In that case wash the lot of me"always make me laugh in appreciation of our common humanity. There is also human hope for us all in his refusal to accept Jesus' warning of his straightforward triple denial that is only hours away.

I too know that I am sometimes truly overwhelmed by the Love of God and cannot believe that I will ever deny Our Lord again. Here again I am warned that there is too much "I" in my reflections but that God knows my heart better than I know it myself. May Mary who is not mentioned in any of the accounts of this last meal but who was to be there to the end on Calvary (Was she there as all first century women to prepare food and wait on the menfolk?), lead all the saints in prayer for we sinners on earth and in purgatory as they too await the second coming of Jesus when God will be All in All. Marantha!