Station Three: “I Do Not Know Him”

Tuesday, March 31

[image_frame style=”reflect_shadow” align=”left” alt=”The Denial of St. Peter (La Negazione di Pietro), 1610. Caravaggio” title=”The Denial of St. Peter (La Negazione di Pietro), 1610. Caravaggio” height=”230″ width=”320″]https://flcva.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/CaravaggioPeter.jpg[/image_frame]Reading: Luke 22:54 – 62

⁵⁴Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest’s house. But Peter was following at a distance. ⁵⁵When they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them. ⁵⁶Then a servant-girl, seeing him in the firelight, stared at him and said, “This man also was with him.” ⁵⁷But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.” ⁵⁸A little later someone else, on seeing him, said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!” ⁵⁹Then about an hour later still another kept insisting, “Surely this man also was with him; for he is a Galilean.” ⁶⁰But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about!” At that moment, while he was still speaking, the cock crowed. ⁶¹The 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.” ⁶²And he went out and wept bitterly.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, as Peter betrayed you, you experienced the double agony of love rejected and friendship denied: be with those who know no friends and are rejected by society. You understood the fear within Peter: help us to understand the anxieties of those who fear for their future. To you, Jesus, who gazed with sadness at your lost friend, be honor and glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.