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Morning Devotion for Good Friday

April 7, 2023

The Invitatory

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen.

Reading: John 13:36-38

Simon Peter said to him, ‘Lord, where are you going?’ Jesus answered, ‘Where I am going, you cannot follow me now; but you will follow afterwards.’ Peter said to him, ‘Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.’ Jesus answered, ‘Will you lay down your life for me? Very truly, I tell you, before the cock crows, you will have denied me three times.

Meditation: Jo Ann B. Jones

One might be inclined to sympathize with Peter in this passage. Let me suggest it might be best to resist that temptation in favor of seeing the much larger picture here. It seems that Peter has lost all memory and understanding of the immediately preceding passages that make up the Farewell Discourse, together with all of Jesus’ statements beginning “I am” - “I am the light,” “ I am the living bread,” “ I am the good shepherd,” “ I am the one speaking to you.” Twenty-four times in John’s Gospel Jesus has tried to reveal to his disciples who he is. But here in these few verses, Peter is focused on himself.

We should, instead, attend to what John’s Gospel has communicated thus far. The ministry of Jesus is carried out in the context of the conflict between the light and the darkness. Jesus as the light of the world, overcomes the darkness, enabling those who were imprisoned in the darkness to be free to walk in the life-giving light. In John’s Gospel Jesus uses both light and bread as symbols of his life-giving light. These images express the way eternal life is found in Jesus Christ. The crucifixion is the means by which Jesus is judged and cast out, and the revelation of God is made effective.

Frailty, self-centeredness, irresponsibility are all characteristics of human beings. Only because of God’s grace, freely given, can any man or woman attempt to avoid the level of Peter’s denial. It is an unfortunate truth of our lives that we court such denial more often than avoid it. Jesus’ words to Peter are valid for each one of us. We, too, deny Jesus many times every day. No less than for Peter, we may be sure that Jesus is saddened by our frailty.

Yes, Jesus knows that Peter, one of his closest companions, will deny him. Yet his parting words to his disciples focus not on blame for their past and future failures, but rather on preparing them for what is to come, promising that although he will no longer be physically present with them, they will not be abandoned.

The cross assures us that Jesus has overcome what our denials have wrought for us and for the world. His words to Peter assure us, also, of his ready forgiveness and the new life for us now made possible. It is now an easy response for us to make, to confess our own denial.

The Lord's Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy Name.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the Kingdom, the power and the glory,

for ever and ever. Amen.

Closing

Our heavenly Father sent his Son into the world not to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved: that all who believe in him might be delivered from the power of sin and death, and become heirs with him of everlasting life.