The Church’s invitation to us in Holy Week is to “watch” everything carefully – not just as spectators, but as participants. Are we to be found in the crowd of people who welcome Jesus into the Holy City, but then are nowhere to be found the rest of the week? Are we the angry crowd shouting for the release of Barabbas? Or are we among the (mostly) women who sorrowfully accompany the Lord in His moment of greatest need? Are we willing to stick with Him, “be there” for Him, and “be there” for one another?
In a similar way, are we participating in Holy Week like Judas or like St. Peter? Judas abandoned the Lord because of despair … but St. Peter came back to the Lord with tears of repentance. Is it not true that we, too, have occasionally betrayed Jesus, we too have broken bread with Jesus, yet still “sold” Him for money, out of ambition, out of greed, out of anger, out of hatred, or even out of violence for our own personal gain? Will we now despair or will we renew our resolve to stay faithful to the path along which Jesus leads us?
Let us pray. Loving God, St. Peter offers us an imperfect example, saying he would lay down his life for Jesus, but not being able to do so in the moment. He faced terrible trials and great anguish – and sometimes we face them, too. Help us, as you did St. Peter, to persevere and to remain faithful to the Way of your Son. In His name, we pray. Amen.”
