From early on in the Acts of the Apostles, St. Peter is shown to have great courage, pointing the way forward for the Church. That courage was certainly not there for St. Peter, at least not fully, through much of the public ministry of Jesus.
Let’s recall that St. Peter walked on water, started to sink, then walked again with Jesus’ help. St. Peter witnessed the Transfiguration, and naively suggested they build tents to stay awhile. At the Last Supper, he refused to have his feet washed, realized his folly, and then asked Jesus to wash his head as well. And, of course, at that same meal, St. Peter proudly declared that he would never desert Jesus, but a short time later, after following Jesus at a distance, he vehemently denied ever knowing Him.
In Peter, we see ups and downs; we see brilliance, then ignorance. He is believing yet fearful, faithful but broken. In short, he is us! Therefore, he can teach us an invaluable lesson on how we should approach our relationship with Jesus, particularly during this Easter season.
Just as for St. Peter, Christ’s Resurrection gives us the hope of redemption, the joy of restoration, and the possibility of permanent connection with God. The challenge, though, is to remain in an intimate relationship with Him. As we celebrate this Easter season, let’s be bold and try to be more like St. Peter: ready to declare, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you!”
