MEDITATION ON OUR LORD'S PASSION: The Denying Of Peter.

BENING, Simon 
Prayer Book of Cardinal Albrecht 
c. 1525

And Peter sat abroad in the Court below, whom when the Maid portess of the high Priest saw sitting at the light, and warming him, & had behold him, she said: And this man was with him: & the maid came unto him, saying: and art not thou of the disciples of this man? he said, I am not: and he denied before them all, saying: Woman I know no the man, neither do I know, nor have known, what thou sayest: And he went forth before the court, and the Cock crowed.

Consider first that whereas all the Apostles, (as our Lord had aforesaid) had suffered scandal, yet only Peters denial is repeated by the Evangelists, and by all of them, both because it seemed so strange & incredible, that Peter could deny Christ, that this his sin could not be comprehended by the Evangelists themselves; and also because many men mark the faults of their superiors. And lastly considering that he who was foundation of the Church did sin, that thou shouldest neither doubt, but that the other Disciples suffered scandal, nor yet presume of thine own strength. For no man committeth that sin, which another would not do; if the guide be wanting, which created man.

Consider secondly when Peter denied Christ? In the night, & when it was cold. If thou wilt not behold the light of truth, and convert thy self wholly unto Christ, in thine own conscience, and if the love of God and thy neighbor was cold in thee, doubt not, but thou shalt fall into errors of faith, or into more grievous offenses.

Consider thirdly, where he denied? where Christ was taken & bound, in the company of wicked men, in speaking with a woman: avoid these occasions if thou intends to be holy. And although St. Cyril affright that St. Peter denied not Christ so much through fear of any hurt, which might happen unto him, as though a kind of love. least he should be thrust out of the house, & so deprived of his presence. Yet it is most certain, that he committed a most grievous sin. Beware thou, least under any color of devotion or virtue, thou dose transgress the law of God & of his Church. For evil is not to be done that good may come thereof.

Consider fourthly that Christ is not denied by him only, who saith that Jesus is not Christ. but also by him, who being christened denyeth himself to be a Christian, and the Disciple of Christ, and this may be done not only on words, but also in deeds, by those which profess to know God, but in their deeds do deny him. For doest thou think (saith Saint Bernard) that any man thinketh Jesus to be the Son of God, who neither fearth his threatening, nor is moved by his promises, nor obeyeth his commandments. nor alloweth his counsels? How often then hast thou denied Christ, and yet hast not done penance with Peter.

Fifthly the cock crowed, but he being otherwise busied observed it not, for our Lord did not yet look upon him. Be thou at no time so overwhelmed with business or sins, but that thou always attend the voice of God speaking in thee, and that thou mayest hear thy neighbor admonishing thee.

Fr. Francis Costerus S.J. 1616

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