Peter

From We Were There

By Sarah A. O'Malley and Robert D. Elmer

PETER: It was a pitch black night; a night in which even the stars hid themselves. James, John, and I had accompanied Jesus many times. Once, on a mountain top, we saw Jesus bright as a torch, shining in glory. I could have stayed on that mountain forever, happy to build a shrine there but, no, Jesus set his face toward Jerusalem. James is always telling me that I'm so impetuous. I speak without thinking. Why didn't I listen to him? Yes, I opened my mouth when I felt my Master was in danger. Wouldn't you have done the same?

At Philippi, I took him aside and told him not to go to Jerusalem because there he'd face hostile leaders. Then Jesus said something to me that was like a slap in the face. "Get behind me, Satan." Satan!? I deserved that because I didn't understand that the cross was the way to new life; not just for Jesus but for all of us.

But back to that Thursday night in the garden. I'm ashamed to say that we weren't much company for the Master that night. I heard the sighs and groans of Jesus as he prayed alone in the garden. He told us to keep awake but our eyelids were too heavy. Yes, the wine made us sleepy, but even more, our hearts felt burdened with sorrow. At our last supper together, I boasted that although everyone else would desert him, I would never fail him. But I did fail him. I did... I did.