Vigils Reading – 21st Sunday

A reading from

ST JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

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Peter was to be entrusted with the keys of the Church, or rather, he was

entrusted with the keys of heaven; to him would be committed the whole people

of God. The Lord told him: Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in

heaven, and whatever you lose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Now Peter

was inclined to be severe, so if he had been impeccable what forbearance would

he have shown toward those he instructed? His falling into sin was thus a

providential grace to teach him from experience to deal kindly with others.

Just think who it was whom God permitted to fall into sin – Peter himself,

the head of the apostles, the firm foundation, the unbreakable rock, the most

important member of the Church, the safe harbor, the strong tower; Peter who

had said to Christ, Even if I have to die with you I will never deny you; Peter,

who by divine revelation had confessed the truth: You are the Christ, the Son of

the living God.

The gospel relates that on the night that Christ was betrayed Peter went

indoors and was standing by the fire warming himself when a girl accosted him:

You too were with that man yesterday, she said. But Peter answered: I do not

know the man. Just now you said: Even if I have to die with you, and now you

deny him and say: I do not know the man. Oh Peter, is this what you promised?

You were not tortured or scourged; at the words of a mere slip of a girl you took

refuge in denial! Again the girl said to him: You too were with that man

yesterday. Again he answered: I have no idea what man you mean.

Who was it that spoke to you, causing you to make this denial? Not some

important person but…a doorkeeper, an outcast, a slave, someone of no account

whatever. She spoke to you and you answered with a denial. What a strange

thing – a girl, a prostitute, accosted Peter himself and disturbed his faith! Peter,

the pillar, the rampart, could not bear the threat of a girl! She had but to speak

and the pillar swayed, the rampart itself was shaken!

A third time she repeated: You too were with that man yesterday, but a

third time he denied it. Finally Jesus looked at him, reminding him of his

previous assertion. Peter understood, repented of his sin, and began to weep.

Mercifully, however, Jesus forgave him his sin, because he knew that Peter,

being a man, was subject to human frailty.

Now, as I said before, the reason God’s plan permitted Peter to sin was

because he was to be entrusted with the whole people of God, and sinlessness

added to his severity might have made him unforgiving toward his brothers and

sisters. He fell into sin so that remembering his own fault and the Lord’s

forgiveness, he might also forgive others out of love for them. This was God’s

providential dispensation. He to whom the Church was to be entrusted, he, the

pillar of the churches, the harbor of faith, was allowed to sin; Peter, the teacher

of the world, was permitted to sin, so that having been forgiven himself he

would be merciful to others.