Again he asked them, “Who is it you want?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they
said. Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me,
then let these men go.” This happened so that the words he had spoken
would be fulfilled: “I have not lost one of those you gave me.” Then Simon
Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting
off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given
me?” (John 18: 7-11)
Jesus and his disciples had just left the last supper and headed to the Garden of Gethsemane where Judas and a large cohort of police awaited to arrest him. This is the interchange between Jesus and his arrestors. Perhaps the lesson from this is the peaceful manner in which Jesus accepted what was about to happen: he did not argue; he did not fight. The impulsive Peter was not so calm and in the face of this arrest, he drew his sword and cut off the ear of Malchus. Jesus immediately admonishes Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” Jesus’ calm prevailed and he went quietly.
Often, we are faced with very troubling situations and more often than not our first reaction is a violent one, such as Peter’s, not a peaceful one. In our lifetimes we have seen the value of non-violence that Jesus exemplified in many of the most courageous moral stands for freedom and justice in our country. Hopefully, in these challenging times, during this penitential Lenten season, we will be guided by our Lord to follow His words and actions.
Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is giving that we receive; it is pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. AMEN
Jesus and his disciples had just left the last supper and headed to the Garden of Gethsemane where Judas and a large cohort of police awaited to arrest him. This is the interchange between Jesus and his arrestors. Perhaps the lesson from this is the peaceful manner in which Jesus accepted what was about to happen: he did not argue; he did not fight. The impulsive Peter was not so calm and in the face of this arrest, he drew his sword and cut off the ear of Malchus. Jesus immediately admonishes Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” Jesus’ calm prevailed and he went quietly.
Often, we are faced with very troubling situations and more often than not our first reaction is a violent one, such as Peter’s, not a peaceful one. In our lifetimes we have seen the value of non-violence that Jesus exemplified in many of the most courageous moral stands for freedom and justice in our country. Hopefully, in these challenging times, during this penitential Lenten season, we will be guided by our Lord to follow His words and actions.
Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is giving that we receive; it is pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. AMEN
(Prayer attributed to St. Francis)
The Rev. David Feyrer
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