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I really like Peter. I really like this moment in the Scripture. It is a moment that Peter, potentially, hoped for after the death of Jesus. He did not understand completely God’s plan for redemption. He had just denied his friend, his Lord, and his Savior. Peter did not know if he was going to see Jesus again. Peter is given the opportunity to sit with his friend. Even more so, Peter is afforded a moment of restoration.
Restoration is easy to think about when it is indicative of a physical reality. I am thinking of restoration hardware. We can restore a piece of furniture, a home, or a landscape to some former beauty but how do we find restoration in our soul. Our soul is an invisible reality. Invisible realities are harder for our sensory understanding.
In the book, Mother Teresa: In my own words, St. Teresa of Calcutta expresses: “God has created us so we do small things with great love. I believe in that great love, that comes, or should come from our heart, should start at home: with my family, my neighbors across the street, those right next door. And this love should then reach everyone.”
Jesus is asking everything to be done for the glory of God. Most of us will not experience a physical martyrdom as St. Peter did or even as those we memorialize today, St. Charles Lwanga and companions, martyrs. However, we may experience small denials. We may choose to offer small things in our daily life to the Lord for his greater glory. All the small things will lead to restoration, to love, and a relationship with the God-man. As St. Teresa of Avila wrote, “a Divine union, in which the Lord takes His delight in the soul and the soul takes its delight in Him.”
Peter's Restoration
I like your reflection on Peter’s moment of restoration. Peter, like any of us, when we betray a relationship, whether knowingly or unknowingly, probably felt that his relationship would never be as perfect as it was before. Jesus giving His friend the opportunity to express his love three times, helps heal Peter. What “seals the deal” though are His words; “follow me”. In other words, we are back on mission together. Our relationship is healed and as it was before. Now let US, you and I, get back to work! Joy must have absolutely flooded Peter’s heart.