MARY, OUR MOTHER

SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY #532

And apprehending Jesus, they led him to the high priest's house. But Peter followed afar off. And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall and were sitting about it, Peter was in the midst of them. Whom when a certain servant maid had seen sitting at the light and had earnestly beheld him, she said: This man also was with him. But he denied him, saying: "Woman, I know him not." And after a little while, another seeing him, said: "Thou also art one of them." But Peter said: "O man, I am not." And after the space, as it were of one hour, another certain man affirmed, saying: "Of a truth, this man was also with him: for he is also a Galilean." And Peter said: "Man, I know not what thou sayest." And immediately, as he was yet speaking, the cock crew. And the Lord turning looked on Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, as he had said: "Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny thrice." And Peter going out, wept bitterly. (Luke 22:54-62)

THE CONVERSION OF PETER was the work of the preventing grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. The cock crew immediately after his first denial; and this was intended to remind him of his Lord's warning words, and of his own promise to lay down his life for Him. However, he paid no heed to this first cock-crow, and fell deeper into sin; for an outward warning is of no avail without the inward voice of grace. Even the second cock-crow would not have moved him in his distraction, had not our Lord at the same moment cast His gracious glance on the fallen apostle. With that one look which met his eye, grace penetrated the soul of the unfaithful apostle, and gave him light to see how low he had fallen, and how grievously he had sinned. His heart and will were moved, he detested his sin, and bitterly repented of it. Peter corresponded with the helping grace which was given ti him; he opened his heart to it, obeyed its promptings, and was therefore converted. To Judas also great grace was given, in the Garden of Gethsemani, but he resisted it, and therefore perished in his sins.

[From 'A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture' by Bishop Knecht, D.D.]

(1899 Douay-Rheims Bible)