Palm/Passion Sunday and the leadership of Peter
My Pastor reminded me of one of my favorite Biblical facts.
Peter's denial of Jesus. The gospel of Mark was written in the mid 60s of the Current Era. At that time, the apostle Peter was the leader of the Christian Church at Jerusalem. How is he depicted/presented at the end of Mark's account? First he swears he'll never deny Jesus, even if 'all the others run away.' Next he denies any association with Jesus three times. It is a shockingly honest portrayal of the community's leader. I love that Peter either chose to or was unable to surpress this personally embarassing story. I love that one of our faith's most revered leaders sets the tone for all future believers--sinners, horribly inept, yet the unwarranted object of God's endless love, "even to the point of death, death on a cross." I think of Pastors and Peter being the first Pastor. The ? Paragons of righteousness to which the masses attempt to aspire? Sinners in need of grace.
