Before and After

DAILY BYTE

As we continue to celebrate the season of Pentecost, let us continue to reflect on how the Holy Spirit empowers us to proclaim God’s loving mercy to the world. Yesterday we saw how the Apostle Peter, after being empowered by the Holy Spirit, stood up in front of thousands of people and proclaimed God’s powerful deeds through Jesus Christ. Today, I invite you to look at Peter before he was empowered by the Holy Spirit. We read in the Gospel that after Jesus was arrested, Peter followed him from a distance. Once they arrived at the house of the Chief Priest, another disciple helped Peter gain entrance into that house. When Peter was outside, a girl who was the servant of the High Priest recognized Peter as one who had been with Jesus. Peter, after being confronted by the girl and after the girl told those around that Peter was a follower of Jesus, denied his Lord. Peter could not hide the fact that he had been with Jesus. There was something in him that evidently showed that he was one of the followers of Jesus. Yet, due to fear of being arrested, tortured, and probably executed, he vehemently denied Jesus.

So, what is differentbetween the Peter who denies his Lord out of fear, and the Peter who stands up to proclaim Jesus Christ in front of a multitude. The answer is simple: The Power of the Holy Spirit. After being empowered by God to proclaim God’s mighty deeds in and through Jesus Christ, Peter no longer allows fear to deter him from proclaiming Jesus as his Lord. The Peter before the Day of Pentecost, denied Jesus in front of a handful of men and a servant girl. But the Peter of the Day of Pentecost was willing to risk it all, stand up in front of thousands of people and proclaim Jesus Christ openly.What a drastic change.

Dear sisters and brothers in Christ. The same Spirit that caused this change in Peter and that led the other Disciples to spearhead a movement through which God transformed our world, is the same Spirit that lives in us and whose power is available to us. You and I have access to the precious transformative power of God’s Holy Spirit. What a blessing and privilege, but also what a great responsibility. We must realize that if we spend time with Jesus, people around us notice and we will be presented with opportunities to proclaim God’s deeds of power through Jesus Christ. May God forgive us for denying Jesus, and may God empower us to proclaim Jesus in a lovingly bold way.

PRAY AS YOU GO

Father, we thank you for sending your Spirit upon this earth to transform our lives, our society, and our world. We pray for your forgiveness for denying your Son Jesus Christ. We pray for your Spirit to empower us to proclaim your love to those around us. Teach us, guide us, and show us effective ways in which we can witness of your love for this world in an effective way. Amen.

FOCUS TEXT

Matthew 14:66-72

While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant-girls of the high priest came by. When she saw Peter warming himself, she stared at him and said, ‘You also were with Jesus, the man from Nazareth.’ But he denied it, saying, ‘I do not know or understand what you are talking about.’ And he went out into the forecourt. Then the cock crowed. And the servant-girl, on seeing him, began again to say to the bystanders, ‘This man is one of them.’ But again he denied it. Then after a little while the bystanders again said to Peter, ‘Certainly you are one of them; for you are a Galilean.’ But he began to curse, and he swore an oath, ‘I do not know this man you are talking about.’ At that moment the cock crowed for the second time. Then Peter remembered that Jesus had said to him, ‘Before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.’ And he broke down and wept.