Monday, May 16 : Saint Ambrose

      Brothers, let us repent: let us watch out that we may not have arguments concerning precedence amongst us for our ruin. The fact that the apostles (Lk 22,24) had an argument among them is not a good excuse for us to do the same. It is an invitation to watch out. Peter repented, of course, the day he answered the first call of the Master, but can we say that his conversion happened all at once?…       The Lord gives us the example. We had need for everything; he instead, did not need the help of anybody, nevertheless he reveals himself as master of humility by serving his disciples… As for Peter, surely ready in his spirit but still weak in the flesh (Mt 26,41), he is warned that he will deny the Lord. The Lord’s Passion can find imitators but has no equals. Therefore I do not blame Peter for having denied Christ; I congratulate him for having wept. One thing is relevant to our common condition, the other is a sign of virtue, of inner strength…But if we excuse him, he did not excuse himself. He preferred accusing himself for his own sin and justifying himself by confessing his sin, rather than worsening his case by denying it. And he wept…       He wept; he did not apologize, he just cried. The one who cannot defend himself may yet wash himself; it is up to the tears to wash away the faults we are ashamed to confess in person. Tears speak the sin without trembling. Tears do not ask for forgiveness but they obtain it:…good tears, washing sin away! These weep as long as Jesus looks at them. Peter denied him a first time and did not weep because the Lord had not looked at him. He denied him a second time and he did not weep because again the Lord had not looked at him. He denied him a third time; Jesus looked at him and he wept bitterly. Look at us, Lord Jesus, so that we, too, may bewail our sin.

maronite readings – rosary,team