Wednesday, April 12 : Saint Peter Chrysologus

“The disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter: ‘It is the Lord!'” The one who loved was the first to see; love casts a keener sight over everything; whoever loves always feels with greater vivacity. (…) What difficulty made Peter’s spirit so slow and prevented him from recognizing Jesus the first, as he had already done? Where is that unique witness that caused him to exclaim: “You are the Christ, the son of the living God”? (Mt 16:16) Where is it? Peter had entered the house of Caiaphas, the high priest, where he had heard the whispering of a servant without difficulty, yet he delayed to acknowledge his Lord. “When he heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic, for he had nothing on.” How odd, my brethren! (…) Peter gets into the boat without any thing on and jumps into the sea fully clothed! (…) Those who are guilty always cover themselves so as to disguise themselves. Like Adam, then, Peter wants to hide his nakedness after his sin; the two of them, before fishing, were only clothed with a holy nakedness. “He put on his tunic and jumped into the sea.” He was hoping that the sea would wash the dirty garment that was his betrayal. He jumped into the sea because he who had been entrusted with the greatest responsibilities (Mt 16:18f.) wanted to be the first to return. He girded himself with his tunic because he was to be girded for the combat of martyrdom, according to the Lord’s words: “Another will gird you and take you where you do not want to go” (Jn 21:18). (…) The others came with the boat, dragging their net full of fish. With a great deal of difficulty they brought the Church back with them, tossed about in the winds of the world. This is what those men bore in the net of the Gospel to the light of heaven and that they pulled out of the deep so as to lead it to the Lord.

Roman Extraordinary (Tridentine) Daily Readings – rosary,team