Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/715

 fell, therefore,  through  over  self-confidence,  and  by  neglecting  our  Lord’s exhortation: “Watch  and  pray,  that  ye  enter  not  into  temptation!”

Peter's fall  should  be  a warning  to  us,  to  carefully  avoid  bad  companions, and  the  occasions  of  sin;  to  remember  our  weakness  and instability; and  not  to  trust  too  much  in  ourselves,  but  to  ask  humbly for the  assistance  of  grace. It was  not  without  reason  that  our  Lord taught us  to  pray:  “Lead  us  not  into  temptation!”  St.  Paul  says (i Cor.  10,  12):  “He  that  thinketh  himself  to  stand,  let  him  take  heed lest he  fall!”

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  to  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.

The repentance  of  Peter  was  both  real  and  supernatural. So great was his  grief  of  soul  for  the  sin  which  he  had  committed,  that  bitter tears of  contrition  flowed  from  his  eyes. His contrition  was  also  supernatural, and  was  indeed  a perfect  contrition,  for  he  was  sorry  purely because he  had  offended  his  beloved  Lord,  and  because  he  had  increased His sufferings;  for  of  all  our  Lord’s  sufferings  the  one  that  pained  Him most was  that  Peter,  His  highly-favoured  and  chosen  apostle,  should  be ashamed  of  Him  and  deny  Him  in  such  a cowardly  manner. Peter repented of  his  fall  from  perfect  love  for  his  Divine  Master,  whose countless benefits  and  graces  he  had  repaid  with  such  base  ingratitude. Let us,  too,  if  we  fall  into  mortal  sin,  do  penance  at  once,  as  Peter did, and  awaken  a perfect  contrition  in  our  hearts. His repentance, furthermore, was  no  passing  one: his  sorrow  for  his  sin  oppressed  him all his  life,  and  it  is  said  that  each  time  he  heard  a cock  crow  he  was moved to  a sense  of  contrition  for  his  sin,  and  that  his  eyes  were always red  with  weeping. All his  life  long  he  worked  mightily  for  the glory of  his  Master  and  the  salvation  of  souls,  and  unceasingly  preached the Gospel,  till  at  last  he  gave  up  his  life  for  Jesus. Great was  his  fall, but still  greater  was  his  penance:  and  he  has  by  his  contrition  and life-long satisfaction  become  the  model  of  a true  penitent.