Today, God addresses us as follows:
Raise a glad cry, you barren one! (Isaiah 54:1)
Barren one?
At the Last Supper, Peter audaciously declared to the Lord, “I will lay down my life for you.”
He proposed to do this by his own courage, by his own manly vigor. Christ knew better. He knew the measure of Peter’s virility. He refused to accept Peter’s declaration.
As we know, Peter proved to be barren of courage and manliness.
“We saw you with him!” “I do not know the man.” “You are one of his disciples!” “I do not know what you mean.” “You are his friend!” “I do not know him.”
Meanwhile, the crucified thief bravely bore witness to the truth. “O innocent king,” the thief begged, “forgive me my guilt and remember me in your great kingdom to come.”
Christ did accept this. “Raise a glad cry, barren one. You may be languishing on a cross, justly condemned. But you will be with me in paradise this very day.”
Christ spoke these words of consolation to Peter, too. “Tough guy, you turned out to be a barren one, too, didn’t you? …But raise a glad cry, too. You will lay down your life for Me, by the power of my grace, when I say so.”
Self-reliance leaves us bereft and lifeless. Let’s raise a glad cry for the constant help that comes from heaven.
When Satan betrayed God, he thought he had good reason.
Father Mark White Blog 