When Commitment Fails

Daily Office Devotional, Friday, March 29, 2024

Good Friday

The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D.

Daily Office Lectionary Readings (BCP, 957)

AM Psalm 95 [for the Invitatory], 22; PM Psalm 40:1-14 (15-19), 54

Lam. 3:1-9, 19-33; 1 Pet. 1:10-20; John 13:36-38 [AM]; John 19:38-42 [PM]

Daily Office Gospel (AM), John 13:36-38

36 Simon Peter said to him, ‘Lord, where are you going?’ Jesus answered, ‘Where I am going, you cannot follow me now; but you will follow afterward.’ 37Peter said to him, ‘Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.’ 38Jesus answered, ‘Will you lay down your life for me? Very truly, I tell you, before the cock crows, you will have denied me three times.

David’s Reflections

Anglican missionary bishop and New Testament scholar, Stephen Neill, once suggested this prayer of commitment. "I commit as much as I know of myself to as much as I know of God in Christ." * In today’s Gospel, Jesus suggests to Peter that he has committed as much of himself as he knows but that there are unknown pieces of his psyche that are not committed.

Peter thought that he was prepared to die with Jesus when in fact he was not.  Serious failure and disillusionment lay ahead of him, failure that could have wrecked the commitment of a lesser person.  Even though Peter was forewarned, he still could not muster the spiritual fortitude to risk being known as a follower of Jesus the night of the trial.

Part of the issue for Peter had to do with what he knew of God in Christ.  His understanding of Jesus’ messiahship and mission was lacking.  Jesus had been attempting to refocus their expectations away from popular hopes for a Messiah who would effect some sort of political or military solution to Israel’s oppression by the Romans.  All of them would have to endure the shock of his arrest and death and recover in the glow of his resurrection before their commitment could grow to embrace his unique call to mission for them.

If we make Neill’s prayer our own, we are committing in more than one direction.  First, we are giving all of ourselves that we know to God.  And, we are giving ourselves to all of God that we know.  Beyond the commitment to give ourselves, we are committing to know God and ourselves more fully.

What a hopeful prayer Neill has offered us.  As we come to understand God and ourselves more fully, our commitment can expand and grow.  Areas of our lives that had proven frustrating and unyielding will find themselves encompassed within an expanding commitment.  And, Jesus constantly works within us and through our community to reveal himself and our own selves to us more fully.  The Peter who denied Jesus that night became a courageous missionary preacher, confronting the very people who had Jesus executed.  He ultimately died for his faith.

So, on this Good Friday, the day of Jesus’ death, join me in Neill’s prayer of commitment. "I commit as much as I know of myself to as much as I know of God in Christ."

*Cited by Robert Raines, New Life in the Church, rev. ed.  (New York:  Harper, 1980), p. 35

Collect for the Sunday of the Passion, Palm Sunday

Almighty and everliving God, in your tender love for the human race you sent your Son our Savior Jesus Christ to take upon him our nature, and to suffer death upon the cross, giving us the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant that we may walk in the way of his suffering, and also share in his resurrection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.  (BCP, 219)

Collect for Good Friday

Almighty God, we pray you graciously to behold this your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed, and given into the hands of sinners, and to suffer death upon the cross; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

(BCP, 221)

A Collect for Fridays

Lord Jesus Christ, by your death you took away the sting of death: Grant to us your servants so to follow in faith where you have led the way, that we may at length fall asleep peacefully in you and wake up in your likeness; for your tender mercies' sake. Amen.  (BCP, 123)

A Prayer for Light

O Lord God Almighty, as you have taught us to call the evening, the morning, and the noonday one day; and have made the sun to know its going down: Dispel the darkness of our hearts, that by your brightness we may know you to be the true God and eternal light, living and reigning for ever and ever. Amen.  (BCP, 110)

A Collect for Mission

O God and Father of all, whom the whole heavens adore: Let the whole earth also worship you, all nations obey you, all tongues confess and bless you, and men and women everywhere love you and serve you in peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 124)

Daily Offices in The Book of Common Prayer

Morning Prayer, Rite 2, page 75, The Book of Common Prayer

Noonday Prayer, page 103, Book of Common Prayer

Order of Worship for Evening (Vespers), p 109, Book of Common Prayer

Evening Prayer, Rite 2, page 115, Book of Common Prayer

Compline (Night Prayer), page 127, Book of Common Prayer

Daily Devotionals, page 136, Book of Common Prayer