With the same Love?

The period of Lent that leads up to the celebration of our Lord’s death and resurrection is a time to contemplate on how the Lord looks at our sinfulness.

God looks at our sinfulness and reveals it to us. He does not deny it, belittle it or sugar coat it. He reveals it for what it is. At the same time, he does it not without warning, not without (the same) love, not without hope in our conversion so that we, too, may look at our sinfulness and see it for what it is and see ourselves the same way He sees us - with the same love and hope - for only then can healing and conversion happen.

Unlike God, however, we tend to ignore the warning, play deaf, downplay it or hide it from God as though this is possible.

Peter is warned: Before the cock crows you will deny me three times. He dismisses it and says: even if everyone else abandons you, I won’t.

Then it happens. Jesus looks at him. And Peter weeps bitterly. What is in that look? Is it a condemning look or a look with (the same) love?

The tragedy is not seeing ourselves the way God sees us. The tragedy is to close ourselves to God’s love, to remain blind and chained to sin. The tragedy is to let ourselves be overwhelmed by our own sinfulness. This is the tragedy of Judas. While Judas can see no other way out of his betrayal save to end his life; in the loving gaze of Jesus, Peter comes to see himself as a loved sinner.

Prayer points:

God reveals to us our sinfulness. He takes the initiative. But, it also depends on how each person deals with his own sinfulness. Reflect on how the Lord personally deals with you, with your sinfulness? In contrast, how do you deal with it yourself? How do you react to God’s redeeming love?

Contemplate the scene where Jesus looks at Peter (Lk 22:54-62). Then imagine yourself in place of Peter. How does Jesus look at you? What is it like? What is He communicating to you with His look? Stay with what moves you.