Charity registration No. SC002876   Sunday April 18th. 2010 Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Main Menu Notices 2 Page 4 Page 5 Notices Peter– the failure who became Christ’s chosen one Reflection on this Sunday’s Gospel —The meeting with Jesus on the sea shore   he Apostles were eager to put the  trauma and disgrace of Good Friday out  of their minds, and so they slipped back to  life as it was before Jesus called them.  They had just come back from a night's fishing, empty-handed.   A stranger on the shore urged them to cast their nets once more and the  result was a miraculous catch of fish. At that moment they recognised  Jesus and accepted his invitation to share breakfast with him at the  lakeside. In Pilate's courtyard Peter with curses and oaths had denied to  the servants that he knew Jesus, and now all the memories of that night,  of how unfaithful he had acted, made him uneasy and embarrassed.   Jesus knew exactly how he felt and offered him an opportunity to renew  his love and loyalty to the risen Christ. Peter's authority, lost by his  denial, was now restored through his confession of faith. His position as  head of the apostles was  clarified and he was given the  commission to guard the  whole flock in Christ's name,  a role that would lead to his  violent death. The Good  Shepherd left his Church in  the charge of a man who had  failed him, which shows that  Christ's call does not exclude  our falls. Peter came to know  God's grace through failure.  Often failure can be the  finger of God pointing the  way, awakening within us an  awareness of our own             helplessness. Whatever it was  about that lakeside gathering  it restored Peter's confidence,  gave him the strength to  renew his faith and throw  himself into the spreading of  the gospel.The challenge  which Christ presented to  Peter, 'Simon, son of John, do  you love me more than these  others do?' is the same  challenge facing us. As  followers of Christ, we are to  make that same commitment  in a world that is becoming  ever more secular and anti-  Christian.   The three fold betrayal of Christ by Peter in the court yard, with the cockerel ready to crow Peter, do you love me?