READ: Mark 16:1-8
When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. 2 Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb 3 and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”

4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. 5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

6 “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”

8 Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.

REFLECT: When the angel tells the women that Jesus has risen from the dead, he adds an instruction: “Go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”

Did you notice the “and Peter” part? Why did the angel specifically mention Peter? Remember, that as Jesus went to the cross, Judas had already betrayed him, the disciples deserted him, and Peter, the acknowledged leader of the bunch, had denied him.

So why would the angel single Peter out? Now, before you answer, think about the possibilities. Now, to do that, imagine you’re one of the disciples hiding behind a locked door, terrified the temple police might start rounding up Jesus’ followers and hauling them in before the Jewish political authorities.

Then the women return from the tomb. They use the secret knock and you let them into the room. Once inside they pass on the angels’ message, “tell his disciples and Peter.”

First, you’re trying to process the news that Jesus might just be alive. Could they be right? “No, this can’t be,” you think. But the women seem sure of what they’ve seen. Then there’s this instruction to go to Galilee, the place where everything started three years earlier. The place where you first met Jesus. Everyone’s invited, you think, even Peter.

By now, everyone in the room knows how badly Peter failed. Peter’s a lot of things, but quiet he’s not. So by now, everyone knows how badly Peter failed. You steal a glance across the room at Peter.

Peter is not a private man. He wears his emotions on his sleeve and what you see is Peter quickly scrolling through the possibilities. First, you think, if I were Peter, I’d be tempted to lay low and stay in Jerusalem. To tell the others, “no, you go on ahead. I’ll stay here and hold down the fort.” But now that possibility is off the table.

Then you see Peter’s face go ashen. Immediately you think, oh no, maybe Jesus wants him there so he can punish him for his betrayal.

But, wait a second, you think, that doesn’t seem like Jesus. Maybe, just maybe, Jesus will welcome Peter back. Perhaps after a stern talking to, but welcome him back, none-the-less.

So which is it? Rejection? Rebuke? Or rehabilitation? We know the answer, but Peter didn’t yet know. He still had a few more anxious moments before he found out that not only did Jesus forgive him, he welcomed him back, then gave him an important job to do.

RESPOND: Maybe you’ve let Jesus down? Perhaps you’ve deserted him. Maybe even denied him. In any case, you’ve done something you know has disappointed Jesus. Perhaps you, like Peter have been avoiding Jesus. You too are trying to keep a low profile. But then you have your own “and Peter” moment; a time when you feel like Jesus is reaching out to you. Please don’t hesitate. Know that Jesus is standing there, arms open wide, waiting to welcome you back.