Jesus said to [Peter],
“Truly I tell you, this day, this very night,
before the cock crows twice,
you will deny me three times.”
Mark 14:30
I say I will not deny you, but my gut tells me better. My actions and my words don’t match. We must deny you. It is who we are at the very core of our being. Our ego is too strong. We can’t always deny ourselves. Sometimes we deny you.
Help us, O Holy One, to be gentle with ourselves when we deny you. For your love goes deeper than denial. Help us return to you and breathe deeply and let go of self jugment and doubt and anxiety and shame. For if we remain in this place we deny the Fruit of Your Spirit, and this becomes a viscious cycle. So help us claim gentleness for ourselves so we can return to you and serve you.
O God who never denies us, forgive us for our selfish ways. Help us learn why we deny you so that next time we may choose to deny ourselves. AMEN.
(c) 2018 Rev. Lil Smith
Retreat House
Spiritual Director and Supervisor
