Chapter 67: Of the appearance of Christ to St Peter in secret; and of St. Peter's running with St. John to the Sepulchre

I BLESS You, and give thanks to You, O Lord Jesus Christ, Chief Shepherd of Holy Church, and faithful High Priest to God for us, for the surpassing love and unspeakable mercy which in so many different ways You did manifest to Your most blessed Apostle Peter; for the Divine words which You spoke to him; and for the secret visions, which You did so often show forth to him. You did choose him rather than any of the other Apostles to be the Prince and Shepherd of the souls of the faithful; You did make him their head; and after Your departure from this world to Your heavenly Father, You did leave him as Your Vicar, and keeper of the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven.

O Fountain of mercies, and inexhaustible Source, whence heavenly gifts flow down upon penitents, and upon those who weep over sins committed; O most loving Bestower of pardon, and Giver of heavenly grace; O Lord Jesus Christ, Who to all Your Saints, and to Your friends whom You did choose before the foundation of the world, are sweet and beloved; O You Who never cease to bless, and to shed Your favours upon, those who run after You, who are truly contrite, and who humbly ask forgiveness; O most gracious Lord, in spite of his thrice-repeated denial of You, You did not withdraw from Peter Your love, but straightway by Your gracious look You did bring back to himself, and cause him to weep bitterly; You did mercifully and fully pardon all his sin against You; and in spite of his grievous fall, You did restore him to his former rank and to his pontifical dignity.

I praise and highly exalt You for that surpassing love of Yours which caused You to appear this day, in some secret place better known to You than to me, to holy Peter, Your much-loved Apostle, for his special comfort, at that time so greatly needed by him; for he who had most offended most needed help and comfort; and no better Comforter, no more powerful Guardian of the soul can be than You are, O Jesus, our Maker and Redeemer.

I render thanks, therefore, to You, most gracious Lord Jesus Christ, Who are both the Judge and the Restorer of the fallen and the distressed, for having given timely help to Your straying sheep Peter, and for having thus kept him from giving way to excessive grief and despair of forgiveness, and from doubting of Your Resurrection because he did not find Your sacred Body in the Tomb.

As a loving and discreet Physician of afflicted souls. You did send Your holy angel to comfort Peter, and to give him hope of pardon: and so it was that Your Angel, speaking kindly to the women, bade them take the news to Peter. " Go quickly" he said to them, " and tell His disciples and Peter that Jesus is risen."

O good, O holy Angel, how well and how fitly did you specially call Peter by his accustomed name, the name first given him by the Lord on calling him to be an Apostle; so doing doubtless that he might not despair because of his thrice-repeated denial of his dear Lord and Master! On hearing himself so named by the Angel, and finding himself greeted as a friend by the holy women, Peter took courage, and with confidence renewed, and his trouble and sorrow forgotten, ran quickly with John to the place of burial. On seeing that all things had been so done by the Lord even as had been reported by the women and the holy Angel — who did not lie, but as a true witness and faithful messenger had pronounced the accomplishment of the Resurrection — his spirit at once revived within him, and a sure hope of everlasting salvation sprang up again in him.

Wondering, therefore, greatly in himself, and rejoicing in the Lord, Peter longed much to see his Lord, and wished that He would show Himself to him also, even as He had appeared first to Mary Magdalene. " Let her be the first among the women, but may I be the second or the third among the men, or even the last among the Apostles and His disciples! Nay, let Him do what seems Him right; be it unto me according to His good pleasure, so only that it be for the Salvation of my soul! I long for a sight of my Lord; I long to be comforted by His Own words, and to be perfectly reconciled to Him. Let Your mercies come unto me, O Lord, that I may live, and may never more trust in my own strength! Remember, I pray You, all Your former loving-kindness and that holy prayer of Yours which You did pray to the Father for me, and that prayer which You did pray upon the Cross for sinners. Come, O good Jesus; tarry not: You are my only hope, to You alone do I look for the salvation of my soul! Show Yourself to me: if I can but see You I shall be safe, and shall rejoice and be glad on this holy Easter Day! "

It was done as he had said; for Jesus granted the devout prayer of His beloved Apostle Peter. Jesus in His love was presently by the side of Peter who had sought Him, and had run quickly after Him. He took the weeping penitent back into His favour, graciously blotting out the sin against his Lord into which he had been led by fear on that sad night; and bidding him be more prudent, He kindled in Peter's heart strength of will to confess His Holy Name, and to love Him with a never-ending love.

O inexhaustible love of Christ, worthy of praise from every creature, full of heavenly sweetness, worthy of being proclaimed by all the faithful throughout the world, to the end that no sinner should ever despair of pardon, and that no one who has been made whole should ever rashly presume on the grace given him from above!

How great was the miracle of mercy shown forth on this day by the Lord upon holy Peter! Angels glory in it. Archangels rejoice at it, the lost breathe again, the sluggish are roused, all faithful people with one mouth praise God for the exceeding mercy of the Lord, and for His forgiveness of most blessed Peter, whose faith in Christ could thereafter never be shaken.

How loving and how friendly was the discourse which Jesus at that time had with Peter after He had given him the kiss of peace; and how full of peace and joy was Peter's heart as he beheld and talked with the risen Christ, his most loving Lord!

O beloved Saint Peter, venerated Apostle and elect patron of the Holy Roman Church, forget not, I pray you, this day, and that great Eastertide when you were reconciled to your Lord, and were absolved from all your sins by the gift of the Holy Spirit.

And remember now, I pray you, before the Throne of our gracious Jesus, me, a poor unworthy sinner, in the time of my trouble and distress; and when the hours of my weary pilgrimage on earth are numbered, and I am about to quit this body, lend me, I pray you, your faithful help, and bring me safe to Heaven. For the merits' sake of the Death and Passion of Christ, admit me, I pray you, to Paradise, an entrance to which has been promised to all penitents even to the end of time. Keep me from the snares of the old enemy, deliver your suppliant from the pains and the darkness of Hell; for God has given to you all the Kingdoms of the world and the Keys of Heaven, that you may est open the gate of life to those who knock, if when the end came they were truly penitent, and turned to God in full assurance of faith. Graciously hear me, O most blessed Peter, loving shepherd of the Church, and glorious Prince of the whole world, and pray for me that I may have grace worthily to bewail my sins, and that I may obtain forgiveness from Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.