But I Have Prayed for You, That Your Faith Should Not Fail; and When You Have Returned

The Power of Jesus’ Intercession

But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.—Luke 22:32

Peter’s faith set him apart from the beginning. Even when he did not know much about Jesus, he obeyed the Lord. We see his faith in the words of this quote, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net” (Lk 5:5). Throughout Jesus’ ministry, Peter’s faith continued to set him apart from the rest of the disciples. Before anyone knew who Jesus really was, Peter knew that He was “the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Mt 16:16). One day, when Jesus’ followers were deserting Him, the Lord asked His twelve disciples if they were leaving as well. Peter answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (Jn 6:68).

When Jesus was arrested, Peter’s faith was tested. Although he initially reacted to defend the Lord and struck off the ear of a man in the arresting party, he subsequently tried hard to fit in as one of the many faces in the crowd. When he was recognized him as one of Jesus’ men, he quickly denied the truth. In fact, Peter got so worked up that he swore and cursed.

Peter’s story tells us that it is easy to maintain our faith in ordinary times. For most of us, these are still ordinary times. Even though there are reports of war, civil unrest, hunger, disease, religious persecution, etc. in parts of the world, these things do not affect us. We live peaceful lives. This is a good thing for which we give thanks. When we can live our lives unhindered, we are free to proclaim our religion and practice our faith. However, as Christians alert to the Holy Scriptures, we must be wise. Sooner or later, we will be challenged by extraordinary times. Peter discovered that he denied Christ. Peter was not a bad man. He was just a man with natural instincts of self-preservation. He was human, as we are.

But Peter would come out of the experience a better man, his faith intact, as Jesus had prayed. His faith strengthened, he became a rallying force for the believers. After our Lord had ascended into heaven, Peter led them in prayer. After the Holy Spirit came, he began preaching and teaching in public. Despite extraordinary times, he ministered far and wide. In the latter years of his life, he was still able to encourage and strengthen the believers in word and in deed. Not even the revelation that his life was in danger could stop him. If anything, it made him more resolute (1 Pet 2:10-15).

All praises be to God. May Jesus Christ our Lord help us also.

Reflection: As Christians, none of us want to think that we could ever deny Christ and even get so worked up that we would swear and curse. But Peter’s story tells us that such a thing can happen. Starting today, what can you do in these ordinary times so that your faith may not fail you in extraordinary times? .