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Will You, Peter? (John 13:36-38)

 St. Peter doesn't understand what Jesus means by "going," either. He takes advantage of his special position as the head of the apostles to ask Jesus privately. Peter gets the explanation, and he doesn't like it. In our more confident moments, we're just like Peter: thinking we're going to do all these big things, but oftentimes, our weaknesses are greater than our resolve.

Jesus doesn't spare any truth with Peter, because he also tells him that he will deny Jesus three times. 

In the movie, "Minority Report," Detective John Anderton is working in the "pre-crime" unit of the DC police. In this dark near future, the police can see into the future, and intercept people before they commit crimes. Peter must have felt like John Anderton, when he became aware that he himself would be guilty of a crime. We can leave the sticky details of exactly how Jesus knows something that hasn't happened yet, but it must have been terrible to have the words of Jesus hanging over you, and then to realize that you have made his words come true. But it is a blessing for us to know that God has more mercy for us than we have shame in our failures.

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