The Evangelists repeatedly mention the fear of the first of the apostles – St. Peter. It was St. Peter walking on the water who was afraid of the wind and began to sink. St. Peter feared persecution; after all, St. Peter also denied Jesus three times. Biblical scholar Fr. Prof. Mariusz Rosik states in his Sunday, September 3 commentary that Peter’s ability to overcome fear and give his life for faith was due to love. “The threefold betrayal contrasts with the threefold confession of love,” the biblical scholar writes for the Heschel Center of the Catholic University of Lublin.

At the time of Jesus’ passion and death, the first apostle denied his acquaintance with the Messiah and his membership in the group of the Twelve, the first Church. “When Peter, for the third time, denies his acquaintance with Jesus, he also denies that he is among Jesus’ disciples: he denies his relationship with the Teacher and the group of disciples. Thus, he excludes himself from the community,” writes Fr. Prof. Rosik.

Nor did the resurrection of Jesus make St. Peter overcome his fear. “The risen Jesus twice came to the apostles although the doors were locked (John 20:26). Even the fact that Jesus overcame death did not restore courage in the apostle’s heart,” Fr. Prof. Mariusz Rosik points out.

The turning point came when Christ questioned Peter three times about love, as recorded in St. John’s Gospel. “It is a conscious effort by John the evangelist to emphasize the threefold confession: ‘Lord, you know that I love you’ (John 21:15.16.17). The threefold betrayal contrasts with the threefold confession of love,” stresses biblical scholar Fr. Prof. Mariusz Rosik.

A full text of the commentary on the Heschel Center of the Catholic University of Lublin website