Peter's denial, our denial

In Matthew 26:69-75 we find the story where after Jesus has been arrested and put on trial Peter denies having ties to him. Then the cock crows just as Jesus had said would happen, reminding Peter that he was told he would deny Christ.

One of Saint Ignatius’ practices in prayer was to put himself into a scripture passage as if he were one of the characters. Have you ever put yourself in Peter shoes? Do you think that you ever deny Christ? Perhaps, for the sake of meditation and self-examination, we could change those who question Peter to Christ himself. Then, applying this to our own lives, we must ask in what situations this has or usually does happen. Are there any times where you purposefully try not to think of Christ so as to not “ruin the fun”?

I used to try and not think of Jesus at certain times or in certain places so as to not feel guilty. It was as if that guilt was a bad thing. But now it seems as if the guilt is a good thing because it makes me want to come closer to Christ and come to know myself better. Now I purposefully try to think of Christ in those times so that I may come to find him more often. And in finding him more often, it seems that I come to know him better. And in knowing Christ better, I know myself better.

O salutaris hostia

Our Church is full of so many beautiful Eucharistic hymns that I am just now discovering! Maybe it is that we are so used to seeing them or hearing them in Latin that we don’t pay much attention to the English version. But when the English is read, though it may not have the complete message, it is still full of so much to be reflected on. Last night during Adoration and Benediction, we sang O salutaris hostia, which is actually the last two verses of Verbum Supernum (The Word of God), written by St Thomas Aquinas. The hymn we sang is below with the English translation below it. Pray and meditate on it.


O salutaris hostia,
quae caeli pandis ostium,
bella premunt hostilia;
da robur, fer auxilium.

Uni trinoque Domino
sit sempiterna gloria:
qui vitam sine termino
nobis donet in patria. Amen.


O saving Victim, opening wide
the gate of heaven to all below:
our foes press on from every side;
Thine aid supply, Thy strength bestow.

To Thy great Name be endless praise,
immortal Godhead, One in Three!
O grant us endless length of days
in our true native land with Thee. Amen.


*Verbum Supernum can be found in its entirety at http://www.preces-latinae.org/thesaurus/Hymni/VerbumSup.html