As the Lenten season comes to a close, I've begun to reflect on the time between Ash Wednesday and now. The beginning of Lent is often full of new promises, and it provides an opportunity to develop good habits and practice fasting. In my experience, resolve is often the strongest in those beginning days, where I tell Jesus that I will commit to that daily rosary or morning prayer. However, once the initial days pass and the resolve begins to fade, commitment becomes important. This dynamic is mirrored in the gospel of the day. In this passage, Peter is full of resolve when he promises to lay down his life for Jesus. Jesus, though, rather than affirming Peter, says to him, "Will you lay down your life for me? Amen, amen, I say to you, the cock will not crow before you deny me three times." And just as Jesus says, Peter denies Jesus. It doesn't seem like Peter intended to deceive Jesus, or not live out his promise. However, the initial resolve died out and the commitment faltered.

This Lenten season may have looked similar for us at times, failing to live out the promises that we made to Jesus. Peter, one of Jesus's closest friends and saint, showed how difficult it can be to keep those promises. However, Peter was also an example of someone that never failed to look for reconciliation and continue to build trust within his relationship with Jesus. Following Peter's example, I've realized how important it is to continue searching for God's mercy and return to the path prescribed by God. Though we may all falter at times, God's infinite mercy and love will always await our return.