Peter has been called a stumbling saint.
He is a great consolation to us
because courage fails us all.
All of us are mere mortals,
who are inconstant in our beliefs.
We must learn to forgive ourselves
momentary weaknesses and failures.
We need to surmount these things
and see the world in less rigid terms.
We must not judge ourselves or others
by momentary inconsistencies,
but rather by commitment given over a long time.
Jesus was well aware of Peter’s faults,
but he saw that, in spite of everything,
his heart was sound.
Which meant he had the ability to love.
And in the long run love is what counts.