Station 5 - The Courtyard - The Denial

The Courtyard - The Denial

Stand together at the signpost pointing the way to the Courtyard.
A long night had begun. Jesus was arrested and taken away.  He was taken from place to place, questioned, mocked, rejected and finally sentenced to die.  It was all very frightening.  Most of Jesus’ friends ran away, but his best friend Peter decided to stay close.  Peter remembered what Jesus had said to him earlier.  “Before the cock crows at dawn you will have said you do not know me three times”. 

Let’s walk together to the courtyard.
Gather around the brazier.

The courtyard was full of people.  There were soldiers and servants, dogs, children and Peter, Jesus’ best friend.  In the firelight one of the women stared at Peter.  “Hey you”, she shouted to him.  “You know Jesus don’t you?”.
“No” said Peter. A man pointed at Peter and said, “I think you do know Jesus”.
“No, No, NO!” shouted Peter. “I have never seen him in my life”.
At  that moment the cock crowed.  Peter remembered Jesus’ words and pushed his way out of the courtyard.  I was the most terrible moment of his whole life.

Reflection:  I wonder why Peter didn’t say he knew Jesus? I wonder how Peter was feeling?

Response: We all make wrong choices, say hurtful things and do unkind things.  Can you remember a time when you said something unkind to someone?

Pick up a twig and hold it still for a moment. Listen to the words.  As you leave the courtyard, drop your twig into the fire and remember that God forgives us for everything.

If we tell God the things we have done wrong, God can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away. (1 John 1:19)
God says, “Turn back to me! I have rescued you and swept away your sins as though they were the morning mist” (Isaiah 44)
“God willingly forgives and God’s love is always there” (Psalm 86:5)