This homily was shared at our Sunday Evening Eucharist Service on March 2, 2023.

Readings:

The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue,

to know the word that sustains the weary.

He wakens me morning by morning,

wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.

The Sovereign Lord has opened my ears;

I have not been rebellious,

I have not turned away.

I offered my back to those who beat me,

my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard;

I did not hide my face

from mocking and spitting.

Because the Sovereign Lord helps me,

I will not be disgraced.

Therefore have I set my face like flint,

and I know I will not be put to shame. (Isaiah 50: 4-7)

Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written:

“‘I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.”

But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”

Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”

“Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”

But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same. (Matthew 26: 31-35)

When I read these readings, the theme of denial in each of them jumped out at me. “The LORD God opened my ear, and I was not rebellious; I did not turn backward,” says Isaiah. In this case, Isaiah sets an example that Peter, more than anything at the moment of this Matthew passage, wanted to emulate as he says, “Even if all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” Isaiah and Peter had both spoken to God, listened to His word, trusted Him, and swore to stay with the God that they knew even if it meant their undoing. Yet Peter failed, and Jesus knew that he would.

I think part of the difference between these two individuals is how they receive God. Isaiah has been molded and trained for this for a long time and made himself into such a servant and a student of the LORD that every day he listens to God’s instruction and follows it simply and without question. Isaiah does not say what he will do, but does what God tells him to do.

On the other hand, although Peter tries to listen to God, he fails in part because all he is focused on is the future. He wants to be with Jesus even if it kills him, but fails to see the current state of his heart, which is incapable of following through with that desire.

Very often, I find myself to be like Peter in this scenario. I am always looking towards the future and making promises I have no power to keep. Then, when it comes time to actually make the decision of whether or not to keep the promise, I have to choose between doing something I don’t want to/shouldn’t do or breaking my oath.

So, what do you do? Do you just never make plans and live each day like nuclear bombs are going to drop tomorrow? Probably not. Living every day like it’s the last, while it seems helpful, tends to just make us focus on getting everything done and losing the patience and trust needed to continue a relationship with God in the process.

What I am saying is that before any decision, whether it be “what should I do with my life?” or “what should I eat for lunch today”, take some time and examine whether or not you are capable of following through with the godly answer to that question, and if you find that you can’t, pray that you can.

Focus, then, on the present you live in rather than the future you don’t. And, while you pray, listen like Isaiah, receiving marching orders from God every morning.

And finally, know that whatever you do, God must start that process within you. For “the LORD God has opened my ear.” Because while Peter tried to control his own loyalty, Isaiah was able to fully surrender himself to God’s love by simply letting God speak to him without interruption, argument, or backsliding.

Homily for Palm Sunday- Isaiah and Peter: Adam Guillory

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