Peter went from denying Jesus before the crucifixion to losing his breath after the resurrection. Read Luke 22:53-62 and 24:9-12. Have you ever disappointed someone in such a way that it took a heavy toll on you? Have you made a decision that was so hard it sucked the breath right out of you? Some examples could be cheating on your significant other or making an end-of-life decision for a loved one. Although two very different things, the impact on your spirit is similar. If you don’t regret cheating on your spouse or special person, then you need a different devotion to keeping your commitment over self-serving behavior. But if you do regret cheating, then you are wrestling with how your own actions could cause harm to the person you love and to your relationship. If you have made an end-of-life decision, you haven’t cheated on anyone, but you still feel the heaviness of the decision. Peter did not commit adultery or have to make an end-of-life decision, but he did deny knowing Jesus three times the night before Jesus was crucified. When he realized what he had done, he wept bitterly. As I recreate the scene of Peter weeping bitterly, I imagine him as he is weeping so hard that he can’t catch his breath. His body is convulsing, and he cannot be consoled. A few hours later, Peter’s regret was intensified as Jesus died and was buried. I can only imagine the level of grief that he may have had. On the third day, Peter heard that the tomb was empty, and he ran to it. Adrenaline pumped through his blood as he ran to get there as fast as he could. As he stood gazing at the empty tomb, he caught his breath. He caught his breath physically, but I believe he was also catching his breath spiritually. He went from being spiritually defeated to having hope. There are times when we need to catch our breath. If we cheat, we need to repair the relationship. If we make an end-of-life decision, we need to make sure we make that decision in love and lean on God through the grieving process. Whatever it is that puts us in a dark place spiritually, we need to breathe in the goodness of God until we can catch our spiritual breath to move forward.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill us with a second wind so we can find our spiritual breath. Help us to breathe in faith, hope, and love and breathe out peace to all. Amen.