At the Last Supper the disciples sang a hymn together, then went out to the Mount of Olives. “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.’ ‘I tell you the truth,’ Jesus answered, ‘this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times’.”

How many times have we heard sermons on Peter’s denial of the Lord? We form our opinion of Peter based on this and several other accounts of his failures. But this account in Matthew’s Gospel makes it clear that all the disciples were going to fall away. No one wants to be counted as one who falls away, but the theme of this passage is that we are all guilty. At least Peter boldly proclaimed that he would be faithful. And it was that bold declaration that sets us up for the story of that denial at Christ’s trial.

The next time we’re singing praises together, let’s remember what faithfulness means: no matter what.