And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him,
Before the cock crows, you shall deny me three times.
Read Chapter 22
Ambrose of Milan
AD 397
Peter also wept bitterly. He wept so that he could purge his sin with tears. If you want to deserve pardon, you should wash away your guilt with tears. At that same moment and time, Christ looks at you. If you perhaps fall into some sin, because he is a witness to your secrets, he looks at you so that you may recall and confess your error. Imitate Peter, when he says in another place for the third time, “Lord, you know that I love you.” Since he denied him a third time, he confesses him a third time. He denied at night, but he confesses by day. These words were written that we should know that no one must boast of himself. If Peter fell because he said, “Although others shall be scandalized in you, I shall not be scandalized,” what other person can rightly take himself for granted? Since David also said, “I said in my prosperity, ‘I shall never be moved,’ ” he admitted that his boasting had harmed him, saying, “You turned away your face, and I was troubled.” –.
When fear overwhelmed him, as the Lord had predicted, he three times denies the one for whom he promised to die. As it says, “The Lord looked at him and he, for his part, wept bitterly.” Remembrance of his denial was necessarily bitter, so that the grace of redemption might be even more sweet. If Christ had not left him to himself, he would not have denied. If Christ had not looked at him, he would not have wept. God hates people relying presumptuously on their own powers. Like a doctor, he lances this swollen tumor in those whom he loves. By lancing it, of course, he inflicts pain, but he also ensures health later. When he rises again, the Lord entrusts his sheep to Peter, to that one who denied him. Peter denied him because he relied on himself, but later Peter would feed his flock as a pastor, because he loved him. After all, why does he ask him three times about his love, if not to prick his conscience about his threefold denial? Sermon
This miserable act arose from the affliction of human cowardice. The disciple’s conscience condemned him. The proof of this is his grieving immediately afterwards and his tears of repentance that fell from his eyes as for a serious sin. It says, “Having gone out, he wept bitterly,” after Christ had looked at him and reminded him of what he had said to Peter. Commentary on Luke, Homily
Then “the Lord looked at Peter.” Christ stood in the middle of the priests’ insults, the witnesses’ lies, and the injuries of those that struck him and spat on him. He met the troubled disciple with his eyes, the same eyes that had foreseen that Peter would undergo a struggle. In so doing, the gaze of truth entered Peter, directed toward the place where the amendment of his heart would be grounded. It was as if the Lord’s voice were echoing within Peter, saying, “What are you thinking, Peter? Why do you withdraw into yourself? Turn to me, trust in me, ” and “follow me.” This is the time for my passion. The hour of your suffering has not yet come. Why do you fear what you yourself will also overcome? Do not let the weakness that I have accepted disturb you. I was anxious for you, but you should not worry about me.” .
-the occasion indeed demands that I should note down; but (to do so) may seem to be unnecessary. For when the Lord is known, our spirit, having been "looked back upon"
