“Lord, where are you going?”
I say to you now, “Where I am going you cannot come”…. Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow me afterward.”
John 13:33,36
Any time a question is asked in scripture, it is a valuable practice to stop and reflect on it, both in context and personally. Peter’s question to Jesus is a reasonable one. “Lord, where are you going?” In Latin, the phrase is rendered, “Domine, Quo Vadis?”
“Why can’t I follow you now?”
Peter is one of the most relatable characters in scripture. He usually spoke without thinking. He was an admitted sinner (Luke 5:8). He was courageous but impetuous, uneducated yet a natural leader. He so loved the Lord that when Jesus stopped suddenly, it’s likely Peter ran into his back. Nevertheless, I suspect Peter had a naturally pessimistic demeanor. As Jesus prayed in the garden, Peter and his companions were “sleeping in sorrow” (Luke 22:45). Peter later righteously drew his sword in defense of Jesus, and was rebuked, not for the first time (John 18:10-11, see also Matthew 16:23). Simon Peter fled, but not so far away that he couldn’t keep Jesus in sight (Matthew 26:56,58). After denying Jesus three times, Peter looked in the eyes of his Master, fled once more in shame, and “wept bitterly” (Luke 22:61- 62). When Simon Peter asked, “Why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you!” he meant it. He simply wasn’t ready – yet.
“Lord, you know that I love you”
Following the Resurrection, Jesus appeared to a humbled Simon Peter on the shores of Tiberias. “Do you love me?” Jesus asked him. Three times Peter was allowed to affirm his love; His “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you” atoning for the three times he had denied Jesus. Peter was ready. Only then did Jesus say to him, “Follow me” (John 21:15-19).
“Domine, Quo Vadis?”
Rome in the late 1st Century was a challenging and terrifying place to be a Christian. Roman women would go to the edge of the city to throw their unwanted babies over the wall. Christian women would hide on the other side and try to catch the babies before they hit the ground. Emperor Nero would set Christians on fire to light the streets. He’d feed them to lions for sport. Tradition tells us Peter, the first bishop of Rome, was overwhelmed by the task, and gave in despair. As he was leaving the city he saw the risen Lord Jesus walking past him. Shocked, Peter asked again, “Domine, Quo Vadis?” Jesus answered, “Venio Romam iterum crucifigi,” – “I am going to Rome to be crucified again.” Rebuked once more, Peter heard a voice: “Petrus, Quo Vadis?” Remembering his words to Jesus, “I am ready to die for you,” Peter turned around, fought the good fight, and was eventually crucified himself. St. Peter’s Basilica is the site where Peter was martyred and buried. The Church of Domine Quo Vadis outside Rome is the site where Peter met Jesus. On a marble slab within the church are two footprints, said to be those of Jesus himself.
Where Are You Going?
It has been said that every ship at sea must answer three questions:
- How do I keep afloat?
- How to I keep from damaging other ships?
- What am I doing out here/where am I going?
Going to sea can be a metaphor for our lives. “How do I keep afloat?” is personal morality – How do I become the best I can be physically and spiritually? “How do I keep from damaging others” is social responsibility. The deepest question of them all is “Where am I going?” Is there a meaning and purpose to my life? Any time a question is asked in scripture, it is a valuable practice to stop and reflect on it, both in context and personally. Life is a journey, and often it will be hard. Faith gives direction and meaning to life. It transforms. It takes us places. You might not be asked to die for Jesus, but ask yourself honestly: Are you living for Jesus? Begin with the end in mind. “Quo Vadis?”
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