Weeping and Loving
The Twelve Disciples except one either denied their Master vehemently three times, or abandoned Him hurriedly out of fear, or betrayed him to His enemies for a few coins and with a traitor's kiss.
The Denier, when Jesus gave him a loving look while being led from the court of judgment, went outside and wept bitterly. (Luke 22:62) The Betrayer, when he kissed Jesus to identify Him and Jesus called him friend, threw the money into the temple and went away and hanged himself. (Mt 27:12)
Both the Denier and the Betrayer acknowledged their sin against their Master. The difference is that the first looked at God's mercy and accepted it though he felt unworthy. The other looked at his sin and, thinking he was beyond redemption, despaired and took his own life.
Peter wept bitterly because He loved His Master and Lord. Later on, Jesus would give him the opportunity to profess his love three times to counter his previous three acts of denial. Later on, too, Peter would proclaim to many parts of the world his Master's love for all and would be willing to die for Him, but crucified upside down, feeling unworthy to die in exactly the same way His beloved Lord did.
Peter wept because he loved. I think one does not weep when one offends someone he does not love. Jesus wept over Jerusalem. The holy women of Jerusalem wept for Him. Jesus wept at the death of Lazarus, His friend. One weeps because he loves.
Scriptures have been telling us: "Praise the Lord for He is good, for His mercy endures forever." (Psalm 136:1)
Not satisfied with this, Jesus appeared to a Polish nun, Sister Faustina, to reassure us that he wants to pour out his ocean of mercy on the world, how He wants people to trust in His mercy and ask for it. He even instructed her to have a picture of Himself with rays representing the blood and water He had shed for us and His graces and mercy flowing from His heart. That is how He loves.
May we always invoke Jesus, the Divine Mercy for ourselves and the world whenever we fail and fall.
And when we pray for His Mercy, may our weeping tell Him we love Him. #
"And standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment." (Lk 7:38)
"The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in love. The LORD is good to all, compassionate to every creature." (Psalm 145:8-9)
