Holy Tuesday: St. Mark's Passion

Some  things that are  unique in St. Mark's Passion are worthy of special notice. First, that Peter's third denial was after the cock crowed twice. This makes his denials all the more shameful; but inasmuch as it is likely that Mark was writing Peter's account (with Peter's approval), this means that Peter himself was not ashamed to admit to all the world how shamefully he had behaved. And so also had Mark himself, who was likely the mysterious man who ran away naked when they laid hands on him. Again, shameful. But these men knew, as we must learn, that the mercy and forgiveness which Christ earned by his Passion is complete and absolute for the penitent who have come to him and who follow him. Who follow him like Rufus and Alexander, two sons of Simon of Cyrene the cross-bearer, who are mentioned here probably because by the time of the writing of the Gospel they were well-known in the Christian church. Sermon for Holy Tuesday is here.