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The Lord sent an angel to rescue Peter from prison. Then why didn’t he send an angel to rescue him from being crucified? Not because the Lord failed to deliver him, says St. Augustine, but because the delivery was even more complete.
Fear not: only do what he commands; and if the Lord does not deliver you bodily, he will deliver you spiritually.
He delivered Peter, when the angel came to him in prison, and said, “Get up quickly” (Acts 12:7)—and suddenly his chains were loosed, and he followed the angel, and the Lord delivered him.
Had Peter lost righteousness when he did not deliver him from the cross? But didn’t he deliver him then? Yes, even then he delivered him. Did his
long life make Peter unrighteous? Perhaps Peter heard him more at last than at first, when truly he delivered him out of all his troubles. For when the Lord first delivered him, how many things he had to suffer afterwards! But at last he sent him where he could suffer no evil. –St. Augustine, Exposition on Psalm 34, 21
IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .
When bad things happen to me, do I trust that God is still planning my salvation? Do I recognize that he always sends his angels to give me what I need—even when that’s not what I want?
CLOSING PRAYER
By the ministry of your angels, deliver me from my troubles, Lord, and drive away the spirit of weakness in me.
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