Article #4 - Fourth Series - May 8th, 2023 by Fr. Ben Daghir

[Pompeii]

One Thing, Jesus Christ - Article #4 - Fourth Series - May 8th, 2023 by Fr. Ben Daghir

Editor's Note: Fr. Ben Daghir wrote this historical fiction story while studying at the Institute for Priestly Formation at Creighton University in the summer of 2018. The story focuses on the last moments in the life of Saint Peter while in Rome. 

Article:
Peter’s eye sight is weakened as he’s crucified upside-down below the hot, Roman sun. The heat beats on his face and the sunlight glows on his blood.

He desires to only be in the shadow of the Lord. This has always been his mission since he left Jerusalem – the shadow reminds him that he’s near Jesus. Shadows and darkness used to scare him, but now they only remind him of his love for the Crucified One.

He can barely breathe, but his strength as a fisherman has returned from within his old bones. He’s found the balance on this Roman cross – his years on a boat have helped him. He catches the grace and realizes even more that God has been forming him since his youth. 

Peter begins to forget about the nails through his hands and feet, the excruciating pain, and even himself. As the blood flows from his heart, it’s replaced by Christ’s words which enter back into the organ which has spread the truth across an entire continent. 

He hears a voice that he’s familiar with and forgets about the world around him, “Do you love me?...Someone else will dress you…Come after me…Do not be afraid…Feed my sheep!”

Peter immediately gets spiritually attacked and begins to think about denying Jesus three times. Peter is much more aware of this internal threat than he is of the Roman guards that are mocking him. They hate Peter because they’ve never met a criminal so calm before a cross. 

Peter decides to quench his fists and lifts his body up while refusing to fall into the dark thoughts. He silently prays, “Lord, help me give it a shepherd’s care.” The Roman guards then hear Peter shout “Yes!” three separate times. Quicker than the blood flowing down his chest do the memories of denying Jesus leave his heart and mind. 

The Roman soldiers are amazed with this man and hate his joy. These murderers are the most trained soldiers in the world, yet they don’t realize that Peter is enduring a much different war. Peter prays for them under his breath and he can relate to their weaknesses. In them, he sees a much younger, weaker Peter. 

His brother, Andrew, comes to mind. Peter enjoys the memories of his brother – especially the day he first met Jesus. He prays for his brother and thanks God for the memories coming back to him. Peter snaps out of his thoughts once a Roman guard kicks him in the mouth. He chokes on his blood. No longer pondering his thoughts, he looks up at his bloody body. The blood only fuels his prayer. Again, Peter hears powerful words from Christ. 

“Take this all of you and drink from it.” 

“You will never wash my feet” and the memory makes him smirk with a grin. The Roman guard sees his smile and draws his hand on his sword. 

“I’ve given you a model – as you should also do” and the flashbacks keep coming back to Peter. The Roman guards hear, “Yes, Lord!”

He is kicked in the face another time. Blood splashes onto the soil. Peter looks around – he sees Roman legs walking around him. He loses hope and begins to fear. He responds with a whisper to the Lord and says, “God, help me to stay sober and alert. Evil is prowling around me. Let me be solid in faith.” 

Then, suddenly, a drop of blood falls from his feet and into his eyes. He looks up toward Heaven. 

Peter’s mind takes him to the Sermon on the Mount and he hears, “Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Just then, the Roman sun moves west behind the foot of the cross. The temperature cools.  He regains his strength. A shadow is now cast over Peter. He desires the shadow of the cross. Only once before has he felt so much joy in his life – in the presence of the Risen Christ. 

“I’m supposed to be here, Lord” Peter says toward Heaven.

Peter begins to cry for the first time today. 

The Roman guards laugh – they believe that they have finally broken the Christian leader’s spirit. One Roman, out of pride, runs over and kicks the Galilean in the head as hard as he can. Peter shakes the blow and never looks down toward earth again. He focuses solely on the foot of the cross. The Roman guard looks back toward the criminal. 

Peter then whispers, “You told me that I’m the rock, you called me, you love me. Jesus, I love you.” Peter is spiritually attacked another time and his mind races back to the Agony in the Garden. Peter hears a voice that he has learned to ignore but it still enters his mind, “You’ve failed him so many times Peter. You’ve always been a failure. You will fail again today.”

Peter breathes slowly and responds, “Lord, not what I will, but what you will.”

Near Peter’s feet comes a sound that says, “Follow me.” He tastes his own blood and can only see through one eye. He responds, “Yes, Lord – you know that I love you.”

The sun continues its course west and the shadow disappears. 

The hot, Roman sun beats down on the corpse of a Saint. The upside-down corpse has just flipped the authority of Rome on its own head.

Heaven rejoices. Christians are praying in Rome for Peter. The Roman guards are proud of their work in accomplishing the task of ending the Christian leader’s movement. And last, and certainly least, the devil slithers away in frustration saying to himself “Virgin woman, carpenter, and now a fisherman!” 

The soil of Rome has never soaked in someone’s blood so quickly – as if it has experienced a masculine drought for centuries. The soil has yearned for a Gladiator of God. 
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Fr. Ben Daghir is a priest for the Diocese of Erie. He is a graduate of Elk County Catholic High School in Saint Marys, Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, and St. Mary's Seminary & University in Baltimore, Maryland. He considers writing one of his favorite hobbies.