Peter is back but is no longer the cowering man who denied knowing Jesus while waiting in the courtyard at Pontius Pilate’s palace.
Following Jesus does not guarantee an easy life, in fact the opposite but even in times of change, grief and difficulty God’s hand sustains God’s beloved.
Sometimes Jesus’ message seems to exclude more people than it includes, and it has been distorted to justify genocide, but by remembering that Jesus is also the Christ we can take his words less literally and more inclusively. We need to stand up against hatred masquerading as holiness.
The Risen One is walking alongside us, as a friend, even if we
are unaware.