Monologue: The Servant Girl who Challenged Peter

            It started out as simple curiosity.  That’s the truth.  Usually, I try to keep to myself, just do my work, follow the high priest’s instructions, keep out of the way.  I find that works best. 

But this evening there was so much commotion.  Usually it’s quiet at night – but this night there was a trial – and that was such an unusual thing.  I thought – this prisoner must be something very special, for them to want to do everything in the dark.  So of course I was curious.  I overheard some of the questions they were asking this Galilean – questions about tearing down the temple and claiming to be God.  But I couldn’t hear his answers. 

And then I saw this man – a man I didn’t know.  He looked like he was from Galilee, I thought – and he seemed interested in what would happen to the prisoner.  I looked at him for a long time.  Then I got up my courage and asked, “Weren’t you with this Jesus?  Aren’t you one of his followers?”  I have to say, I was surprised at how loudly he protested.  But the more loudly he protested, the surer I was that he must have been one of Jesus’ men.  I appealed to those around me – I saw to them, “I think he is one of Jesus’ followers.”  And I think they agreed with me.  But he got angrier and angrier – and scared too, I think.  For some reason, he wanted to put as much distance as possible between himself and this Jesus.  Then why was he hanging around?  That’s what I wanted to know.

            That Jesus must have been a dangerous man.  The high priest was afraid of him – I could tell that by the way he asked him questions, and how he tore his clothes.  But that man was afraid of him, too, in a way – afraid to be called one of his followers, afraid of what Jesus stood for.  I suppose that he was afraid that what happened to Jesus might happen to him, too.  But he was supposed to be one of Jesus’ friends, wasn’t he?  And no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get him to admit it.  He was ashamed and afraid.

            I was right, though.  He was one of Jesus’ friends.  I’ve seen him since then.  He talks to everyone about Jesus now – right out in the open.  One of these days he’s going to get in trouble, just like his friend did.  But now, he doesn’t seem to care any more.  I’m curious about that, too.  I wonder what has changed.  I mean, if I were him, I’d be ashamed.  First, I’d be ashamed of Jesus, and what happened to him – he died on a cross, and you know what THAT means.  That’s the worst thing that can happen to a person.  And if wasn’t ashamed of that, I’d be ashamed of myself – that when the chips were down, I didn’t stand up for my friend.  Some friend I turned out to be.  That’s what I’d think.  I do hear rumors that some people say that Jesus isn’t dead any more, but I don’t know about that.

            Sometimes I want to go up to this man, just like I did on that night, and ask him again.  I’m curious, like I said.  I don’t know what is stopping me, so far.  I suppose I don’t have much opportunity, serving the high priest, like I do.  But I’d like to ask him about his friend Jesus, and see what he says this time.  I’d like to ask just the same question – “Aren’t you a friend of Jesus?” and see what he says this time.  And if I had the opportunity, I’d ask him…. “Why aren’t you afraid any more?”  I wonder what he would say.