One holy man really wanted to understand why God allowed Peter’s denial. And it’s true: didn’t the Lord really feel sorry for him, the first of the apostles? Couldn’t He somehow save him from renunciation?
And the saint received an answer. The fact is that the Apostle Peter had such a strong faith and at the same time such an ardent character that if at one time he had not stumbled, denying Christ, then subsequently, being an ardent and zealous person, he would not have been able to understand other people. Being strict and categorical — first of all in relation to himself — Peter would not have known condescension, would not have understood that others were not like him, the supreme apostle, but ordinary people, with their infirmities.
And God moved away from Peter.
God allowed his fall and thereby showed him what a person is — so that over time Peter began to understand and truly strengthen other people.
Metropolitan Athanasius of LIMASSOL
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