Gethsemane: My own thoughts

Gethsemane  Matthew 26: 36-46

³⁶ Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” ³⁷ He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. ³⁸ Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

³⁹ Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

⁴⁰ Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. ⁴¹ “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

⁴² He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”

⁴³ When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. ⁴⁴ So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.

⁴⁵ Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. ⁴⁶ Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

My dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, So many times I pray about this scene in the Bible. The wonder and beauty of Jesus own human qualities. A man in need of prayer. With his brothers and needing them to stay with him and prayerfully join with him. But, this does not happen. They are weak and tired.  Three times Jesus asks them to stay awake and pray with him and just as Jesus predicts Peter's denial (for three times) they fail him and fall asleep.. Jesus in his own human weakness ask for "this cup to be taken away". Do you see yourself in this picture like I see myself at times? Falling "asleep" in our efforts to pray with our Jesus. Our chance here is to stay awake this time and pray with Jesus. Pray about him and our own failings and storms of life. Can we stay awake with him? I picture myself next to Jesus laying prostrate on the ground before God our loving Father. When I am with him he is all that matters. I pray. He has given his life for me. Without him I am nothing. His love is like oxygen. Each word that comes from him food for life. May God Bless you all. Jesus has proven how much God loves you and me.

Your Brother in Christ,

journeyman