“ He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and agitated.Then he said to them, “I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and stay awake with me.” And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want.” ”
Matthew 26:37-39
The image of Jesus in a place of intense loneliness, with emotionally unavailable friends and praying to be released from death is certainly powerful.
His words ‘My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will”‘ (Mt 26:36-39), are also a compelling witness to perseverance and prayer in the crushing moments of life.
Yet when faced with my own challenges, family drama, illness, deadlines or the immense feelings of being overwhelmed and alone, or during the profound time of the death of a loved one, often all I can think is “take this away from me.” It’s certainly not easy to take that step from craving a simple life to surrendering to God, “not as I will but as you will.”
The agony in the garden can be a reminder to pray and surrender our own will to the will of God.
In the wise words of Pope Saint John Paul II
“When it is difficult … to pray, the most important thing is not to stop praying, not to give up the effort. “When you pray, you must realize that prayer is not just asking God for something or seeking special help, even though prayers of petition are true ways of praying. But prayer should also be characterized by thanksgiving and praise, by adoration and attentive listening, by asking God’s pardon and forgiveness. If you follow Jesus’ advice, and pray to God constantly, then you will learn to pray well. God himself will teach you.”
The sorrowful mysteries can be tough to contemplate, they graphically play out Jesus sacrifice for our sins and those of the whole world.
Thinking about that too much can send me into a spiral of feeling I’m not worthy! No matter how much we want to run away, hide or ignore the problem Jesus’ agony in the garden is a reminder to persevere in prayer and trust in God’s will.
~ Bronia Karniewicz
Bronia lives in Perth and works for the Archdiocesan Office for Marriage and Family. In her spare time she enjoys exploring nature, native orchid hunting, netball and also importantly some quiet time with a good cup of tea and a book.
