HOLY WEEK - GETHSEMANE

All of us will experience Gethsemanes in our lifetime. They are moments of great spiritual distress, fear and anguish. We may be experiencing hatred and betrayal. We may be called to take up our cross and we don’t want to do it. We want to be spared the cost of discipleship. In our deepest pains, grief’s and troubles we can call, "Abba, oh Father." We have a loving, tender heavenly Father who cares deeply for us.

Even Christ needed prayer companions in Gethsemane. Sleeping friends were better than being alone. If Christ needed companions, we would be wise to ask for friends to be with us in our Gethsemanes. Don’t be upset when they let us down. Judas betrayed, the others slumbered, Peter denied their relationship and they all ran away in fear. We see a picture of life drama and human frailties.

Take this cup. What is our cup in life we are called to drink? Sorrow? Suffering? Persecution? Costly discipleship? Sacrificing personal ambition? Greed? Comfort? Give it to God.

Not my will. All of us will need to surrender to God’s will. Some of us kick, scream, gnash our teeth. Christ in anguish sweat great drops of blood.

Thy will be done. If we pray this, our lives will be changed. We will be transformed.