Waiting With God in Gethsemane

Pulled from the archives, a reflection on Matthew 26:26-46 for Good Friday

Dear friends,

I learned recently the last week of Lent, known as Holy Week or Passion Week, may also be called Quiet Week. Have you heard this before?

I seem to think it’s a good title for the days at hand. This week of the Christian year hosts a particular sort of melancholy. There’s a solemn hush in the air as we prepare for the stories of Jesus’ betrayal, his trial and torture, and eventually his death. The final stop in Gethsemane is the culmination of every prayerful moment in Jesus’ ministry. This garden plea envelops Jesus’ mind, body, and spirit as he ultimately surrenders to God.

As Lent comes to the end, I invite you into an older reflection on this scene in Matthew 26:26-46.

Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane by William Brassey Hole