In yesterday’s reading, Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin plot to bring about the death of Jesus. The results of their planning will be on full display today in the Gospel account of Mark. Though long, these verses are well worth the time and effort to read (cf. Mark 11:1-10, 14:1-15:47).

The scene from the Passion account that I would like to reflect upon is Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mk 14:32-42). Jesus invited Peter, James, and John, the same three apostles that witnessed the raising of Jairus’ daughter and the Transfiguration of Jesus on Mt. Tabor to be with him again, this time in his hour of dire need. As Jesus entered the garden, he expressed to them that he felt “sorrowful even unto death”, reflecting the full weight of what was about to take place. Jesus asked the closest of his inner circle to watch and pray while he went off at a distance. Through Mark’s account we are given a glimpse of Jesus’ humanity and divinity.

The most primal of our human instincts is the preservation of our life. Jesus, faced with his imminent death, acknowledged this primal urge by requesting, “Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. Take this cup away from me”. The agony is palpable. Jesus has done all that the Father has asked of him, he has preached, taught, healed, exorcised demons, followed his Father’s will, and now finds himself on death’s door. He can probably sense Judas and the Temple guards drawing close. He will be turned over to those who have turned their back on his Father. All appeared to be hopeless.

Yet, Jesus was not done, he continued, “but not what I will but what you will.” These are not words of despair. In Jesus’ surrender of his human will to the Father, he surrenders in hope. The same hope that we see in Psalms 42 and 43: “Hope in God, I will praise him still, my savior and my God.” Even faced with his imminent and brutal death, Jesus accepted the will of his Father, his Abba. He trusted that there would be a greater good to transpire through his death, through the giving of his life.

With those words, Jesus surrendered his human will to that of his divine will. With each and every yes to his Father’s will through his life, his human nature was more and more conformed to his divine nature. In this account, we see that Jesus is one divine person, the Son of God, while at the same time having two natures and two wills, the human and divine.

As Jesus arose, he came to Peter, James, and John and found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” Jesus returned to prayer and returned two more times to find his three closest disciples asleep each time. Jesus was ready to face the cross even if they were not. As with the apostles, Jesus commands us to watch and pray this Holy Week. How will we do?

Often, this Lent we may have felt the desire to pray, but the business of life has worn us down – “the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” In the evenings, we just want to be numb and zone out. Sometimes this is necessary to recharge. What we choose to do during our winding down time though may not be renewing or restful, but even more draining. Scrolling through social media, surfing through TV channels can lead to 20 – 30 minutes to a couple of hours. Passive activities like these can also affect our attentiveness and bleed into the decisions we make each day and can create a rhythm and pattern of tiredness and fatigue that continues and is perpetuated. We may find ourselves creating a cycle that we have less energy to exercise, to pray, and to take care of our basic needs.

We are invited this next week to follow Jesus. He who certainly did not want to die, was willing to let go of his life to follow his Father’s will. He also did so for each of us. May we be willing to take the same approach. With each choice we make this Holy Week, may we take a moment to breathe and say, “Not my will but yours, Father.” And then wait a moment for a response. Maybe we can fast a little more this Holy Week, from food and diversions that we know are not healthy. When we feel the pangs of hunger and diversions calling and tempting, let us pray for someone we know is in need. Instead of an automatic reaching for the remote or the phone, find a quiet spot and be still, breathe, and review the day in quiet and call to mind what and who we are grateful for. Read a few verses from one of the gospels and see what God might be saying to us. Then ask Jesus how best you might spend the rest of your evening.

Sometimes, just taking five minutes to unplug, stop, breathe and be sit still or to go for a quiet walk with Jesus can be renewing and life changing. We can feel better about ourselves, closer to God, and better able to be present for others.

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Photo: Some quiet time during our 40 Hours of Devotion to the Most Blessed Sacrament last week, SVDP chapel, SVDP Regional Seminary, Boynton Beach, FL.

Link for the Mass reading for Sunday, March 24, 2024