HOLY WEEK: DAY 44

SCRIPTURE READING - DAY 44 (Maundy Thursday)


Matthew 26:36-42

Then Jesus went with them to a garden called
Gethsemane and told his disciples, “Stay here
while I go over there and pray.”

Taking along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee,
he plunged into an agonizing sorrow. Then he
said, “This sorrow is crushing my life out. Stay
here and vigil with me.” Going a little ahead, he
fell on his face, praying, “My Father, if there is
any way, get me out of this. But please, not what
I want. You, what do you want?” When he came
back to his disciples, he found them sound asleep.
He said to Peter, “Can’t you stick it out with me a
single hour? Stay alert; be in prayer so you don’t
wander into temptation without even knowing
you’re in danger. There is a part of you that is
eager, ready for anything in God. But there’s
another part that’s as lazy as an old dog sleeping
by the fire.” He then left them a second time.

Again he prayed, "My Father, if there is no other
way than this, drinking this cup to the dregs, I'm
ready. Do it your way." (The Message)


MEDITATION BY Szabolcs Kerekes


Imagine that you are on a road. You are a disciple who in the present walks toward Easter, just as the disciples walked with Jesus toward his suffering.

Read the passage from Matthew. Be silent in your heart. Do not try to analyze the words, but let them in.

Imagine these words as a mirror that showed something within you.

Stay in silence for a few minutes.

What did you see in yourself? Speak to Jesus about it.

Think of Jesus as a human and identify yourself with him. Jesus was a stranger among his people. They didn’t even notice him. On a long road, you are transient in this world, looking for your true home.

Jesus was born as an infant. He was a baby in body and in soul. He studied at a synagogue, learned a profession, and grew and developed through stages just like us. Though he was God’s son, he learned trusting obedience through good and bad experiences, just as we do.

In this story, he enters into a place of total loneliness and darkness. Even his father abandons him.

Similarly, you will experience loneliness and darkness sometime on your path. This part of the Gospel is not only the story of our salvation, but also his story of pain and suffering. He was alone in darkness.

Read now the story again.

You are a child of God. The story is a mirror in which you can see yourself at a point in your life whether or not you already entered that time of loneliness and darkness.

Read the passage.

Be silent in your heart. Do not try to analyze the words but let them in.

What did you see about yourself? Speak to Jesus about it.

Hold these things dearly, deep within yourself.




REFLECTION


How do you relate to Jesus being human?


What loneliness or darkness have you experienced that you know Jesus understood and carried you through?


Who in your life needs to know about Jesus' pain and suffering? How can you encourage them?