Matthew 26:36-46
Gethsemane
36Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." 37He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me."
39Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."
40Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?" he asked Peter. 41"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
42He went away a second time and prayed, "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done."
43When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. 44So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.
45Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46Rise, let us go! Here comes my betrayer!"
Jesus knowing He was going to be put on the cross...And as we read these verses we can see the weakness of the flesh, as Jesus awaits His arrest and time to be on the cross...While awaiting His death He wanted to be with friends...Jesus wanted support and closeness in His hour of need and as man we often let our Master down...The eleven disciples who are all saints are a good representation of man...We cannot do, however hard we try and want to do good, we struggle...One of my favorite verses is from St. Paul, what a wretched man I am...St. Paul is right, we are wretched, because we sin...
In His hour, Jesus is still praying to God, not to do His will, but for God to do His (God's) will...Jesus above all others prayed, knows that God's will is eternal, truth, right, and dependable... Jesus knows that God will do absolutely the right thing(s)...How hard it is for us as man when we are in trouble, or in grief or in fear, to pray for this or for that, for our good health, a better relationship, better health for our friends or family, better financial times, etc...Jesus prays here for God's will, because He knows God will do the right thing...
Jesus after praying goes back to the disciples and after a long day, the disciples are tired and starting to sleep...We must remember that Jesus knows above all men what these men are going through, how tired they are, and really what they actually for the world, as well as Him...He knows all things...He knows we try and He knows our hearts, and He knows that (even though) the Spirit (and He) is near and willing but the flesh remains weak...When we feel guilty and cannot live up to the Jesus' examples, think how our disciples would have felt in retrospect...
Jesus prays for a third time and each time He returns from His prayers the disciples are falling asleep...And He is betrayed by one of the Twelve, and His betrayers and they are now coming... We can thank God that Jesus knows what we are made of...
Jesus loaded with grief, and wanting His disciples company continues to pray and pray continually and asks God to do His (God's) will... The living God will do the right thing in the right time frame(s)...
Jesus knows He will be very soon betrayed, teaches the disciples how really weak our flesh is and how weak we are as man...Our failing to pray may weaken us and make it easier for the evil one when fear and trouble comes...Jesus knows this and understands this...We must thank Him for forgiving the disciples and us...He gives us hope...