Were You There?

1. The Agony of Jesus in the Garden of Olives. I am James. It was a long day for all of us, and we were so tired. Now the Master wanted us to stay awake and pray with him. Maybe it was because I was so tired that I really didn’t understand the things He said that evening. Why was he so troubled? How could he speak of his death? Why was he so tormented? Didn’t we just arrive in Jerusalem with him riding on a donkey, to the people shouting Hosanna to the Son of David? Where was all of this coming from? Wasn’t he just as tired as we were? So why did he insist that we stay awake with him and pray? Could we not have prayed together in the morning, after we had gotten some sleep, and then maybe he might see that things weren’t as bad as he spoke of? I wished my mind were clearer. If I had just been able to close my eyes, I would have been able to think these things through … Surely I wasn’t going to fall asleep. Now if I could just close my eyes and think. (Judith Charles–Lexington VA)

We pray. How can I sleep at night knowing many of my sisters and brothers go hungry? They face violence and injustice daily. They have little to look forward to but more poverty and want. I cannot take on their suffering as Jesus did, but I can offer to share their load. They must carry their cross, as I must carry mine. But the journey is made easier when I can walk beside them. We can be a refuge to one another from the burden of pain and suffering.