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Dear Parents,
The students will begin to learn about the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary. The First
Sorrowful Mystery is The Agony in the Garden. The Fruit of the Mystery is Sorrow for Sin.
Jesus came with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit
here while I go over there and pray.” He took along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee and
began to feel sorrow and distress. Then he said to them, “My soul is sorrowful even to
death. Remain here and keep watch with me.” He advanced a little and fell prostrate in prayer, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will.” When he returned to his disciples he found them asleep. He said to Peter, “So you could not keep watch with me for one hour? Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Withdrawing a second time, he prayed again, “My Father, if it is not possible that this cup pass without my drinking it, your will be done!” Then he returned once more and found them asleep, for they could not keep their eyes open. He left them and withdrew again and prayed a third time, saying the same thing again. Then he returned to his disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Behold, the hour is at hand when the Son of Man is to be handed over to sinners. Get up, let us go. Look, my betrayer is at hand.” (Matthew 26:36-46)
There is so much we can learn from this sad event. First, Jesus went off alone to pray. We too should have quiet time to speak with God. Jesus’ suffering was so great that he sweated drops of blood. He too suffered mental anguish and we should think of this if we are ever suffering in this way. Jesus led by example and shows us the proper way to confront suffering by praying and by being open to His will for you.
There are three strong emotions Jesus must have felt in the Garden.
Fear - Jesus must have felt the fear of death by crucifixion. We all have experienced fear and
anxiety, getting lost, worrying about loved ones, feeling anxious about our jobs, fear of not
being accepted by our peers. God tells us to put our fear and anxiety aside. We need to follow the example of Christ and the words: “Not my will, but yours be done!
Loneliness - Jesus asks Peter, James, and John, to keep watch and pray with him in the
garden. Three times he returns, and they are asleep. He is disappointed, and He says, “So you could not keep watch with me for one hour?” He goes on to say, “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” He could not count on his best friends to support him and be there for him. He had to face his suffering alone. Many people have strong feelings of loneliness despite all the opportunities of connection with people via the internet, social media, and travel. It is important to remember Jesus’ loneliness in the garden and how he turned to his Father in heaven. Jesus understands our pain when we are lonely.
Sense of Failure - Jesus must have felt a sense of failure not being able to convince the Jewish religious leaders that he was the long-awaited Messiah in whom God’s promises were being fulfilled. Even the people who were thrilled with his miracles joined the crowd calling him for his death. Worst of all, even his apostles and friends abandon him in the end. We all experience our own failures in our jobs, relationships, and parental responsibilities. It is helpful to realize that Jesus truly understands what we are going through.
We can draw spiritual strength and inspiration from Jesus’ agony in the garden. We also can be a comforting angel to others around us who are bearing heavy burdens in their lives. These feelings can be difficult to talk about or deal with but remember the importance of prayer and how God is always there for us to lighten the load.
Peace,
Mrs. Ann T. Sarpu
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