Matthew 26:31-56

Then Jesus said to them, “You will all become deserters because of me this night; for it is written,

‘I will strike the shepherd,
    and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

32 But after I am raised up, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.”  Peter said to him, “Though all become deserters because of you, I will never desert you.”  Jesus said to him, “Truly I tell you, this very night, before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.”  Peter said to him, “Even though I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And so said all the disciples.

36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”  He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and agitated.  Then he said to them, “I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and stay awake with me.”  And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want.”  Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, “So, could you not stay awake with me one hour?  Stay awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”  Again he went away for the second time and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.”  Again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.  So leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words.  Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.  Get up, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand.”

47 While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived; with him was a large crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people.  Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; arrest him.”  At once he came up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him.  Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you are here to do.” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and arrested him.  Suddenly, one of those with Jesus put his hand on his sword, drew it, and struck the slave of the high priest, cutting off his ear.  Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.  Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?  But how then would the scriptures be fulfilled, which say it must happen in this way?”  At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me as though I were a bandit? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not arrest me.  But all this has taken place, so that the scriptures of the prophets may be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.

Peter stumbles in his faith.  Again.  He boldly proclaims he will not desert Jesus when the One present at creation tells the disciples they will stumble and desert him.  Oh Peter, you should know better.  I am clumsy.  I have been known to stumble: a lot.  I have the scars and the stories to prove this claim.  And I have many stories of stumbling in my faith.  Stories when I have let others or circumstances overshadow the Light of Christ in my life.  I wonder if you have stumbled in your walk with Jesus?  Stumbling can be painful.  Stumbling can be lonely.  But the thing is, Jesus is still there.  Jesus offers a hand to help us get back up.  How readily do we grasp his hand?

I don’t really know what the garden looked like when Jesus went to pray taking Peter, James, and John with him but I do know what the trees look like today.  The olive tree in this photograph is one of the trees that were present and I suspect much smaller when Jesus knelt to pray.

And now the reality of the moment is upon Jesus.  Matthew tells us he is grieved and agitated.  Mark says he is distressed and agitated.  First Jesus prays, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want.”  He says, “Ok my Father, if there is another way, then let’s do that but more than anything, let your will be done; not mine.”  After finding the men sleeping, he tells them again to stay awake and to pray.  “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak”, he says.  I’ve always connected those words with the disciples’ inability to stay awake and pray.  But I think Jesus is struggling with his weakness and maybe even fear of what is coming.  And then he prays, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.”  Notice the shift in his prayer?  Jesus moves from praying for deliverance from death to trust and commitment to God’s will.  I wonder if you have ever prayed for some situation or struggle to be removed and then you commit to dealing with it, living into it, and living through it while you depend upon the God of the Universe for deliverance?  Not my will but yours, O Lord.  My spirit has been willing but my  flesh has been weak for sure.

We end today’s reading with the dramatic betrayal as Judas kisses the Messiah and hands him over.  There is violence.  There is absurdity.  There is overkill in the number of people and weapons present.  But Jesus reminds the disciples; reminds us that non-violence, non-retaliation, and love of enemies is to be pursued to the end.  He reminds them that all of these events are not against his will.  He is confident about God’s angelic protection but refuses to ask for it.  His conviction to living into this moment comes from his deep love of God and of each of us.  Remember, over and over again the scriptures speak about his life and death.

How do we live into non-violence and non-retaliation and love our enemies when innocent men, women, and children are gassed to death by the leader of their own country?  What are we to do when believers are gathered in worship and bombs go off?  How do we face those who make life a struggle each day seeking to harm to us, our families, our jobs, our schools?  I wish I knew the answers to those questions.  But I know who does.  Jesus shows us how to respond even when afraid; even when it seems as if the circumstance will overtake us.  Jesus sought God’s will.  Jesus looked for answers from God, his Father.  May we too seek God’s will for our lives each and every day whether darkness looms or whether joy and celebration fill our souls.  May it be so, O Lord.  May it be so.