You thought the First Communion was Everything last night...
From Luke 22:39-62: He came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him. When he reached the place, he said to them, "Pray that you may not come into the time of trial." Then he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, knelt down, and prayed, "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done." [Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength. In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground.] When he got up from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping because of grief, and he said to them, "Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not come into the time of trial." While he was still speaking, suddenly a crowd came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him; but Jesus said to him, "Judas, is it with a kiss that you are betraying the Son of Man?" When those who were around him saw what was coming, they asked, "Lord, should we strike with the sword?" Then one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus said, "No more of this!" And he touched his ear and healed him. Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple police, and the elders who had come for him, "Have you come out with swords and clubs as if I were a bandit? When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness!" Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest's house. But Peter was following at a distance. When they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them. Then a servant-girl, seeing him in the firelight, stared at him and said, "This man also was with him." But he denied it, saying, "Woman, I do not know him." A little later someone else, on seeing him, said, "You also are one of them." But Peter said, "Man, I am not!" Then about an hour later still another kept insisting, "Surely this man also was with him; for he is a Galilean." But Peter said, "Man, I do not know what you are talking about!" At that moment, while he was still speaking, the cock crowed. The Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, "Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times." And he went out and wept bitterly.
The Passover celebration ended with this unique twist given by Jesus; the breaking of the bread and taking of the cup as a remembrance of His death. They sang a hymn and as was the custom of Jesus to pray, He brings them to the Mount of Olives and Jesus asks that they join Him in prayer, with a specific prayer in mind: "Pray that you may not come into the time of trial." Jesus then prayed in great anguish so much so, that it says an angel came from heaven and gave Him strength; but in His anguish, His sweat became great drops of blood falling down to the ground. His prayer was a heartfelt one, asking that the Father "remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but Yours be done." When He finished praying He found the disciples asleep. He got after them and urged them to pray, and a crowd arrives.
This crowd was led by Judas (remember him?) and he approaches Jesus and kisses Him. The disciples know what is happening and one asks if they should use the sword. Tradition says it was Simon Peter who uses his sword to strike the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. Jesus will not allow that, and heals the ear. Jesus then asks why they chose this time of day to arrest Him. They answer only by arresting Him and leading Him away.
Then comes the heartbreaking part of Peter following Jesus and finding that an earlier prediction of Jesus comes true. The prediction said that by the time the rooster crowed, Peter would deny Jesus three times. Three times Peter is asked if he knew Jesus or was one of His disciples and three times Peter denies Him. The last verse of this passage sums it up: "And he went out and wept bitterly."
We choose to sleep and deny Jesus so many times in our lives; some of us weep bitterly when we discover this, others simply go on. Good Friday should have us all reflecting on what we have done to bring about Jesus' death.
PRAYER: Lord, this is the day You sent Jesus to fulfill. May it be a day of deep reflection on what I am called to do and be. Amen.
Eradio Valverde
