Maundy Thursday
Matthew 26:36-46
It is Maundy Thursday. Jesus took Peter, James, and John to Gethsemane and he shared his sorrow with them. Then he said, “Stay here and keep watch with me”. Perhaps this was the darkest night of Jesus’ life. Have you known what it is like to be in that darkest of nights? Have you ever felt alone, sad, devastated, frightened, anxious, and even hopeless?
We too can admit to others how we feel – we need not be ashamed. We can ask people to be present with us when we are troubled. But others may not always be able to understand the pain we are experiencing, just like Jesus experienced. Others are not the true source of our serenity.
Jesus turned to God in his great sorrow. He talked with God personally. Do you? He didn’t want to go through the suffering he knew he would go through. He prayed 3 times to “My Father”, asking if possible that the cup be taken from him. “Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
I believe all of us know what it is like to want something or someone to be different than what we are experiencing. It seems too scary to let go of our own agendas. We can say we surrender our will, but do we really let God work in our lives the way God wants to?
May we be able to trust and follow Christ. May we watch and pray, especially during times of suffering and pain, and turn to God, willing to surrender our little feisty will over to God’s Holy Will, that is always for our highest good.
Libby Noack
Matthew 26:36-46
It is Maundy Thursday. Jesus took Peter, James, and John to Gethsemane and he shared his sorrow with them. Then he said, “Stay here and keep watch with me”. Perhaps this was the darkest night of Jesus’ life. Have you known what it is like to be in that darkest of nights? Have you ever felt alone, sad, devastated, frightened, anxious, and even hopeless?
We too can admit to others how we feel – we need not be ashamed. We can ask people to be present with us when we are troubled. But others may not always be able to understand the pain we are experiencing, just like Jesus experienced. Others are not the true source of our serenity.
Jesus turned to God in his great sorrow. He talked with God personally. Do you? He didn’t want to go through the suffering he knew he would go through. He prayed 3 times to “My Father”, asking if possible that the cup be taken from him. “Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
I believe all of us know what it is like to want something or someone to be different than what we are experiencing. It seems too scary to let go of our own agendas. We can say we surrender our will, but do we really let God work in our lives the way God wants to?
May we be able to trust and follow Christ. May we watch and pray, especially during times of suffering and pain, and turn to God, willing to surrender our little feisty will over to God’s Holy Will, that is always for our highest good.
Libby Noack