#HolyWeek2021 – Good Friday Reflection 1: Jesus Prays at Gethsemane

Welcome to the Clincarthill Parish Church Holy Week Reflections. My name is Stuart. Today is Good Friday, the day when Christians remember Jesus’ death upon the cross. It is customary for Christians, throughout Good Friday, to take time to remember and reflect on the events which lead Jesus to the cross.

Due to the current restrictions, we cannot share in these reflections in person. Instead, we will be posting a short video at intervals throughout today, to lead us through the events of Jesus’ final hours. We begin in the Garden of Gethsemane, with Jesus praying, which we read in the Gospel according to Luke, chapter 22:

³⁹Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. ⁴⁰On reaching the place, he said to them, ‘Pray that you will not fall into temptation.’ ⁴¹He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, ⁴²‘Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.’ ⁴³An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. ⁴⁴And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

⁴⁵When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. ⁴⁶‘Why are you sleeping?’ he asked them. ‘Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.’

Take a moment, and reflect: Have I ever been in a position where God was calling me to do something that I did not want to do? Would I be willing to lay down my life for another? Spend some time in prayer around these questions. You might want to kneel if you are able.

Our next reflection is available from: 1pm.