“Jesus and his disciples came to a place called Gethsemane.
Jesus said to them, ‘Sit here while I pray.’
He took Peter, James, and John along with him.
He began to feel despair and was anxious.”
~Mark 14:32-33

Years ago there was a beautiful piece that we sang in choir called “No Rose Bloomed in Gethsemane.” Truth be told I found myself struggling with the lyrics. Because when I was in the Holy Land some of the most beautiful blooms I saw during that visit . . . were in the Garden of Gethsemane of all places!

What struck me at the time (and still does) was that this garden that is known as a place of anguish and despair for Jesus that Thursday night of Holy Week is also a place of profound beauty.
One can imagine Jesus telling the disciples to sit here and wait with him as he prays.
One can imagine how he must have felt to find them sleeping after pleading with them to stay awake with him.
Jesus sighed, “The spirit is eager, but the flesh is weak.”

In the poem “Gethsemane” from Thirst Mary Oliver reflected:
“Jesus said, wait with me. And maybe the stars did, maybe
the wind wound itself into a silver tree, and didn’t move,
maybe
the lake far away, where once he walked as on a
blue pavement,
lay still and waited, wild awake.”

Yes. Maybe the stars waited with Jesus in the garden.
Maybe the wind wound itself into a silver tree, unmoving.
Maybe the lake far away lay still and waited.

Holy Week is almost here, a time of sadness and a time of profound beauty.

Love,
Pastor Lauren

Photo by Rev. Lauren Ostrout of the Garden of Gethsemane, Jerusalem.