Jesus In Gethsemane
Then Jesus came with them to a garden called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples:
“Sit down here while I go and pray yonder.”
Taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebediah, he began to show signs of sadness and deep distress of mind.
“I am sad at heart,” he said, “sad even to death; wait here, and watch with me.”
Going on a little further, he threw himself on his face in prayer.
“My Father,” he said, “if it is possible, let me be spared this cup; only, not as I will, but as thou willest.”
Then he came to his disciples, and found them asleep.
“What!” he said to Peter, “could none of you watch with me for one hour? Watch and pray, that you may not fall into temptation. True, the spirit is eager, but human nature is weak.”
Again, a second time, he went away, and prayed.
“My Father,” he said, “if I cannot be spared this cup, but must drink it, thy will be done!”
And coming back again he found them asleep, for their eyes were heavy. So he left them, and went away again, and prayed a third time, again saying the same words.
Then he came to the disciples, and said:
“Sleep on now, and rest yourselves. Hark! my time is close at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of wicked men. Up, and let us be going. Look! my betrayer is close at hand.”
—Matthew.
Into The Woods My Master Went
Into the woods my Master went,
Clean forspent, forspent.
Into the woods my Master came,
Forspent with love and shame.
But the olives they were not blind to him;
The little gray leaves were kind to Him;
The thorn-tree had a mind to Him
When into the woods He came.
Out of the woods my Master went,
And He was well content.
Out of the woods my Master came,
Content with death and shame.
When Death and Shame would woo Him last,
From under the trees they drew Him last:
‘Twas on a tree they slew Him last,
When out of the woods He came.
—Sidney Lanier.