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LXIX. THE AGONY OF JESUS IN THE GARDEN.

Peter, James and John^[1] He advanced into the garden. He began to be sorrowful and said to them: “My soul is sorrowful even unto death^[2]; stay ye here and watch with Me!”

Fig. 86. Grotto of the Agony, Jerusalem. (Phot. Bonfils.)

Then going a little further (Fig. 86), He fell upon His Face, saying: “My Father, if it be possible, let this chalice^[3] pass from Me. Nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou wilt.”

↑ Peter, James and John. These three were permitted to witness the abasement of jesus, as they had beheld His glory in the Transfiguration (chapter XXXVII), and had heard the Father's testimony to His Godhead: "This is My beloved Son!"
↑ Unto death. “I am brought nigh unto death by the anguish of my soul.” In this hour of need our Blessed Lord was deprived of all divine consolation, and bade His three disciples to stay near Him, and watch and pray with Him. He was so entirely destitute of all interior consolation, that He even sought for exterior consolation from His own creatures, and wished to have them near Him. We all know the comfort of having loving friends near us when we are in sorrow and fear.
↑ This chalice. “Spare Me the bitter Passion and Death which await Me!” The figure of a cup full of bitter gall, revolting as it is to the nature of man to drink, is used to describe the awful anguish of Body and Soul which Jesus suffered until the moment when He bowed His Head and gave up the ghost. In His prayer He called it this chalice, because He saw before Him most clearly every

[1] Peter, James and John. These three were permitted to witness the abasement of jesus, as they had beheld His glory in the Transfiguration (chapter XXXVII), and had heard the Father's testimony to His Godhead: "This is My beloved Son!"

[2] Unto death. “I am brought nigh unto death by the anguish of my soul.” In this hour of need our Blessed Lord was deprived of all divine consolation, and bade His three disciples to stay near Him, and watch and pray with Him. He was so entirely destitute of all interior consolation, that He even sought for exterior consolation from His own creatures, and wished to have them near Him. We all know the comfort of having loving friends near us when we are in sorrow and fear.

[p650-3] This chalice. “Spare Me the bitter Passion and Death which await Me!” The figure of a cup full of bitter gall, revolting as it is to the nature of man to drink, is used to describe the awful anguish of Body and Soul which Jesus suffered until the moment when He bowed His Head and gave up the ghost. In His prayer He called it this chalice, because He saw before Him most clearly every

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