5 April, Antonio, Cardinal Bacci: Meditations For Each Day

The Agony of Jesus

1. While Jesus was praying in the garden of Gethsemane, His divine mind witnessed not only the torments of His approaching passion and death, but also the hatred of His enemies, both then and in later times, the ingratitude of His Apostles, and the countless sins with which men would repay His infinite goodness throughout the ages. He realised that He would be a sign of contradiction for many. Some would hate Him; others would desecrate His precious blood and His immaculate body. Many, forgetful of the Redemption, would commit sin after sin, while others would receive special graces and would return only coldness and indifference in exchange for such great love. Faced with this gloomy scene, Jesus was utterly dejected and was overcome by a mysterious, rending agony which caused Him to perspire blood. “He began to feel dread and to be exceedingly troubled.” (Mark 14:33) “And falling into an agony he prayed the more earnestly. And his sweat became as drops of blood running down upon the ground.” (Luke 22:43-44)

At that moment Jesus could see each one of us and all our wretchedness, coldness and sinfulness. If our hearts are not made of stone, let us weep for our faults and firmly resolve to improve.

2. Jesus suffered willingly and generously for us. First of all He endured this near-fatal anguish of soul which caused blood to ooze from the pores of His body. Then He suffered the cruelest of physical tortures. What must our reaction be? If we lack the heroic generosity of the Saints and are not prepared to look for suffering by scourging ourselves or by wearing hair-shirts or chains next to our flesh, let us at least accept our inevitable sorrows and trials with perfect resignation. Jesus was innocence itself, yet He suffered willingly for us. Why should we, who are unworthy sinners, be unwilling to submit to the punishments due to our sins? There are many who kiss the Crucifix and claim to love it but try as hard as possible to reject the cross which God has given them. This is an impossible state of affairs. Let us remember that if we wish to have a sincere love for the Crucifix, we must love our own cross as well, for this is the cross which God has given us.

3. While Jesus was praying and suffering in the garden of Gethsemane and the Apostles were unconcernedly sleeping, a group of hired ruffians approached, led by the traitor, Judas. Jesus went to meet them and quietly allowed Himself to be fettered by these rascals. He could have struck them to the ground in an instant or, as He said Himself, called more than twelve legions of Angels to His defence. (Cf. Mt. 16:33) But this was the hour of the power of darkness. “This is your hour, and the power of darkness.” (Luke 22:53) When the Apostles saw Him being bound and led away like an evil-doer, they deserted Him and ran away. “Then all the disciples left him and fled.” (Mt. 26:56) We also may have been guilty of shameful conduct on many occasions. Whenever God granted us the experience of His consoling presence by means of His grace or favours, we formed the most generous resolutions. But in the presence of difficulties or of bad example from others, we may have shamefully deserted Jesus. Let us reflect whether this is so and reinforce our good resolutions.