Lent Guide: In the Shadow of GethsemaneSample

The cup of freedom

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. - Luke 22:42-44

“When you carry someone’s cross, don’t send him / her the bill!”

This is one of the lessons of Gethsemane. I am invited to drink the cup that doesn’t blame others for the contents of my cup. Yes, other people’s decisions have implications for my life that I didn’t choose myself, but Jesus invites us to drink the cup free from bitterness and resentment.

No one gives themselves over easily to the deeper demands of love, forgiveness, and servitude. Transformation through prayer is needed to get us there. We see this in Jesus: Only after he had prayed could He finally say: “Not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42). He is able, without resentment, to give Himself over to the demands of a love which would cost Him His life. After His prayer in Gethsemane, He is able to do what He must do without feeling like He is a victim. Jesus gives up His life and freedom without holding a grudge against anyone.

When Pontius Pilate tries to intimidate Him by saying, “I can save your life, or I can take it,” Jesus answers: “No one takes my life, for I give it freely!” (see John 19:10-11). Paraphrased, he is saying: ”You can’t take with violence which I’m already freely giving out of love.” And that is the invitation when we are drinking the cup: Nobody is taking my love from me; I give it freely! Only then can we love others and serve them without bitterness and without making them feel guilty about the cost to us.

But, like Jesus, we also get to the place where we initially say: “Take this cup from me! There must be a way out of here, a way to be free from this.” It’s only natural. It’s natural to want our freedom, to want to be free from burdens, from responsibility, from unfair circumstances. Nobody wants to be a martyr if they didn’t sign up for it! But ultimately, love will ask us to move beyond ourselves and sacrifice ourselves. There will always be someone or something that demands something of our freedom and our opportunities: children who need us, a sick parent, family responsibilities, a life partner with an illness, a crisis at work, a war we don’t want, a church that invites volunteers to service.

Prayer: I ask for a deep consciousness of Your love and work in my life.