Mosaiek Church Lent 2025: Jesus' Questions in Sufferingනියැදිය

“Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation.”

-Luke 22:46 (NLT)

The disciples fall asleep because of their sorrow. They hear and see the end approaching. They are unaware of something greater that is happening as they are asleep. The work of salvation is taking place. Jesus invites them several times to watch and pray with Him so that they can become aware of the greater reality. The invisible. When you become aware, everything changes. The sadness and discouragement can be replaced with meaning and hope.

We all actually live with a largely invisible dimension that we must become aware of and trust. In relationships, it is not just about the physical presence and contact with that person. It is about the other person's feelings, ideas, and desires. If we cannot see this, we cannot establish or maintain a life-giving relationship. We must become aware of it, trust it, and take it into account as part of reality, even if it is invisible.

So there is a deeper dimension to everything that exists and happens. For us as Christians, it is God. We can find Him in our prosperity, in adversity, discouragement, and hope. He is not only active in our lives, He is truly there. Augustine said that He is closer to us than we are to ourselves. Without acceptance, trust, and an awareness of this dimension of reality, sadness overwhelms us, and our sleep becomes an escape. We often develop so many ways of escape that put us to sleep, numb us, and take us away from the pain and sorrow of life. Jesus invites His disciples to wake up – to face reality – to look further, deeper at Him who is there. Active despite everything that goes wrong. Negative energy from sadness can be transformed into hope.

Reflection: Turn your attention for a moment to the biggest challenge you are facing right now.

• Ask yourself if you are paying attention to what is physically observable. Also, notice how it makes you feel.

Notice what is happening to you and how it makes you feel. Notice what you are thinking and how you interpret what is happening.

• Give what you are feeling and thinking to Him now and ask Him to enable you to notice something of His presence in these circumstances. (You can also express this in a letter that you write to Him).

Prayer: I ask for the grace of a deep awareness of His presence in my life.