The Agony in the Garden: Jesus’ Guide to Prayer

The Agony in the Garden: Jesus’ Guide to Prayer

By Rietta Parker, Contributing Writer

There are two main passages in the New Testament where Jesus teaches us how to pray: Matthew 6: 9-13 when he gives us the “Our Father,” a structured, vocal prayer, and the Agony in the Garden. In the example of the Agony in the Garden, one could say that Jesus does not need to pray in this way—He is God. He could have very well prayed or processed what would happen next in private without involving the disciples. Instead we have this demonstrative and ceremonious example of mental prayer, spoken aloud for our benefit. 

Then they came to a place named Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” He took with him Peter, James, and John, and began to be troubled and distressed. Then he said to them, “My soul is sorrowful even to death. Remain here and keep watch.”

He advanced a little and fell to the ground and prayed that if it were possible the hour might pass by him; he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. Take this cup away from me, but not what I will but what you will.”

When he returned he found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.”

Withdrawing again, he prayed, saying the same thing. Then he returned once more and found them asleep, for they could not keep their eyes open and did not know what to answer him.

He returned a third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough. The hour has come. Behold, the Son of Man is to be handed over to sinners. Get up, let us go. See, my betrayer is at hand.”
Mark 14:32-42

If you meditate over the above passage, you will find Jesus’ ultimate guide to prayer. Let’s analyze it together.

“Sit here while I pray.”

Jesus first shows us to pray in support and comfort of one another, expressing His very human distress and sorrow. He illustrates the necessity and goodness of asking others for prayers and allowing others to know what we are struggling with. In praying together and for each other, we unite in faith and bring to light the evil one’s ways, allowing God to strengthen and mold us through our trials. 

“He advanced a little and fell to the ground.” 

How many times are we distracted during prayer? Distracted prayer is certainly better than no prayer at all, but it is important to carve out time for reverent, committed prayer where you are fully present with the Lord.

Think about it. The night before Jesus died was extremely busy. I often feel like the accounts of it in scripture are never ending: The Last Supper, The Agony in the Garden, The Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus, Jesus before the Sanhedrin, Peter’s Denial of Jesus. With all the action swirling around and leading up to Jesus’ death, He made sure there was a set time for uninterrupted, reverent prayer. He kind of leaves us no excuse when we say, “Well my day was just too full to stop and pray!”

Was it really fuller than Holy Thursday? I bet not. 

“Abba, Father, all things are possible to you . . .” 

As St. Teresa of Avila said, “You pay God a compliment by asking great things of Him.” Jesus demonstrates that no request is too lofty for Him as long as you ultimately are submitting to His will: “Take this cup away from me, but not what I will but what you will” (Mark 14:36).

Great faith in God’s power is important and should be nurtured. Never tell yourself a prayer in good faith is asking too much, is too silly, or is unwanted. God wants you to ask Him anything. 

“Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” 

Here, Jesus is teaching us to pray with anticipation, forethought, humility, and self-awareness. We must recognize our weaknesses and pray in advance for the grace, endurance, and strength to withstand temptation. We have to be humble in recognizing that without Christ, we cannot and will not succeed in facing our faults. 

“Withdrawing again, he prayed, saying the same thing.” 

Jesus, being God, again already knows the answer to His prayers here. He knows He will have to carry the ultimate cross. So, why does He not only pray for the cup to pass, but repeat Himself in doing so? It’s for us to witness. We are called to pray without ceasing. To pray to the point of annoying persistence.

Repeat your prayers. For weeks, months, years. The Lord is listening and will answer you in His time. 

“Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough. The hour has come.” 

Jesus asks His disciples repeatedly to remain with Him and to keep watch, but they fail to do so. When the soldiers come to arrest Him, they have slept the time with Him away and are not prepared. Jesus is asking us not to make the same mistake they did when He returns to us. He is asking us to sit with Him, to pray with and to Him, and to comfort Him. This Holy Thursday, see if you can attend the evening adoration. Find small or big sufferings to offer up to Him on the cross as well as for the souls in purgatory. Over the next couple of days as Jesus is tried and sentenced to death, try your best to have designated moments out of the day where you sit with Him, fully awake, fully present, concentrated on His suffering and His glory. Give him what these disciples did not in His final hours. 

We have the benefit of seeing the Easter Triduum in hindsight. This benefit comes with the great responsibility of understanding much more clearly what Jesus is asking of us. 

Prayer Meditation for Holy Thursday

My Most Precious Lord Jesus, this night You gathered with Your Apostles to share with them Your last meal.  But this was no ordinary meal. This was the gift of Your most Sacred Body and Blood, soon to be broken and poured out on the Cross for the salvation of the world.  

Allow me, dear Lord, to spend this night in prayer and meditation with You. After the meal, You invited Your Apostles to join You for one hour, to stay awake and keep vigil as You prepared for Your arrest. The Apostles fell asleep, leaving You in Your bitter agony alone.

I accept Your gentle invitation of love, dear Lord, to spend this night in vigil with You. May I enter Your Heart as it faced the coming persecution You were to endure for my sins. May I console Your Sacred Heart and know the love and Mercy that flowed forth.

Lord, when I face the crosses of my own life, give me Your divine courage and strength to say “Yes” to the Will of the Father.  Your love for me is abundant and is perfect in every way. Help me to know that love, to embrace it and to allow it into my life.

I make my vigil with You this night, dear Lord. I love You, help me to love You with all my heart. Jesus, I trust in You.

prayer via My Catholic LIfe

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Rietta Parker holds a BS in secondary English education and an MA in English-Creative Writing from Auburn University. She writes fiction, poetry, reflections, and prayers. Her work has been published in Bridge: Bluffton University’s Literary Journal, Quiet Lightning, and Poet’s Choice. In 2020, her reflection on being at home in the Church was featured in The Catholic Woman’s “Portrait of a Catholic Woman” social media campaign. She’s a member of the Catholic Writers Guild where she serves as an anthology and blog editor. When she isn’t teaching or writing, she loves to sing, dance, and act.