• Art
  • Book Reviews
  • Catechism
  • Games
  • Music
  • Special Needs
  • Technology
  • Theology

Amazing Catechists

Teaching and learning the faith together

Menu
  • Home
  • About
    • Patron Saint of Amazing Catechists
    • Donations
  • Lisa Mladinich
  • Columnists
    • Browse by Topic
      • #giveaway
      • Art
      • Campus Ministry
      • Catechetics
      • Catechism
      • Catechist Training
      • Catholic Spirituality
      • Church Documents
      • Columnists
      • Culture
      • Elementary School
      • Evangelization
      • Family Life
      • Featured
      • Games
      • General
      • Grief Resources
      • High School
      • Homeschooling
      • Liturgical
      • Mary
      • Middle School
      • Music
      • New Age
      • NFP/Chastity
      • Prayer
      • RCIA & Adult Ed
      • Reader Suggestions
      • Sacraments
      • Scripture
      • Special Needs
      • Spiritual Warfare
      • Technology
      • Theology
      • Therapeutic
      • Video
      • Vocations
    • Browse by Author
      • Alex Basile
      • Alice Gunther
      • Amanda Woodiel
      • Cay Gibson
      • Christian LeBlanc
      • Christopher Smith
      • Deanna Bartalini
      • Dorian Speed
      • Elizabeth Ficocelli
      • Elizabeth Tichvon
      • Ellen Gable Hrkach
      • Faith Writer
      • Father Juan R. Velez
      • Gabe Garnica
      • Jeannie Ewing
      • Jennifer Fitz
      • Justin Combs
      • Karee Santos
      • Lisa Mladinich
      • Marc Cardaronella
      • Maria Rivera
      • Mary Ellen Barrett
      • Mary Lou Rosien
      • Maureen Smith
      • Msgr. Robert Batule
      • Msgr. Charles Pope
      • Pat Gohn
      • Peggy Clores
      • Robyn Lee
      • Rocco Fortunato
      • Sarah Reinhard
      • Steve McVey
      • Tanja Cilia
      • William O’Leary
  • Resources
    • Bible Stories
    • Book Reviews
    • Catholic Cartoons
    • Catholic Links
    • Interviews
  • Speakers
  • Contact us

Sweating Blood

By Tanja Cilia

The First Sorrowful Mystery: The Agony of Jesus in the Gardenjesus-in-gethsemane1

Luke 22:39-44

 

Hematidrosis (a.k.a. “sweating blood”) is a rare medical condition that may occur when a person is suffering extreme levels of stress.

Imagine the excruciating agony wrought by three hours of distress, anguish, and dread. For Our Lord, the agonizing thought of His forthcoming passion, to atone for our sins, caused Him to sweat blood as He prayed in the garden of Gethsemane (prefiguring how His precious blood would be shed for us on the cross).

He beseeched God, “Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from Me.” Christ knew that He would die for us – and yet He wants us to understand that in His human nature, He was filled with trepidation and pain. Immediately following this pleading, He says, “Not My will be done, but Yours”–with His self-renunciation and submission sealing our redemption.

He accepts His forthcoming Passion for our redemption.

For God so loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in him, may not perish, but may have life everlasting. (John 3:16)

We have heard the story hundreds of times – the Last Supper of Holy Thursday, Judas slipping away…. Jesus and His three closest disciples: Peter, James, and John, go to the Garden of Gethsemane to prepare for His Sacrifice on Good Friday, through prayer. And yet, He prays alone, for they sleep on the job, as it were… as we often do, ourselves.

He says to them – and to us – “My soul is sorrowful unto the point of death. Wait here and keep vigil with Me.” He is wounded at their behaviour. “Couldn’t you even bear to stay awake with me for one hour?” As a human, Jesus felt forsaken and overwhelmed. He was pure and without sin; and He was bearing on His shoulders the sins of all the world.

Then followed the phrase we use so often as a reason (or is it an excuse?) when we shirk our duties, “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak”; whereas in reality it ought to be, “Not my will be done, but Yours.” The Father, who sent the angel to comfort Jesus, was His solace and succor, as He should be ours.

And He went away to pray for a second time. And again, He came back to find them asleep – and left them, to pray alone for a third time. Jesus suffered emotional, physical, and spiritual pain.

He went back to Peter and the sons of Zebedee, and said “You can rest and sleep now. The hour has come for the Son of Man is to be betrayed into the hands of sinners. Come! Let us go!”

Then came the betrayal by Judas. Jesus was brutally bound, like a common criminal, and led away. His hour had come.

Jesus obeyed God’s will. We, on the other hand, try to find loopholes that absolve us from our duties to God, to our fellow men, and to ourselves. Busyness, self-pity, illness, tiredness, joblessness, pressure of work, contrary people, financial difficulties… anything will do.

It’s never our fault, is it?

 

Sorrowful Mysteries: Tuesdays and Fridays

 

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

Read all posts by Tanja Cilia Filed Under: Liturgical, Prayer, Scripture

About Tanja Cilia

Tanja Cilia lives in Malta, Europe. She is an Allied Newspapers (Malta) newspaper columnist, journalist, blogger and features writer. She freelances and formulates puzzles and writes poetry, in Maltese and English, for local and foreign print and online markets. She also does voluntary work, most of which, of course, is writing-connected. Tanja has always been fascinated by the aura of words, and has been writing for Allied Newspapers (Malta) since she was 14 years old. Contact her at tanjacilia@hotmail.com.

Follow Us!

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

What’s New?

microphoneNEED A SPEAKER FOR YOUR NEXT IN-SERVICE?

Amazing Catechists can help!

Visit our Speakers page to access our available speakers and topics. And if you don't see what you are looking for, send a comment through the website, and we will get right back to you!

Catholic CD of the month club

Sign up for our Newsletter!

Columnists

Alice Gunther

Amanda Woodiel

Cay Gibson

Christian LeBlanc

Christopher Smith

Deanna Bartalini

Dorian Speed

Elizabeth Ficocelli

Elizabeth Tichvon

Ellen Gable Hrkach

Faith Writer

Father Juan Velez

Gabriel Garnica

Jeannie Ewing

Jennifer Fitz

Karee Santos

Lisa Mladinich

Marc Cardaronella

Mary Ellen Barrett

Mary Lou Rosien

Maureen Smith

Monsignor Robert Batule

Msgr. Charles Pope

Pat Gohn

Peggy Clores

Robyn Lee

Rocco Fortunato

Sarah Reinhard

Sherine Green

Sr. Teresa Joseph fma

Steve McVey

Tanja Cilia

William O’Leary

Archives

Share Amazing Catechists at your website!

Amazing Catechists

[footer_backtotop]

Copyright © 2022 Amazing Catechists. · Log in