Day 10: With Jesus as the Disciples Desert Him

Take a moment to quiet yourself: close your eyes and take some deep breaths.

Pray this prayer or something similar in your own words: Jesus, help me draw close to you by seeing my suffering in yours and your suffering in mine.

After Judas leads the religious authorities to Jesus in Gethsemane, they arrest him. As you read the passage the first time, imagine you are present in the darkness of the garden, in the middle of the confusion. Where do you place yourself? What do you see, smell, and hear?

As you read the passage a second time, consider Jesus' tone and expression as he speaks first to his disciple who drew a sword, and then to those who came to arrest him. How has each misunderstood him? What might Jesus have been feeling as he calms the violence about to erupt?

Stay with Jesus a little longer in this moment of his suffering.

As you close your time in prayer, talk with the Lord about what came up for you.

Reflection Questions

Personal reflection:

What would it have been like for Jesus to watch all his disciples desert him and flee?

Community discussion:

Have you found yourself trying to calm conflict, explaining your intentions over and over in the face of misunderstanding, or being deserted by those close to you? What is it like to know Jesus experienced these things, too?