Rosary #48 - The Agony in the Garden

Agony in the Garden (Mark 14:32-42)

The Rosary selects certain moments from the Passion, inviting the faithful to contemplate them in their hearts and to relive them. The sequence of meditations begins with Gethsemane, where Christ experiences a moment of great anguish before the will of the Father, against which the weakness of the flesh would be tempted to rebel. There Jesus encounters all the temptations and confronts all the sins of humanity, in order to say to the Father: "Not my will but yours be done" (Lk 22:42 and parallels). This "Yes" of Christ reverses the "No" of our first parents in the Garden of Eden. And the cost of this faithfulness to the Father's will is made clear in the following mysteries; by his scourging, his crowning with thorns, his carrying the Cross and his death on the Cross, the Lord is cast into the most abject suffering: Ecce homo! (Pope John Paul II, Rosarium Virginis Mariae, #22)

First Mystery
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."

Second Mystery
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 now what I will but what you will."

Third Mystery
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."

Fourth Mystery
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.

Fifth Mystery
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."