I did not have a busy day but certainly it started early and felt long and I was so exhausted…  enough that while watching a 7pm Holy Thursday “Service of Shadows” from church thru Facebook into my living room, I was asleep by 745 on the couch. Out. With the crick in my neck I’m now going to bed proper at 10pm. But I remember falling asleep, not really fighting it. I should have fought it and have less pain.

That’s fitting for Holy Thursday, isn’t it? Falling asleep on the Lord, then oh the pain, like the disciples in the garden. We like they fall asleep when the Lord was/is depending upon us to keep watch. especially watch over ourselves but mostly watch over our relationship with the Lord. Scattered, they and we are scattered as a flock, too tired to keep it together. Flesh willing but weak.

One place I remember NOT falling asleep was the church services of Good Friday as a child, multiple priests read the passion story. Other times we would walk the stations of the cross during lent. Those memories are strong, and such witness in my mind now of my soul paying attention. I was a hungry soul. We should want to be hungry souls and stay awake to learn. Walking with my catholic school class we must have been a sight traversing the few blocks from school to church, paired up with buddies to keep us safer and ACCOUNTABLE to staying in line, easier for paying attention to have to watch out. How fitting for us to not fall asleep then in church because we were watched by strict nuns. How fitting for our safety that we were watched for, and watched out for, our buddies – whom were assigned to us, not that we picked.

But Jesus? He picked us. He warns us but does not prevent us from falling asleep or stepping out of line. How fitting for us to now be grown up, to have to know better and keep ourselves awake, and ACCOUNTABLE and find our own buddies to stay awake. This time we should look for Jesus as our Buddy.

Was it a good night for all Holy Thursday, into Good Friday buddies? Well for sure it was a long night for Jesus and a long haul to the cross. Let us get our rest, because we really need to learn and walk and pay attention to what Jesus has in store for us each day. Even in the weakness of a tired body, we truly need to remember to be hungry souls.

From here on out, Jesus in Spirit is the One Who wants to be our Buddy. We can learn from He Who goes before us. We will try to stay awake, but even if we sleep, He will remember to wake us.

Amen in desire to rest then especially to RISE.

Keep Watch.

—

Gethsemane Matthew 26

36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”

43 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. 44 So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.

45 Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”