Stay with Me: A Gethsemane Reflection
On the night before His Passion, Jesus went out to the Mount of Olives, as was His custom. There, in the stillness of Gethsemane—the place of the oil press—He knelt to pray. The weight of the world’s sin began pressing upon Him.
He turned to His disciples and pleaded, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” But they were weary and could not keep watch. Alone in agony, Jesus cried out:
“Abba, if You are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but Yours be done.”
In Aramaic:
La teba‘yāni, illa teḇa‘nāk — Not what I will, but what You will.
This was the moment of holy surrender—not of defeat, but of divine love. He who knew no sin was preparing to bear it all. Luke tells us, “His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” An angel came to strengthen Him—not to spare Him from suffering, but to fortify Him for the path ahead.
As Jesus prayed in anguish, His heart cried not only to the Father, but to His friends: “Could you not watch with me one hour?”
It is this moment the Church remembers with deep reverence on Maundy Thursday, often gathering in silence, singing softly:
“Stay with me, remain here with me,
watch and pray, watch and pray.”
(Taizé Chant)
This gentle refrain becomes a prayer of presence—a response to Christ’s longing for companionship in His suffering. The chant invites us not merely to recall the story, but to enter it, to stay with Jesus in His hour of sorrow, and to whisper in our hearts:
La teba‘yāni, illa teḇa‘nāk
Not my will, but Yours be done.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, on this sacred night, You invited us to stay and pray with You. Forgive us when we sleep through Your call. Awaken our hearts to Your presence. Teach us to surrender, and to walk in love, even through sorrow. Amen.
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