“And he was withdrawn from them a stone's cast, and kneeling down he prayed, saying: Father, if thou wilt remove the chalice from me; but yet not my will, but Thine be done. And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony, he prayed the longer. And his sweat became as drops of blood, trickling down upon the ground.” Luke 22:41-44

That fateful night Christ (the God-Man), just thirty-three years old at the height of his human-ness withdrew to the Mount of Olives and prayed to His Father for courage and strength to complete His mission here on earth - our redemption. His human nature begged his Heavenly Father to release Him from that coming brutal death. As the God-Man, He knew the clear details of His death and that His time on earth had come to a close; and as the Son of God He could not escape.

Being a person who naturally has anticipated life and has lived for the future where time and space are most relevant, I have come to the realization that the future is fast closing for me. The present is all that remains and the idea of my own death is very real. The thought that I do not schedule the place and time of my death is extremely unnerving.

Prayer: Father in heaven who witnessed your own Son's humiliation and death, give us the time here on earth to complete our tasks and the courage to accept our final exit so that we also might join You in eternal life. Amen.