This Sunday, the third week of Lent in our series “I am with you always”, we go to Gethsemane to witness Jesus’ prayer, betrayal and arrest.
There in the olive grove, Jesus throws himself on the ground, weeps, and begs for another way. And then, when the mob arrives with Judas, and violence breaks out, he calmly claims the power to summon twelve legions of angels, and chooses not to use it. In a world governed by force, this is a radically different vision of strength — one that looks, in the moment, a great deal like weakness.
The story invites us to reflect:
- Where in our own lives are we being invited to meet God in vulnerability rather than strength?
- In a world that measures power by force and weapons, what might it look like for our community and our nation, to choose the harder way of restraint and compassionate love?
How do you respond? Send your thoughts to me at iferguson@gwuc.org.au .
Listen to the full reflection here: https://youtu.be/T4qLVbCWHK8?t=2658
You can watch the service with subtitles in the language of your choice on YouTube.
You can access a Chinese translation of the whole service here: https://gwuc.org.au/download/163441/?tmstv=1773113812