Not What I Will, But What You Will

A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark

     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.”
     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 not what I will but what you will.”
     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.”
     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.
     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.”
     Then, while he was still speaking,
     Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, 
     accompanied by a crowd with swords and clubs 
     who had come from the chief priests,
     the scribes, and the elders.
     His betrayer had arranged a signal with them, saying, 
     “The man I shall kiss is the one; 
     arrest him and lead him away securely.”
     He came and immediately went over to him and said,
     “Rabbi.”  And he kissed him.
     At this they laid hands on him and arrested him.

      (This is an excerpt from this upcoming Sunday’s Gospel. To read the whole Passion narrative, click here).

     “Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. Take this cup away from me, but not what I will but what you will.”

     My son Mason made us all gasp whenever he decided that at around 7 ½ months he wanted to learn to walk. After he accomplished this only a few weeks later, I knew that it wouldn’t be long before he would look at the chairs, couches and tables strewn about our house and say “challenge accepted.” So, what did I do? I taught him how to fall. 

     I knew that if this kiddo was going to start climbing he would have to learn how to come down and doing this on his own would be invaluable to him when that time came to pass. I sat him up on the couch, rolled him onto his belly and then started to swing his legs over the edge to get him ready to slide down. As you can imagine, he wasn’t so sure about this. He was scared, mostly because he couldn’t see the floor below and had no way of knowing just how far the drop actually was. I assured him that “Daddy’s got you” and that he was going to be just fine. After a little convincing and a slight nudge, I swung his legs out over the side and he plopped down right on his feet with no problem at all. We did this over and over and eventually he built the confidence to navigate his way down any of the make-believe mountain ranges in the house.  That little exercise sticks with me to this day not only as a trust exercise between me and my son but also as a living example of the trust that I am called to place in the Lord each and every moment of every day.

     I cannot tell you how many times I question the Lord when that internal struggle to trust or fear presents itself. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve allowed fear to rule my decisions instead of freedom. I can tell you that the moments where I chose trust over fear are the moments that have most defined the course of my life for the better. I can’t see the future, and I don’t know what awaits me even in the next breath, but I am called at each and every moment to trust. Out of all the infinite possibilities that await me in each passing second, what comes to pass will be ultimately what He wills for me because truly all things are possible in Him. If all things are possible in the Lord, then how am I, in all of my limitedness, able to judge that the one outcome that was given to me wasn’t the one that makes me the most holy? I think of that moment in Avengers Endgame when Dr. Strange holds up one finger to Tony Stark, representing that the only path to victory out of the infinite possibilities has now come to pass which indicated to Tony that the time to act was now.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, God looks at Christ in a similar way that Dr. Strange looks at Tony, knowing that this is the only way to make all things new again. It was here in the Garden that Jesus professes His oath of fidelity to His betrothed, whom He would permanently wed on the cross, His Church. This fidelity was only made possible through His unshakeable obedience to the Will of the Father. For Jesus knew better than anyone that through the Father all things are possible and that whatever happens is the greatest possible good for Him and his bride-to-be.

     Even though the time in the Garden was a time of suffering for Christ, it was also a time of joy because Jesus knew that all of heaven rejoiced when His human will yielded to the Divine Will of the Father (as if it was that big of a cliffhanger).  It was a joyful embrace of the suffering that was to come because that suffering, out of all the possible paths before Him, was the only path for His bride to finally be able to come back home. 

     As we near Holy Week, I want you to reflect upon that thing in your life that is the hardest to entrust into the Lord’s care, and I want you to bring that to Jesus in the Garden. Meet Him there in that space, for He understands that struggle. Allow Him to show you how to trust the Divine Will of the Father and allow Him to replace that worry, fear, doubt, sorrow, pain, hurt and regret with trust, freedom and joy. Above all, allow Jesus to remind you that in the midst of the agony and uncertainty, “Daddy’s got you.”

     As you spend the next week preparing for the coming Holy Week and celebrating the Lord's Passion on Palm Sunday, reflect on this secular song: "Even Through I'm Leaving" by Luke Combs.

 
About the Author: West Giffin is the Associate Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry (Red Stick Catholics) at the Diocese of Baton Rouge. West grew up in Baton Rouge and was an active participant in youth ministry programs during middle and high school and these communities allowed him to find true community and foster a personal encounter with Christ. Before working at the Diocese, West brought his love for fostering faith-based communities to Most Blessed Sacrament parish, where he was the youth minister for four years. When West isn’t working or pursuing his Master of Art degree in Pastoral Leadership from Notre Dame Seminary Graduate School, he can be found spending quality time with his son, Mason.
What was the 1st CD (or cassette if you’re old school) you remember listening to as a kid: Garth Brooks ( on cassette tape)
What book are you reading right now: "Star Wars Aftermath," "Glittering Vices," and the Consecration to St. Joseph.


The Well is a weekly reflection series from Red Stick Catholics that was created to allow young adults from the Diocese of Baton Rouge to reveal how God is speaking to them through prayer and Scripture. Each reflection contains the upcoming Sunday’s Gospel, a reflection written by a young adult from the Diocese of Baton Rouge and prompts for how to pray with the Gospel and reflection during the week. If you are interested in writing a reflection, please email Nicole at [email protected] .