Lenten Reflection on Matthew 26:36-46
Jesus knew that Judas had departed to set his betrayal in motion. Jesus leaves the place where he has shared the Passover meal with the disciples, and the eleven who remained accompanied Jesus to the place called Gethsemane, the place of the oil press at the foot of the Mount of Olives. Leaving eight disciples at the entrance to the garden, Jesus goes further into the garden, taking Peter, James, and John with him. Jesus is tired, sorrowful, and distressed, and grieved to the point of death. As he has done many times before, Jesus seeks his Father in prayer. Jesus knows his death is imminent.
Jesus retreats to the place of “pressing” to pray. When we are surrounded by others, distracted by noise, or our attention is divided it is difficult to hear from God. When we experience despair, sorrow, and grief, retreating into our prayer closet, finding a quiet place, or taking a walk to commune with and entreat God’s assurance, comfort, and peace is fitting. Three times Jesus returns and finds that Peter, James, and John have fallen asleep. Although Jesus is disappointed and angered by the disciples’ inability to stay awake, this is a “cup” that only Jesus can bear, bearing the sins of humanity on the cross. The three disciples’ spirits are willing to be obedient and to honor Jesus’ command to stay awake, but their bodies are tired, their flesh is weak.
In Peter, James, and John, we witness the fundamental struggle between our flesh that resists God, and our spirit that responds to God. Paul confesses, “For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh [my human nature, my worldliness—my sinful capacity]. For the willingness [to do good] is present in me, but the doing of good is not” (Romans 7:18 Amplified Bible Version). Five weeks ago, we began our Lenten journey. I suspect that we have grappled with our flesh, as often Lent is much like the beginning of a calendar year, a time when we try to reset, to reorient, to overcome habits or establish new ones. I trust that over the course of the forty days of Lent, like Jesus, we have taken the time to steal away, prayed, and sought God’s strength, comfort, and peace, and found that we are never alone, for God is with us, always.
This Week’s Spiritual Practice: Walking (or *Moving) Meditation AUDIO Available Online
from Zen Teacher Thich Naht Hanh and Christian Contemplative, James Finley
“Meditation means to be in the process of realizing that God is wholly present in each step along our way. It is to be slowly awakening to the divine destination of our journey manifesting itself in the divinity of our own breathing, our own beating heart, of this simple step, of this simply being who we are.” James Finley
In our ordinary lives, we often feel pressured to move ahead and to get somewhere. We often feel we have to hurry. When we practice walking meditation, we let ourselves slow down. We don’t walk in order to arrive somewhere, but simply to enjoy walking, being nobody going nowhere with nothing to do. The purpose is to be in the present moment and, aware of our breathing and our walking, to enjoy each step. When we are able to take one step peacefully and happily, we are working for the peace and happiness of the whole world. Walking meditation is a wonderful practice.
Find a place where you can walk slowly. If you are inside, find a place where you can walk for a few feet, turn around, and walk in the other direction. Begin by pausing, standing still, feeling your feet on the ground. Let your arms and hands rest in any way that feels comfortable; your eyes relaxed with the gaze slightly downward. Take a long slow breath in and a long slow breath out. Breathing in knowing you are breathing in, and breathing out knowing you are breathing out, helps you to arrive in the present moment. “Standing still, with your gaze lowered, breathing slowly and naturally, stand in the whole-hearted awareness of simply standing. Standing in this way, with deep devotion, is itself a deep practice, one empowered to awaken an intimate realization of the divinity of standing. When it feels interiorly right to you to begin your first step, shift your weight to your right leg. Slowly and mindfully lift your left foot from the ground, move it forward in space, and let it come to rest again on the ground ahead of your right foot. Then, in one continuous slow movement, shift your weight to your left leg. Neither pausing nor rushing, slowly begin lifting your right foot from the ground. Move it slowly forward and lower it gently ahead of the left foot. Walk on like this in one continuous movement.” (James Finley)
Aware of the breath, and aware of the contact between your feet and the earth, walk slowly and gently, as if you are kissing the earth with each step. The essence of the practice is childlike wonder with each step. Each mindful step is life, each step is peace. That is why we don’t have to hurry. That is why we slow down. We move slowly forward, but we don’t go anywhere. We’re not being drawn by a goal. We let ourselves be nobody going nowhere with nothing to do. Letting ourselves be moved in this way, we smile.…
When the mind wanders and you find yourself lost in thought, please do not worry. Once you notice you are lost in thought, you are no longer lost. The practice is simply to let go of following thoughts and to gently return awareness to the feeling of the soles of the feet as they touch the earth, and the feeling of the breath flowing in and the breath flowing out. You might imagine that, with each step, a flower blooms. If you are walking outside and wish to enjoy a beautiful tree or a passing cloud or glistening snow, simply stop walking. Then, while maintaining awareness of your breathing, let yourself really enjoy what is before you. Bring a half-smile to your lips and maintain it naturally. After awhile, continue walking again, returning attention to your steps. Enjoy walking meditation in this way each day for 10 to 20 minutes, or as long as you are able. When you practice regularly, life will gradually transform. You will become more aware of what you are doing. All beings, from near and far, large and small, will become peaceful as you take your peaceful steps.
*Moving Meditation: If you are in a wheelchair, or using a walker or cane, you can also enjoy this meditation. Let your movements be slow, mindful of breathing in and breathing out as you move slowly forward with awareness of the world around you. When the mind wanders, simply let go of following thoughts, and return again to the feeling of movement, and of the breath flowing in and flowing out. You might also enjoy practicing walking meditation by watching someone near you who is walking mindfully. Notice the feeling of relaxing as you watch this person practice walking meditation, and let awareness include the sensation of the breath flowing in and out as you gaze.
Additional Lent Resources
To read this week’s Facing Systemic Racism resource, terrarium instructions, and focus for families with teens please check out the entire Lenten Devotional here.
Families with children can follow along with the Sunday School at Home curriculum that follows the themes and activities as our all church devotional.