Agony in the Garden
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The Agony in the Garden is the name given to the time in the life of Jesus between the Last Supper and His arrest.
[edit] Scriptural depiction
According to all four Gospels, immediately after the Last Supper, Jesus took a walk to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane, accompanied by St. Peter, St. John and St. James the Greater, whom He asked to stay awake and pray. He moved "a stone's throw away" from them, where he felt overwhelming sadness and anguish, and said "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass me by. Nevertheless, let it be as you, not I, would have it." Then, a little while later, He said, "If this cup cannot pass by, but I must drink it, your will be done!" (In Latin: In Pater mi si non potesthic calix transire nisi bibam illum fiat voluntas tua) [St. Jerome's Vulgate - Gospel of Matthew 26:42]. He said this prayer three times, checking on the three apostles, between each prayer and finding them asleep. He comments: "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak". An angel came from heaven to strengthen him.
During his agony, as he prayed, (according to Luke 22:44) "his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down upon the ground".
[edit] Tradition
It is the first Sorrowful Mystery of the Rosary.
In Catholic tradition, Satan tempted Christ in order to dissuade him from redeeming the world as he prayed during the agony. This episode was picturised in The Passion of the Christ, but Satan is not specifically mentioned in the Biblical accounts of the scene, although Jesus does say to those sent to arrest him, `This is your time, the time of the power of darkness.` (Gospel of Luke 22:53) and Luke tells us earlier in the chapter: "Satan entered the heart of Judas Iscariot." (verse 3)
