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32. "Postquàm autem resurrexero, præcedam vos in Galilæam."

33. Respondens autem Petrus, ait illi: "Etsi omnes scandalizati fuerint in te, ego nunquàm scandalizabor."

34. Ait illi JESUS: "Amen dico tibi quia in hâc nocte, antequàm gallus cantet, ter me negabis."

35. Ait illi Petrus: "Etiamsi oportuerit me mori tecum, non te negabo." Similiter et omnes discipuli dixerunt.

32. But after I shall be risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.

33. And Peter, answering, said to him: Though all men shall be scandalized in thee, 'I will never be scandalized.

34. Jesus said to him: Amen I say to thee, that in this night, "before the cock crow, thou wilt deny me thrice.

35. Peter saith to him: Though I should die with thee, I will not deny thee. And in like manner said all the disciples.

A great calamity is impending over the Apostles, of which they seem to be perfectly unconscious, as they accompany our Lord from the Cenaculum to Mount Olivet. He knows it and foretells it to them; but they will not believe it possible. Not that they doubt His word; but that they depend too much upon their natural attachment to Him, and cannot imagine that it would fail.

The scandal came to this: They all lost faith in Him, except the Blessed Virgin and Peter, who believed but failed to confess. This is the general opinion of Catholic writers on this subject. What non-Catholic writers think and print is not even worth the trouble of refuting.

Our Lord's mildness, when telling them the hardest blow He is ever to receive from them, is very much admired. His encouraging words about Galilee after the Resurrection shows that He will not throw them away.

1Scandalized. My humiliation and captivity will shock you all. This did not necessitate the fall; but it showed that Jesus knew future contingent things and therefore was God.

21 will strike.—Our Lord adapts the words of Zachary, xiii. 7, to himself. Into Galilee. He saw them in Jerusalem first; but in Galilee there was something like going home again.

4I will never be.-Just like Peter. He rushes in at once, full of love and fervour, and, as usual, gets thoroughly confounded.

Before the cock crow.-Mark says twice. The morning crow was called the crow, and not the midnight one. It was between the two that Peter denied him.

In like manner said.-They all joined Peter, and he fell deeper than they.

Jesus foretelling this shows: Ist. His liberty in going to death.

2nd. His innocence-throughout.

3rd. His love of His companions and mankind.

How calmly He rebukes. Ist. He points out their fall. 2nd. He makes no comment even on Peter.

3rd. He encourages them to hope.

36. Tunc venit JESUS cum illis in villam quæ dicitur Gethsemani, et dixit discipulis suis : "Sedete hic, donec vadam illùc et orem."

37. Et, assumpto Petro et duobus filiis Zebedæi, cœpit contristari et mæstus esse.

38. Tunc ait illis : 66 Tristis est anima mea usquè ad mortem: sustinete hic et vigilate mecum.

39. Et, progressus pusillùm, procidit in faciem suam, orans et dicens: "Pater mî, si possibile est, transeat à me calix iste! Verumtamen, non sicut ego volo sed sicut tu."

Peter sinned:

Ist. In not believing our Lord.

2nd. Putting himself forward as an exception.

3rd. In depending so much. upon himself.

Luke and John give Our Lord's prophecy, but do not record its fulfilment. They leave us to believe that.

John does the same (chap. vi.) with regard to the Eucharist.

36. Then Jesus came with them to a country place which is called 'Gethsemani: and he said to his disciples: "Sit you here, till I go yonder, and pray.

37. And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to grow sorrowful, and to be sad.

38. Then he saith to them: 'My soul is sorrowful even unto death: stay you here, and watch with me.

39. And going a little further, he fell upon his face, praying, and saying: O my Father, if it is possible, let this chalice pass from me. Nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.

Our sins and misfortunes began in a garden, and in a garden began the great work of our Redemption. It was significant that Our Lord, in the beginning of His Passion, took with Him the three who saw His Transfiguration. His grand prayer has been often commented on. Some say it was the prospect of His physical sufferings; some, the iniquity of the Jews; some, the passing through the gates of death, which constituted this chalice. Several think, and we agree with them, that what constituted this chalice was His knowledge that so many would be lost eternally, notwithstanding His death. As man, He would save all, as He died for all, even the wicked. It pained His noble and tender heart to see a single human being lost. He would plead, aye, and die again, even for the damned, if it might be. This is His human love, and quite worthy of Him; He knows it must not be, bows His head, after a long struggle to the will of God -His own will, as God-and says, not my will (His human), but Thine (His divine) be done. This seems the clearest and most intelligible explanation of His prayer. S. Catherine of Sienna has put it forth as the only one; still there are several others. His prayer in the garden was by way of preparation for the sufferings He was about to undergo.

1Gethsemani.-This means a winepress. It was prophesied that He should tread the winepress alone.

2Sit you here. He makes the eight stay at a good distance from Him.

Peter and the two sons of Zebedee.-These were His nearest and most trusted children. They saw His Transfiguration, and knew His secrets more than the others.

My soul is sorrowful.-His new sorrow was terrible. He always seemed sad, but now there came a sorrow upon Him which made Him exclaim.

Upon his face.-Another Evangelist says upon His knees. He fell upon His knees, and bowed His head down to the ground.

"Not as I will, but as thou wilt.-This shows that Our Lord had two wills, the human and the divine. As man he would save all, as God he must condemn many.

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40. Et venit ad discipulos suos, et invenit eos dormientes, et dicit Petro: "Sic non potuistis unâ horâ vigilare mecum?

41. "Vigilate et orate, ut non intretis in tentationem. Spiritus quidem promptus est, caro autem infirma.”

42. Iterùm secundò abiit, et oravit dicens: "Pater mi, si non potest hic calix transire nisi bibam illum, fiat voluntas tua."

43. Et venit iterùm, et invenit eos dormientes: erant enim oculi eorum gravati.

44. Et relictis illis, iterùm abiit et oravit tertiò, eumdem sermonem dicens.

40. And he cometh to his disciples, and 'findeth them asleep and he saith to Peter: "What! could you not watch one hour with me.

41. Watch ye, and pray, that ye enter not into temptation. "The spirit, indeed, is willing, but the flesh weak.

42. Again he went the second time, and prayed, saying: O my Father, if this chalice cannot pass away "except I drink it, thy will be done.

43. And he cometh again, and findeth them asleep: for their eyes were heavy.

44. And leaving them, he went away again: and he prayed the third time, saying "the same words.

Gethsemani gives a wonderful lesson. Here is Our Lord in agony, praying, suffering and sweating His precious blood in pleading with His Father for the salvation of souls. His own disciples, His chosen three are asleep. This is the

world still. The Lord struggles and we are apathetic and asleep. Judas and his crowd of hirelings were not asleep. They were on foot, with their torches, and ropes, and staves, and enmities.

Catholics are asleep in many countries, and allow the wicked, who are ever active, to make their laws to tie up the ministers of God, and to trample on Christianity.

Where was the love they were so profusely proclaiming towards Our Lord? The Apostles behaved most meanly and wretchedly on this occasion. S. Luke says they slept for grief, Luke xxii. 45. He is very charitable, and was a physician. They were to be condemned by every standard of friendship, and yet Our Lord excuses them. "The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

1Findeth them asleep.-They were after supper, and sleep in the open air is quite pleasant in semi-tropical climates. In fact most people do so sleep in the hot season when the weather permits.

2What!-He addresses himself to Peter. Peter was the most energetic in his professions of attachment, and this is the begininng of his prevarication.

3That ye enter not.-If they will not watch with Him, if their love of him has grown so cold already, let them watch for their own sakes. Self-interest might prevail with them; and He knew what was coming.

The spirit indeed.-Our Divine Lord could excuse everything. He excused even His executioners. Delightful love of His generous heart. "Except I drink it.-This was the condition of our redemption, and He accepted it. Yet he would have us all saved.

"He cometh again.-Although Our Lord was so much engaged with His prayer, He did not forget the salvation and heavenly interests of His children.

"The same words.-When we learn a good prayer it is well to repeat it. Hence the Rosary and Litanies.

Sleep of the Apostles.

Our Lord in the garden:

Ist. Figure of Christian coldness.

Ist. Prayed most fervently.

2nd. Was careful of His

3rd. Encouraged, excused,

2nd. Want of watching in Apostles. time of danger.

3rd. Lets us fall when it exalted and gave them good

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