The Prayers
Jesus and his disciples walked to a place called Gethsemane and he said to them, “Wait here while I go over there and pray.”
He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with him and said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay and keep watch with me.”
Jesus moved away a little and fell to the ground as he prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” His disciples were asleep when he returned and Jesus observed, “Couldn’t you keep watch with me for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” When he came back to the disciples, again they were fast asleep so he left them, went away and prayed for a third time, saying the same thing.
Then he returned to the disciples and woke them saying, “Are you still sleeping? The hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. Look, here comes my betrayer.”
The Arrest
Jesus was still speaking when Judas arrived accompanied by a large crowd - armed with swords and clubs - and sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people.
There was a pre-arranged signal for the betrayal: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him” . Judas went straight up to Jesus, said, “Greetings, Rabbi” and kissed him. Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him.
One of Jesus’s companions drew it his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who live by the sword will die by the sword. If I called on my Father and he would at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But if I do that, how can the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?”
Turning to the crowd, Jesus said, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me in secret? You could have arrested me many a time for I have been teaching in the temple courts regularly. But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.”
In the Middle Ages, viola were known as the “Herb of the Trinity” because of their three primary colours – purple, yellow and green. The viola symbolizes everlasting love.