Meditation for Gethsemane During Lent

By Tom Boomershine

The beauty of nonviolence is that in its own way and in its own time it seeks to break the chain reaction of evil. With a majestic sense of spiritual power, it seeks to elevate truth, beaut and goodness to the throne. Therefore I will continue to follow this method because I think it is the most practically sound and morally excellent way for the Negro to achieve freedom.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Where Do We Go from Here?  (Beacon Press, p.65)

I recommend an Ignatian meditation of composition of place with the story of Jesus’ arrest in Mark 14:43-52. Imagine yourself in the garden with Jesus late on Passover night. What are the sounds, the sights, the smells, the tastes of the Passover meal and the wine, and the touches of sitting on the ground leaning against an olive tree?

One dimension of the prayer associated with this place is a prayer of willingness to accept whatever suffering and shame may be a necessary part of the fulfillment of your purpose and destiny.

This can also be a meditation on your own willingness to stand with Jesus and be counted rather than to desert him out of fear or disappointment.

One of the ironies of non-violence is that it is often harder to maintain courage as a participant in non-violent intervention than it is in situations of battle or violent confrontation. The energy to inflict others with injury or death is sometimes easier to identify than the energy to absorb suffering while maintaining a course of resistance.

Another possible dimension of this meditation is to learn from Jesus’ spirit how to engage the injustice of opponents with precise description but in a spirit of detachment rather than violent rage.

The potential gift of this meditation and of learning to tell this story with personal integrity is greater clarity about your own spirituality in relation to Jesus. Give yourself at least 15 minutes for this meditation.

Tom teaching high school students in The Gambia, March 2011

West Africa 2013

Plans are underway for a return trip to The Gambia and a first biblical storytelling teaching mission to Cameroon a year from now. This trip is led by Juliana Rowe, Director of International Missions for the Network of Biblical Storytellers, who has already spearheaded three trips to The Gambia for the purpose of promoting biblical storytelling.

GoTell will again have primary responsibility for planning the educational program. If you are interested in joining this adventure please contact us. There is nothing more meaningful or life enriching than crossing major geographical and cultural boundaries to connect with people through the stories of God.