I remember being a very young child when one of my grandparents died – I looked at him in the coffin and asked the adult who was with me (rather loudly) “Why is everyone crying?  He’s only sleeping, he’ll wake up, Jesus said so.”  I was quickly whisked away to another room.

This morning in our small group discussion I shared briefly some of my thoughts about Jesus asking his disciples to stay awake when they were in the garden with him before he was arrested and crucified. I feel compelled to share them with you here as well.  You see, I believe Jesus was deeply grieved at this time, he knew he was dying, he had compassion for his disciples and he knew that people can die from broken hearts.  This story about Jesus being in the garden with his disciples is recorded in Matthew 26:36-45,  Mark 14:32 – 42 and Luke 22:39-46.

It seems that when most people talk about the Gospel stories of Jesus being with his disciples and his agony in the garden focus on the impending arrest.  We rarely talk about Jesus asking his disciples to keep awake. And if we do, we talk about his desire for them to keep awake as if it’s terms of stay awake I don’t want to be arrested.  But what if his request to stay awake means more?  Remember that Jesus’ teachings often run deeper than words. I’ve pondered this request of his in regards to beliefs surrounding death.  Some teachings focus on a belief that there is a period of sleeping after death. People didn’t believe that you might go to be with God right away.  Jesus talked about going to be with His father and said his disciples couldn’t come with him right now.  (John 13: 33 – 14:1-4.    You see, Jesus had work for them to do here – he wanted them to live for him, to be his hands and feet, to continue to be the light for other people.

Sometimes when a person who is loved very much dies, the person who loved them says – I just feel like dying . . . Sadly, some do die of broken hearts.  But Jesus’ disciples didn’t – he kept waking them up in the garden while he prayed; I think that prayer might have been the prayer recorded in John 17 – it’s long, they might have taken a nap during that one, but they must have heard some of it.  One line has always remained with me when thinking about issues of grief centered around death.  That line is:  “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.”   John 17:15

The hours before his death were very important to Jesus.   People who have had loved ones minister to them while their loved one is dying often remember the things the person has said to them.    When the dying person’s loved ones are not near, sometimes the dying person will ask a Chaplain, Priest, Pastor, Minister or someone else, to give a message to their loved ones.  Having volunteered and worked in assisted living, nursing home and hospital settings I have been privileged to be a part of a process of encouraging the dying person to communicate the most important things they want their family and friends to know.  More often than not what they want communicated is their love for them and their desire for them to keep on keeping on even though the dying person won’t be with them.  Another thing they want to share is their belief that they will see each other ‘on the other side’ or ‘in heaven’ or when Jesus has their place ready.  One of the things my mother told me when she was dying was this:  “June, no matter how long you live after your mother dies, you will always miss her.  I have been missing my mother for a long time.  I hope you will miss me for a long time too.”  I cried we she told that and sometimes when I remember the conversation, like now, I shed a tear or two.  I am grateful for her sharing those thoughts and words with me.  They gave me courage to continue on in life when I felt like half my heart was taken from me. I am also grateful for my husband and children surrounding me during the difficult, early days of mourning the loss of her presence in my life, they helped me keep awake.  My mother’s words helped me keep my faith and hope in God.  Not everyone heard Jesus speak to his disciples, but those who did have shared the stories and written them down so that we can also keep awake and in keeping awake we keep God’s Love alive in this world.

Keeping awake through times of crises, keeping awake through times of grief is hard work – God knows this.  God doesn’t want people who are grieving to be sleep deprived, he wants them to be able to rest in the knowledge that their loved ones are safe in his arms.  Jesus asked his disciples to stay together . . . it’s important for people who love someone to gather together and offer remembrances, to encourage and uphold one another and to remind one another that their loved one lives because Jesus lives.  You see, those of us who know the whole story, know about the resurrection and ascension of Jesus and remember that he prayed for those who believe in him to be united with he and the Father.

Staying awake through Lent and beyond doesn’t mean we have to go through physical sleep deprivation – Keeping awake during Lent and beyond is about being spiritually alive and alert to the fact that we are alive in Christ Jesus.  Because of Christ Jesus, we are filled with the Holy Spirit because Jesus Christ gives us the Holy Spirit, sends the Spirit to us to counsel and comfort us during our lifetimes just as the Spirit was with Jesus and being united with Jesus through the Spirit, we are all united with God.

Lord, please help us to keep awake through all the tribulations of our lives, as you did, help us to pray fervently for an outpouring of your Holy Spirit.  Help us to do the work you have given us to do – to love and serve you with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and to love others as we love ourselves.  Send us your Holy Spirit that we may live in peace and unity.  AMEN