Answers to God's Mysteries
By Cicily Sunny
(Continued)

Jesus at Gethsemane

The scene of Jesus at Gethsemane is a very long one, where he experienced himself as totally a man abandoned by his Father and tempted by Satan. He calls his Father more and more anxiously, begging Him to relieve him of the burden. He says, "This cup is too bitter! It is above my power. I have been able to bear everything, but not this Father. Take it away from your son! Have mercy on me! What have I done to deserve it?....But, Father, do not listen to my voice, if what I ask is against Your will. Do not remember that I am Your son, but only Your servant. Let Your will be done, not mine." (V. 5, Ch. 599, P. 535). 

He begins to moan and sob loudly, almost prostrated. He remains thus for some time. Then he utters a stifled cry and raises his face, looking very upset. Then he drops on the ground, with his face really on the earth. He looked as a worn-out man overburdened by all the sins of the world, struck by all the justice of the Father, oppressed by the darkness, the ashes, the bitterness, by that tremendous, terrible, most dreadful thing that is the abandonment by God, while Satan torments us. Then he utters some broken words about his Father, mother, will of God and Satan. 

He says, "Be off, Satan! I said so the first and second time. I repeat it for the third time. Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass me by. But let Your will be done, not mine. Be off, Satan. I belong to God." A brighter light appears above his head. The moon shines on his poor face. All the dreadful agony appears in the blood transuding from his pores. His eyelashes, hair, mustache and beard are sprinkled and covered with blood. He takes off his mantle again and wipes his hands, face, neck and forearms. Jesus seems on the point of fainting. The angelic light slowly fades away. Later it seems to vanish in the clear moonlight. He looks very weak and kneels down to pray. Satan thought that it was his best opportunity to tempt Jesus, but in vain.

The Fig Tree

The disciples have seen thousands of miracles on men and elements, but the miracle of the fig tree, that got completely dry and devoid of any sap in branches overnight after Jesus cursed it, strikes them more than many others. Jesus explains the symbolic meaning of what happened to the fig tree. He says, "They have no more sap. You are right. And it is death when there is no more sap in a plant or in a nation as well as in a religion, but there is only hard work and useless foliage: ferocity and hypocritical outward appearance. The white internal sap, full of lymph, corresponds to holiness and spirituality. The hard bark and useless foliage correspond to mankind devoid of just spiritual life. Woe to those religions that become human because their priests and believers no longer have a vital spirit. Woe to those nations whose leaders are nothing but fierceness and resounding clamor devoid of fruit-bearing ideas! Woe to men who lack the life of the spirit." (V. 5, Ch. 592, P. 429). Many Christians today are living samples of the fig tree. 

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