Social science surveys reveal there is a significant number of people who experience intense feelings of loneliness and isolation. This is particularly surprising today when considering we have so many communication options through social media, ease of travel, and ease of communication (cell phones, video calling).
We have plenty of connections, but no genuine relationships. We think the lack of “Likes” means that we’re not liked, or even loved. This adds to people’s feelings of loneliness.
Given all of this, it can be spiritually beneficial to contemplate the loneliness experienced by Jesus during his agonizing moments in the garden of Gethsemane, and how he coped with those emotions. As he realized that he couldn’t rely on human support (his three closest disciples were sleeping), he turned to his heavenly Father. He returned from prayer a third time and found his disciples still sleeping. But where he had been distressed “to the point of death” he was now resolute and ready for the drama that was to come—his suffering and death.
Stay close to God in your trials. At the end of the day He will never fail you. God is faithful. As the Blessed Mother and St. Joseph found Jesus in the temple after agonizing for three days in search for him, we can also find God in the temple of our interior life. Go there and be with him frequently. We’ll talk more about the agony in the garden on Friday’s 𝕏 Spaces session for the second episode of Meditations. Follow me on 𝕏 to be a part of it, or check out this podcast’s portal site for resources.
