Gethsemane

Two thousand year old olive trees stood guard at the Garden of Gethsemane. Splashes of red, pink, yellow, and purple flowers colored the ground beneath the ancient, gnarled trees. An iron fence surrounded the portion of garden remaining from long ago. Our tour group strolled along the walk bordering the fence and headed into the Church of the Nations. Catholics from around the world contributed to the building and upkeep of the church on the Garden grounds.
Gray clouds and a light mist added to the somber mood of the site where Jesus prayed before He was arrested. A silence fell over visitors when they entered the dark, solemn church.
In front of the altar a gigantic, gray rock protruded from the floor. An iron crown of thorns circled the rock as a reminder of Jesus’ torture. Group members surrounded the rock and knelt to touch it. As I touched the rock, I thought of the agony Jesus endured that night as He prayed in the Garden. I looked up at the huge painting behind the altar. It depicted Jesus lying against a rock and praying. We were feeling the rock that tradition says is the one where Jesus prayed.
My hand slipped to the iron spikes, and I grabbed the thorns. To me the crown of thorns was more significant than the rock itself. What horrible cruelty He suffered to save us.
Silently our group filed into the first two pews of the church and began singing Amazing Grace. After the first verse we stopped singing and sat in reverent silence. Directly in front of us by the rock, a lady from India, in her traditional clothing, continued the song. In her clear, sweet voice she sang to Jesus. Our group joined her on the next verse.
What a perfect way to close our time in the Church of the Nations. Christians from widely different cultures and parts of the world united in praising God.