The Garden of Gethsemane

On the slopes of the Mount of Olives is the church of Dominus Flevit -- the place where Jesus wept over the forthcoming destruction of Jerusalem (Luke 19:41-44). The dome of the church is in the shape of a teardrop and small tear-drop shaped decorations are all around. From the spot we stood, we could see a view of the Old City and the gold-topped onion-domed Church of Mary Magdalene of Russian Orthodoxy. We also saw a view of the Jewish cemetery -- monuments stretch for miles and miles outside the walls of Jerusalem. Also visible was the site of the Last Supper (the Upper Room), the house of Caiphas where Jesus was taken after his arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, and the "Rooster Crows" church where Peter denied Jesus three times. All this was inside the city walls in Jesus' time, but not today.

The view of Jerusalem was as if we were standing on the top of the world, and Jerusalem was its center. It is no wonder that Jesus cried over Jerusalem. I was close to tears myself.

At the base of the Mount of Olives lies the Kidron Valley and the Garden of Gethsemane. We walked down to the Garden. What a beautiful place is the Garden of Gethsemane where the Agony in the Garden took place and where Jesus was betrayed by Judas. We spent close to three hours in this beloved place -- had a box lunch, time to meditate and pray, and go to Confession with one of the four priests on our trip. I realized that Jesus really lived, and really died and really rose from the dead. My faith was restored and strengthened by the quiet time I had in the Garden of Gethsemane. I felt "born again."

After this, we attended Mass at the Basilica of the Agony, saw the Grotto of Betrayal, and prayed at the vacant tomb of the Virgin Mary. Controversy exists over the location of her death and assumption; some think it was in Ephesus and some think it was in Jerusalem. Then we went back to the hotel for dinner, preparation for tomorrow's event, and sleep.