Sacred Struggle with Sorrow Matthew 26:34–46

As we begin our Lenten journey, we step into the garden of Gethsemane and sit with Jesus in his sorrow. In Gospel of Matthew 26, we encounter a Christ who is “overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.”

In a culture that has discipled us into comfort, convenience, and constant distraction, Lent invites us to slow down and resist the instinct to avoid what hurts. Yet in the garden, Jesus shows us another way: to feel our grief honestly, to bring trusted companions close, and to wrestle with God without masks or clichés.

Alongside Jesus’ anguish, we reflect on Psalm 88, the dark psalm that refuses to tidy up its pain with easy hope. Together, these texts give us permission to lament, to pray when God feels distant, and to admit that sometimes we are not o ...