Gethsemane

I received the BYU Alumni magazine for Feb. the other day and this painting was on the cover. It immediately caught my attention. I recognized the scene immediately although I had never seen the actual painting before in my life. I was caught off guard at the powerful emotion I felt and found myself blinking back tears. Only a few other paintings have had that affect on me.

It is by Carl Bloch, a Danish painter. a painter who has done dozens of paintings that my Church has used in many of its publications throughout the years... Many I have grown up with since childhood, but this one is different.  For me, the most magnificent of all of them and I only saw it 3 days ago.

I have seen many paintings depicting Jesus' atonement in the Garden of Gethsemane.  But none like this one.....Never have I seen one with a comforting angel as this one....one with such authenticity and empathy emanating in His behalf.  Never have I seen the profound physical closeness of someone with the Savior as this angel is.  Jesus' arm around the knee is the centerpiece for me. It somehow illustrates that Jesus, felt the burden to such a degree that he needed a special kind of support... The Heavenly kind, the kind that he could actually rely upon because there was nothing in this world that could have provided him to count on for this unique and distinctively special experience.

Then angel's knee.....it shows support....but not "too much"....rather just "enough", but does not take the burden away.... the Angel's hand on Jesus' arm further suggests closeness, but its' touch is jut light enough so as to not interfere, distract or impede what must shortly come to pass by Jesus alone.  The curve of the Angel's head resting upon Jesus' is extraordinary as well.

Can you imagine getting that assignment?  Of all the important milestones in all of God's creations I cannot fathom being the one, invited to attend the Son of God during His agony in Gethsemane so he could offer the Atonement, the single most important event that has ever taken place.  Can you imagine the look in Heavenly Father's eyes, imploring the angel to convey all the Love possible from the Father.  What an unreal thing to consider.  Surely, this angel was endowed with special gifts and power to be able to provide the perfect amount of comfort.  Probably no words were uttered, which this painting suggests.... We do know there was an angel.  This is exactly how I will choose to believe it happened.  Nothing else comes close.  I am so grateful for this image and how it affected me.  I pray it will linger for a long time.  I need it to...

Gethsemane, transliteration of Aramaic. "Gat-Shemanim" which means 'oil press' or the crushing place. It brings particular irony and fitting context as it is also the garden where the Agony of Jesus took place.

 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

                                                                                                  ---  St. Luke 22:41-44