“Such a sight exhausts beyond the power of words to say…”  Anna Catherine Emmerich 

“When Jesus left the Coenaculum with the Eleven, His soul was already troubled and His sadness on the increase.  He led the Eleven to the Mount of Olives by the infrequented path through the Valley of Josaphat.  As they left the house, I saw the moon, which was not yet quite full, rising above the mountain.

While walking in the Valley of Josaphat with the Apostles, the Lord said that he would one day return hither, though not poor and powerless as He then was, to judge the world.

Then would men tremble with fear and cry out:  ‘ “Ye mountains cover us! ‘”

But the disciples understood Him not.  They thought, as several times before during the evening, that from weakness and exhaustion He was wandering in speech.  Sometimes they walked on, at others stood still talking to Him.  He said to them:

‘ ” All you shall be scandalized in Me this night.  For it is written:  I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be dispersed.  But after I shall be risen again.  I will go before you into Galilee. ‘ ”

Peter exclaimed:  ‘ “Although all should be scandalized in Thee, I will never be scandalized in Thee! ‘ ”  The Lord replied:  ‘ “Amen, I say to thee that in this night before the cock crow, thou wilt deny Me thrice.’ ”

‘ “Yea, though I should die with Thee, I will not deny Thee. ‘ ”  Peter replied.  And so said all the others.

They walked and paused alternately, and Jesus’ sadness continued to increase.  The Apostles tried to dissipate it be human arguments, assuring Him that just the opposite of what He dreaded would take place.  But finding their efforts vain and fruitless, they grew weary, and began already to doubt and fall into temptation.

They crossed the brook Cedron, but not by the bridge over which later on Jesus was led bound, for they had taken a byway.

Gethsemani on Mount Olivet, whither they were going, was in a direct line one half hour from the Coenaculum.  It was fifteen minutes from the Coenaculum to the valley of Josaphat, and the same distance from the latter to Gethsemani.

The Garden of Olives was higher up the mountain.  It was about nine o’clock when Jesus reached Gethsemani with the disciples.

Darkness had fallen upon the earth, but the moon was lighting up the sky.  Jesus was very sad.  He announced to the Apostles the approach of danger, and they became uneasy.

Jesus bade eight of them to remain in the Garden of Gethsemani, where they was a summerhouse built of branches and foliage.  ‘ ”  Remain here while I go to pray in my own place..’ ”

He took Peter, John, and James the Greater with Him, crossed the road and went on for a few minutes, until He reached the Garden of Olives farther up the mountain.  He was inexpressibly sad, for He felt His approaching agony and temptation.