Recalling the interactions of Jesus and the disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane, we know that Jesus goes off to pray and asks the disciples to stay near him while he prays. After an hour of intense prayer, Jesus returns to find his disciples asleep. Did they fall asleep because it was dark or late, or had they just eaten food and wine from the Passover meal, or was it the emotional stress of dealing with Jesus’ impending prediction of his death? What caused them to be weary? Weariness can come in many forms and with many intentions. In this lesson, Jesus warns the disciples to remain firm in their faith, as faith and prayer go hand in hand. St Augustine comments, “In order to pray, let us believe; and for our faith not to weaken, let us pray. Faith causes prayer to grow, and when prayer grows, our faith is strengthened.” Our Lord has promised his Church that this reality will remain true to its mission until the end of time. The Church, therefore, cannot go off the path of true faith. But not everyone will remain faithful, and some will turn their backs on the faith of their own accord. In this way, our Lord warns us to help us stay watchful and persevere in faith and prayer even though people around us may fall away.