Brother Howard Coop
Chaplain of Lancaster Lodge #104 F & AM
FAILURE DOES NOT HAVE TO BE FINAL
Brother Howard Coop is a frequent contributor to such Masonic publications as; THE COMMUNICATOR, THE SCOTTISH RITE JOURNAL, and THE ROYAL ARCH MASON
Sunday, November 15, 1970 was a very pleasant day in Israel. The sky was cloudless, and the sun was pleasantly warm. After viewing the ancient city of Jerusalem from the top of the Mount of Olives, we were taken to a place called Gethsemane.
There, we saw an enclosed garden and the Church of All Nations that, in 1924, was erected over a large rock called the Rock of Agony that was left visible. As we stood in awe of that rock, our guide reverently reminded us that, on the night of his betrayal, Jesus went there and prayed in great agony. As he prayed, “his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.”
Early in life that event was indelibly etched on my mind, and I assumed that a miracle had happened. But I learned that science has discovered that, with sufficient agony, the sweat glands of the human body can produce blood-colored sweat. So, the agony of Jesus was real and great.
After viewing the Rock of Agony, we were taken by our guide to the garden where we were shown an old olive tree. Because of the nature of olive trees, that old tree, we were reminded, could have been there two thousand years ago. Under that tree, or another one like it, Jesus, we were told, left Peter, James, and John with the pointed instruction, “Stay here and keep watch over me.” But they failed to keep that assignment. When Jesus returned, he found his three trusted friends to whom he had given an assignment asleep; an opportunity given to them had vanished, and he was disappointed. Yet, he said to them, “Rise, let us go!” More responsibilities were ahead, and new challenges faced them.
In daily life, opportunities, for one reason or another, are often missed, and failures happen too often. But failure does not have to be final. With the proper attitude and determination, life can go on to greater responsibilities and better things.
.