Stay awake and pray, so that you do not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
This saying is one of the great rules of the Christian life. Watchfulness and prayer are a protection against temptation. The Lord does not say only, “Have a good desire,” but commands spiritual alertness and prayer that depends on God. The words “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” reveal the disciples’ condition: they truly wanted to be faithful, but their human weakness was great. This does not justify sin, but shows the remedy: prayer. Whoever knows his weakness does not trust in himself, but relies on the grace of God.