Jesus, having prayed this prayer, left with his disciples and crossed over the brook Kidron at a place where there was a garden. He and his disciples entered it…John 18:1, The Message

Then God planted a garden in Eden, in the east. He put the Man he had just made in it. God made all kinds of trees grow from the ground, trees beautiful to look at and good to eat. The Tree-of-Life was in the middle of the garden, also the Tree-of-Knowledge-of-Good-and-Evil. Genesis 2:8-9, The Message

For humanity’s first home, God chose a garden. It was here that humanity grasped for the knowledge of good and evil, then hid from God because they were afraid of what God might do to them because of it.

For his last night of freedom, for the place of a friend’s betrayal, God-With-Us chose a garden. It was here that Jesus was betrayed by a friend.

Why in a garden? I’m not sure. But for me, a garden is a place of life, a life-giving and nurturing space. It’s a place where the holy walks in nature. Perhaps that’s why: it’s the place that cannot be blamed for choosing betrayal and death.

Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can’t bear grapes by itself, but only by being joined to the vine, you can’t bear fruit unless you are joined with me. John 15:4

Abide in me as I abide in you. John 15:4a, NRSVue

Who lives in you? Who makes a home in your deepest self, and who holds you in theirs? Cullen, Ted, Elisabeth, Elizabeth, Eun Joo, Jeanne, Diane, Heidi; Aleph, Barney, Magic, Taylor, Frank. My children, husband, parents, siblings. These are the ones who live in my heart – mentors and friends, beloved pets, and the ones who share my DNA and physical addresses.

What if we dare to let Jesus take up residence in our heart of hearts? What if we welcome God-With-Us into our souls as we would a best friend who stops by – without worry of judgement at our imperfections, and confident that we are loved as is?

What if we claim our home in Jesus, not as a vacation rental but as our permanent address?

If we dare, then every place we go, we are at home – and everyone we meet is family.