Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Mark 16, 9-15
When Jesus had risen, early on the first day of the week,
he appeared first to Mary Magdalene,
out of whom he had driven seven demons.
She went and told his companions who were mourning and weeping.
When they heard that he was alive
and had been seen by her, they did not believe.
After this he appeared in another form
to two of them walking along on their way to the country.
They returned and told the others;
but they did not believe them either.
But later, as the Eleven were at table, he appeared to them
and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart
because they had not believed those
who saw him after he had been raised.
He said to them, “Go into the whole world
and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.”
Mary Magdalene
1. He appeared. Jesus welcomes everyone and cares about each person. He doesn’t judge people by their qualifications; He sees their hearts. Those who serve in and for the Church weren’t chosen for being the most talented or outstanding—He chose us because it was His will. This is how Mary Magdalene went from being an outcast to becoming an active member of the community, from being a public sinner to being a public proclaimer of the living Christ.
2. Weeping. Life is hard—there’s no denying that—but we must also be open to good news. Don’t keep searching for more reasons to be sad and stop dwelling on things that keep you trapped. You must be open to listening and, above all, to allowing yourself to be comforted and supported. Whether you like it or not, we all need others along the way. Don’t shut yourself off; remember that we always need one another.
3. Go! That’s why you and I, as believers, need to go out and spread the word. We shouldn’t be wasting time debating whether a procession should go left or right when there are people struggling to find hope. We shouldn’t keep arguing about which Bible translation is better when some people don’t even know who Jesus is. Clergy and religious leaders keep fighting and criticizing one another, but there are still so many people who have yet to discover God’s love.
Never forget that something good is on the way!
God bless you and protect you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
