EASTER SATURDAY READINGS AND REFLECTION: GO INTO THE WORLD AND PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL (Mk 16:9-15)

READING I
Acts 4:13–21
Observing the boldness of Peter and John and perceiving them to be uneducated, ordinary men, the leaders, elders, and scribes were amazed, and they recognized them as the companions of Jesus. Then when they saw the man who had been cured standing there with them, they could say nothing in reply. So they ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin, and conferred with one another, saying, “What are we to do with these men? Everyone living in Jerusalem knows that a remarkable sign was done through them, and we cannot deny it. But so that it may not be spread any further among the people, let us give them a stern warning never again to speak to anyone in this name.”
So they called them back and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. Peter and John, however, said to them in reply, “Whether it is right in the sight of God for us to obey you rather than God, you be the judges. It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.” After threatening them further, they released them, finding no way to punish them, on account of the people who were all praising God for what had happened.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM
R. I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me.
Or: Alleluia.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
My strength and my courage is the Lord,
and he has been my savior.
The joyful shout of victory
in the tents of the just.
R. I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me.
Or: Alleluia.
“The right hand of the Lord is exalted;
the right hand of the Lord has struck with power.”
I shall not die, but live,
and declare the works of the Lord.
Though the Lord has indeed chastised me,
yet he has not delivered me to death.
R. I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me.
Or: Alleluia.
Open to me the gates of justice;
I will enter them and give thanks to the Lord.
This is the gate of the Lord;
the just shall enter it.
I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me
and have been my savior.
R. I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me.
Or: Alleluia.

ALLELUIA
This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.

GOSPEL
Mk 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.”

Gospel Commentary

Today’s Gospel presents to us the last chapter of St. Mark. It is remarkable how St Mark stresses the disciples’ disbelief and their reluctance to accept the fact of the Resurrection, even though Jesus has already foretold it (cf. Mk 8:31; 9:31; 10:34). This resistance shown by the Apostles, however, serves as a further guarantee of the truth of Jesus’ Resurrection for they were to be direct, specially-appointed witnesses to the risen Christ. At first they were reluctant to accept this role until they had personal, direct proof of the truth of the Resurrection.
The Apostles needed, in addition to faith in the risen Christ, clear evidence of his Resurrection, for they were to be the eye witnesses, key witnesses who would proclaim it as an irrefutable fact. In this connexion St Gregory the Great comments:

“The reason why the disciples were slow to believe in the Resurrection was not so much due to their weakness as to our future firmness in the faith; what other purposes does this have (the very Resurrection being demonstrated by many arguments to those who were in doubt) than that our faith should be strengthened by their doubt?” (In Evangelia homiliae, 16).

Prior to his Ascension into heaven, Jesus gives his Apostles the mission to go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel. Today, though the Gospel has been preached to the four winds, many people still don’t know Christ. And those who know him, do not live accordingly to their faith.

Let us not forget that by virtue of our Baptism, we have been called to holiness and apostolate. This apostolic mission is not only reserved to the successors of the Apostles (Bishops) and their collaborators (priests), but rather is a task given by Jesus to all the baptized, above all the laity, men and women from all walks of life, of every profession, race, age and culture, who live in the middle of the world.
Through their prayer, sacramental life, daily struggle to live the virtues wherever they may be, and their personal apostolate of friendship, beginning in their family and social circles, Christ could finally be known and be placed at the summit of all human activities.
If, however, Christians were to remain indifferent, enclosed in their own personal worries, or are lukewarm, evil and all its consequences will have the upper hand whether be in homes, workplaces, in the society…in the world.

Lord, what am I doing daily to make you known and bring souls closer to you?

Stay safe and God bless,
Fr. Rolly Arjonillo

VIDEO REFLECTION
TOPIC: DO YOU BELIEVE IN THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS ENOUGH TO SPREAD THE GOOD NEWS TO EVERYONE?

The book of Mark in today’s gospel reading somewhat summarizes the longer gospel readings of Jesus’ resurrection we have had for this week from John, Luke and Matthew. This included Jesus’ appearance to Mary Magdalene, to the disciples going to Emmaus and to the bigger group of disciples in the upper room.The common thread running through this summary is the skepticism of the disciples on the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. No one, even among Jesus’ closest circle, was prepared to believe. It was through these stubborn and unsure disciples that Jesus entrusted His world-wide mission.

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