Mark’s account of Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances is typically succinct. He emphasizes the resistance of Jesus’ followers, who refused to believe the accounts of others who encountered Jesus. Finally, Jesus appears to the whole group and scolds them for being stubborn. Then he tells them to go out and proclaim the good news everywhere. A big part of the good news is that Jesus keeps working with us—putting up with our reluctance to believe that he is truly with us, providing everything we need to share his love with the world. When life doesn’t go as we had hoped and planned, sometimes we “dig in” and refuse to let ourselves be changed. Are there some ways you might be doing that in the present reality? How might you open yourself to Jesus' presence with you right now?
The Holy Gospel Mark 16:9-15, 20
After Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. She went out and told those who had been with him, while they were mourning and weeping. But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it. After this he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them. Later he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were sitting at the table; and he upbraided them for their lack of faith and stubbornness, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation.” And they went out and proclaimed the good news everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that accompanied it.
The Four Evangelists
Watercolor
Robert Vardanovick Kamoyan (b. 1937)