6 April, 2024 | Saturday in the Octave of Easter

 Reading Acts 4:13-21

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.”

Reflections:

The Risen Lord gives his disciples the mission: "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to the whole creation". For those who have been baptised as Christians, there is no escaping this duty. Like the great preacher Paul, we must proclaim the gospel in season and out of season. The religion of Jesus is not limited to any caste, colour or race. God's plan of salvation is for all. The measure he follows is "that they may be one, as we are one" (the priestly prayer of Jesus). Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom he expelled seven evil spirits . These could be the powers of disillusionment, defeat, discouragement, indifference, etc., or the seven deadly sins. Freed from all bondage, she now experiences an inner freedom to be for the Lord and to serve Him. And what is more, she becomes an apostle to the apostles. It is important that we are freed from the shackles of disillusionment, defeat, weariness and discouragement in order to become zealous apostles of Christ.

Action:

 I will long for a personal encounter with the Risen Lord.