Gospel: 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.”
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Reflection:
Do you
believe that Jesus has risen? Well and good if you believe for He has indeed
risen and appeared first to Mary Magdalene. Mary Magdalene believed this too
for she saw Him personally and she conversed with the risen Lord.
But when she
told the disciples that Jesus had risen they did not believe they instead
continued to mourn the death of Jesus. The disciples finally believed only when
Jesus personally appeared before them. And right there Jesus rebuked them for
their lack of faith in His resurrection.
Perhaps the
guiding principle of the disciples who did not believe is to see is to believe.
For they only believed in the resurrection when He personally appeared to them.
Were they already lacking in faith when they did not believe what Mary
Magdalene told them? Yes! Lack of faith was slowly but surely creeping into
their system until they saw Jesus in the flesh!
The folly of
not believing or lack of faith is we will not benefit from Jesus if we don’t
have faith or we don’t believe. We will not be healed by Jesus if we lack faith
or we don’t believe.
How strong is
your faith in the Risen Lord? - Marino J. Dasmarinas
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