The Gospel of St. Mark
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...
~ Mark 16:11-13, 14a
O Jesus,
Some days I question everything. I can definitely understand why the disciples didn't believe the reports they heard that You had been seen alive. We can be a skeptical lot. Even though You told them, even though they loved and trusted You, still, it was beyond their experience and their realm of possibility. And now, today, more than 2000 years later I believe it when I read it - after all, these accounts have lasted for all this time. But I need help sometimes. While I can imagine You sitting at my table, when my heart hurts or my head isn't on straight, imagining doesn't always relieve me. Today, I'm fine, my faith is strong and so is my willingness to proclaim the Good News. Tomorrow or next week? Please, in those times, remind me to read again, to be with those so close to you who were also having trouble believing until they finally did. If they could so can I believe, and to proclaim that You are risen! Indeed! amen.
Some days I question everything. I can definitely understand why the disciples didn't believe the reports they heard that You had been seen alive. We can be a skeptical lot. Even though You told them, even though they loved and trusted You, still, it was beyond their experience and their realm of possibility. And now, today, more than 2000 years later I believe it when I read it - after all, these accounts have lasted for all this time. But I need help sometimes. While I can imagine You sitting at my table, when my heart hurts or my head isn't on straight, imagining doesn't always relieve me. Today, I'm fine, my faith is strong and so is my willingness to proclaim the Good News. Tomorrow or next week? Please, in those times, remind me to read again, to be with those so close to you who were also having trouble believing until they finally did. If they could so can I believe, and to proclaim that You are risen! Indeed! amen.
The Gospel of Mark is
thought to be the earliest of the four canonical Gospels despite its second
place in the New Testament. It has the flavor of a Reader's Digest Condensed/No
Frills Book as it chronicles the highlights of the life of Jesus without much
of the detail of the others. Biblical scholars disagree on a variety of aspects
of this Gospel, especially the ending, and the identity and biography of the
attributed author, Mark. Whoever and whatever, the words tell the story of the
One we choose to follow. The details in and about the Gospel of Mark make for
interesting reading and engaging conversations.
St. Mark is remembered on liturgical calendars of many Christian
denominations on April 25.
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