Word to the Wise
Saturday, April 27, 2019 - Octave of Easter - Sat
[Acts 4:13-21 and 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 they 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." [Mark]
This gospel passage is known by scripture scholars as the "Marcan Appendix." It does not appear to have been part of the original but was added by others possibly because the original ending seemed too abrupt. Nevertheless, the Church considers it to be inspired just as the rest of that gospel is inspired. The principal theme in the gospel of the disciples' difficulty in understanding Jesus' identity continues and they are rebuked for their unbelief. However, Jesus gives them their marching orders "go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature."
The account in the first scripture today from the Acts of the Apostles shows that once the Pentecostal event occurred, the disciples began to take Jesus' commission seriously and dared the local authorities to stop them. It is this kind of courage and faith that made it possible for the gospel to spread throughout the world to every creature. We stand on the shoulders of these courageous witnesses. Are we doing our part to spread the word? AMEN