Monday of the Third Week of Easter

“The Sermon of St Stephen” by Vittore Carpaccio 1514

Readings for Monday of the Third Week of Easter [1]

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]

Readings and Commentary:[3]

Reading 1: Acts 6:8-15

Stephen, filled with grace and power,

was working great wonders and signs among the people.

Certain members of the so-called Synagogue of Freedmen,

Cyreneans, and Alexandrians,

and people from Cilicia and Asia,

came forward and debated with Stephen,

but they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke.

Then they instigated some men to say,

"We have heard him speaking blasphemous words

against Moses and God."

They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes,

accosted him, seized him,

and brought him before the Sanhedrin.

They presented false witnesses who testified,

"This man never stops saying things against this holy place and the law.

For we have heard him claim

that this Jesus the Nazorean will destroy this place

and change the customs that Moses handed down to us."

All those who sat in the Sanhedrin looked intently at him

and saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

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Commentary on Acts 6:8-15

The first deacon, St. Stephen, through his zeal had angered the Jewish community in Jerusalem (as if the Apostles were not enough). The witnesses testified that Stephen placed Jesus above Moses which was, in fact, true and there would have been no defense possible. There were two other charges: Stephen also disputed the centrality of the temple (“saying things against this holy place “), including its destruction. He also reminded them that through Jesus’ revelation, Mosaic customs would be transformed. With the introduction of false witnesses, St. Luke draws a parallel between St. Stephen and the fate of Jesus in the hands of the Sanhedrin.

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 119:23-24, 26-27, 29-30

R. (1ab) Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!

or:

R. Alleluia.

Though princes meet and talk against me,

your servant meditates on your statutes.

Yes, your decrees are my delight;

they are my counselors.

R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!

or:

R. Alleluia.

I declared my ways, and you answered me;

teach me your statutes.

Make me understand the way of your precepts,

and I will meditate on your wondrous deeds.

R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!

or:

R. Alleluia.

Remove from me the way of falsehood,

and favor me with your law.

The way of truth I have chosen;

I have set your ordinances before me.

R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!

or:

R. Alleluia.

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Commentary on Ps 119:23-24, 26-27, 29-30

This psalm extols those who follow the Law of Moses. The response praises those who are steadfast in its observance. Psalm 119 takes the form of an acrostic poem. (Each of the eight verses of the first strophe begins with the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet (aleph). Each verse of the second strophe begins with the second letter (beth) and so on.) The psalm is one of the longest, and while its genre is somewhat mixed between wisdom, hymn, and lament, the entire work is in praise of the Law. In this instance, that is ironic; in the reading from Acts, St. Stephen has just pointed to the fact that Jesus redefines Mosaic Law.

CCC: Ps119:30 2465

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Gospel: John 6:22-29

[After Jesus had fed the five thousand men, his disciples saw him walking on the sea.]

The next day, the crowd that remained across the sea

saw that there had been only one boat there,

and that Jesus had not gone along with his disciples in the boat,

but only his disciples had left.

Other boats came from Tiberias

near the place where they had eaten the bread

when the Lord gave thanks.

When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there,

they themselves got into boats

and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus.

And when they found him across the sea they said to him,

"Rabbi, when did you get here?"

Jesus answered them and said,

"Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me

not because you saw signs

but because you ate the loaves and were filled.

Do not work for food that perishes

but for the food that endures for eternal life,

which the Son of Man will give you.

For on him the Father, God, has set his seal."

So they said to him,

"What can we do to accomplish the works of God?"

Jesus answered and said to them,

"This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent."

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Commentary on Jn 6:22-29

This dialogue with the people begins St. John’s great discourse on the bread of life. In this selection Jesus begins by telling the crowd, which had just been witness to the feeding of the multitude with the barley loaves, that they should focus on spiritual food rather than filling their stomachs. The use of the word “bread” in this entire section is a metaphor for “doctrine.” His reference here is that through their belief in him as the Son of God, they are doing God’s will.

CCC: Jn 6 1338; Jn 6:26-58 2835

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Reflection:

Heavenly Father, we humbly pray that those suffering from the coronavirus be returned quickly to full health by the power of your Son’s healing presence, and those in fear be calmed through the Holy Spirit.

In Christ’s name we pray. – Amen.

The Acts of the Apostles speak of the ministry of St. Stephen, the first deacon (and first martyr of the Church). He is doing more than he was ordained to do if you will remember earlier. His initial call was to make sure the widows and orphans of the Greek Christians were getting what they needed. Yet, here he is, filled with grace and power, working great wonders and signs among the people. It is instructive that the actions he performed on behalf of those widows and orphans should feed his spirit and cause him to appear suddenly, filled with the Spirit, performing signs among the people.

As we have seen in other parts of scripture, Christians must believe that faith without action is empty. “For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his own face in a mirror.  He sees himself, then goes off and promptly forgets what he looked like.” (James 1: 23-24)  We believe that true faith must manifest itself in the world through the actions of believing individuals and a believing community.  These actions not only do good things for others, but also proclaim our belief in the Father.  We are instructed to do this by Christ in St. John’s Gospel as he tells us: “This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.”

As we see in St. Stephen, deep faith in Christ, coupled with the gift of the Holy Spirit, is a powerful thing. It cannot be hidden or contained. It must shine forth in various ways. In many cases, the person in whom this Spirit resides, and in whom it shines out, does not even realize that they are a beacon.

Discerning what God wants us to do and be is a lifelong process. Many holy people have recommended that if we do the simple, inwardly focused, building of our own faith, those actions which glorify the Father naturally result.

Just in case a person new to the faith reads these words and thinks, “Gosh, that’s easy enough,” watch carefully what happens next to St. Stephen. There are people in his story that do not appreciate what he is doing and saying, even if it is coming from God. Like our Lord, all but one of the Apostles discovers that being filled with faith is not a safe road for our earthly bodies.

In this strange year where many of us will not be able to receive the Blessed Sacrament or celebrate as a community in our houses of worship, we must be prepared to receive spiritual communion in prayer:

My Jesus,

I believe that You

are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.

I love You above all things,

and I desire to receive You into my soul.

Since I cannot at this moment

receive You sacramentally,

come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You.

Amen.

Pax

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[1] The picture used is “The Sermon of St Stephen” by Vittore Carpaccio 1514.

[2] S.S. Commemoratio

[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.

Third Sunday of Easter

Catechism Links[1]

CCC 1346-1347: The Eucharist and the experience of the disciples at Emmaus

CCC 642-644, 857, 995-996: The apostles and disciples as witnesses of the Resurrection

CCC 102, 601, 426-429, 2763: Christ the key to interpreting all Scripture

CCC 457, 604-605, 608, 615-616, 1476, 1992: Jesus, the Lamb offered for our sins

“The Supper at Emmaus” by Le Nain brothers 1645

Readings for the Third Sunday of Easter[2]

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible[3]

Readings and Commentary:[4]

Reading I: Acts 2:14, 22-33

On the day of Pentecost, Peter stood up with the Eleven,

raised his voice, and proclaimed:

"You who are Jews, indeed all of you staying in Jerusalem.

Let this be known to you, and listen to my words.

"You who are children of Israel, hear these words.

Jesus the Nazorean was a man commended to you by God

with mighty deeds, wonders, and signs,

which God worked through him in your midst, as you yourselves know.

This man, delivered up by the set plan and foreknowledge of God,

you killed, using lawless men to crucify him.

But God raised him up, releasing him from the throes of death,

because it was impossible for him to be held by it.

For David says of him:

I saw the Lord ever before me,

with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.

Therefore my heart has been glad and my tongue has exulted;

my flesh, too, will dwell in hope,

because you will not abandon my soul to the nether world,

nor will you suffer your holy one to see corruption.

You have made known to me the paths of life;

you will fill me with joy in your presence.

My brothers, one can confidently say to you

about the patriarch David that he died and was buried,

and his tomb is in our midst to this day.

But since he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn an oath to him

that he would set one of his descendants upon his throne,

he foresaw and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ,

that neither was he abandoned to the netherworld

nor did his flesh see corruption.

God raised this Jesus;

of this we are all witnesses.

Exalted at the right hand of God,

he poured forth the promise of the Holy Spirit

that he received from the Father, as you both see and hear."

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Commentary on Acts 2:14, 22-33

This is the first of the six professions (“kerygma” or proclamations) in Acts about the resurrection set immediately following the Pentecost event. In this proclamation, Peter, speaking to the Jews in Jerusalem (many of whom would have been in the crowd that saw Jesus crucified), first tells them that: “This man (Jesus)” demonstrated, through “signs and wonders,” that he was the Christ. He then makes the accusation: “you killed,” and concludes with, “but God raised him up.” He reminds them that David had been promised an eternal dynasty (quoting Psalm 16:8-11), and  that promise had been fulfilled in the resurrected Messiah, Jesus.

CCC: Acts 2:22 547; Acts 2:23 597, 599

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 16:1-2a and 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11

R. (1) Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge;

I say to the LORD, "My Lord are you."

O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup,

you it is who hold fast my lot.

R. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.

or:

R. Alleluia.

I bless the LORD who counsels me;

even in the night my heart exhorts me.

I set the LORD ever before me;

with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.

R. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices,

my body, too, abides in confidence;

Because you will not abandon my soul to the nether world,

nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption.

R. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.

or:

R. Alleluia.

You will show me the path to life,

fullness of joys in your presence,

the delights at your right hand forever.

R. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.

or:

R. Alleluia.

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Commentary on Ps 16:1-2a and 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11

Psalm 16 is a song of thanksgiving that has become prophetic. It speaks clearly of the resurrection accomplished in Christ. It is a hymn of trust in God. Each strophe ends with an affirmation of faithfulness. Key, in the context of the Easter season, is the idea of trust in God who has conquered death and offers the same gift. ("Because you will not abandon my soul to the nether world, nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption.") The psalmist prays that God will shield the faithful from harm, and expresses confidence in the Lord’s salvation; closing the passage with praise for God’s loving mercy.

CCC: Ps 16:9-10 627

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Reading II: 1 Peter 1:17-21

Beloved:

If you invoke as Father him who judges impartially

according to each one’s works,

conduct yourselves with reverence during the time of your sojourning,

realizing that you were ransomed from your futile conduct,

handed on by your ancestors,

not with perishable things like silver or gold

but with the precious blood of Christ

as of a spotless unblemished lamb.

He was known before the foundation of the world

but revealed in the final time for you,

who through him believe in God

who raised him from the dead and gave him glory,

so that your faith and hope are in God.

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Commentary on 1 Pt 1:17-21

This selection is concerned primarily with the call of God's people to holiness and to mutual love. St. Peter encourages them to act in accord with their call, and through those actions accept their redemption through the blood of Christ.

At the beginning of the passage, St. Peter cautions the faithful: “If you invoke as Father him who judges impartially […] conduct yourselves with reverence.” “Refers to addressing God as ‘Abba’ or ‘Father’ in prayer (Matthew 6:9; Romans 8:15; CCC 2780-82).” – “impartially: i.e. with absolute fairness. Because God exercises perfect justice, he cannot be bribed to show favoritism toward some and not others (Deuteronomy 10:17) according to his deeds.”[5]

The “unblemished lamb” is a clear reference to the Passover lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7) whose blood caused death to pass by (Exodus 12:1-14), the expression of God’s salvation.

CCC: 1 Pt 1:18-20 602; 1 Pt 1:18-19 517; 1 Pt 1:18 622; 1 Pt 1:19 613

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Gospel: Luke 24:13-35

That very day, the first day of the week,

two of Jesus' disciples were going

to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus,

and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred.

And it happened that while they were conversing and debating,

Jesus himself drew near and walked with them,

but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him.

He asked them,

"What are you discussing as you walk along?"

They stopped, looking downcast.

One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply,

"Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem

who does not know of the things

that have taken place there in these days?"

And he replied to them, "What sort of things?"

They said to him,

"The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene,

who was a prophet mighty in deed and word

before God and all the people,

how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over

to a sentence of death and crucified him.

But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel;

and besides all this,

it is now the third day since this took place.

Some women from our group, however, have astounded us:

they were at the tomb early in the morning

and did not find his body;

they came back and reported

that they had indeed seen a vision of angels

who announced that he was alive.

Then some of those with us went to the tomb

and found things just as the women had described,

but him they did not see."

And he said to them, "Oh, how foolish you are!

How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke!

Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things

and enter into his glory?"

Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets,

he interpreted to them what referred to him

in all the Scriptures.

As they approached the village to which they were going,

he gave the impression that he was going on farther.

But they urged him, "Stay with us,

for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over."

So he went in to stay with them.

And it happened that, while he was with them at table,

he took bread, said the blessing,

broke it, and gave it to them.

With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him,

but he vanished from their sight.

Then they said to each other,

"Were not our hearts burning within us

while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?"

So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem

where they found gathered together

the eleven and those with them who were saying,

"The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!"

Then the two recounted

what had taken place on the way

and how he was made known to them in the breaking of bread.

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Commentary on Lk 24:13-35

This story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus is found only in Luke’s Gospel. It is the first appearance of the Lord following his resurrection in Luke.  There is a mention in Mark (Mark 16;12) that is vague but probably refers to this event. The actual location of Emmaus is not known, but it is estimated that it was between seven and eighteen miles from Jerusalem. The focus of the story is the unrecognized Jesus (similar: in John 20:11-18, Mary Magdalene thought he was a gardener). 

It appears these disciples thought the unknown stranger joining them was "ignorant of events." They begin to explain their understanding of events.  Here, one of the travelers is named "Clopas." This is likely to be Luke's source for the event, and it was probably his wife who stood by the cross in St. John's Gospel. (John 19:25) [6] It is clear from the disciples' dialogue that they do not understand the true mission of the Lord, nor that he was the long-awaited Messiah whose mission is the redemption of mankind. 

"In the course of their conversation with Jesus, the disciples' mood changes from sadness to joy; they begin to hope again, and feel the need to share their joy with others, thus becoming heralds and witnesses of the risen Christ." [7]

Jesus interprets scripture and then he is recognized in the breaking of the bread (the Eucharistic reference). Luke uses the exact phrase used at the feeding of the five thousand (Luke 9:12): "he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them." Their reaction in recognizing him mirrors St. Peter's reaction immediately following as he confesses the Lord to be "The Messiah of God." (Luke 9:20)

CCC: Lk 24:13-49 1094; Lk 24:13-35 1329, 1347; Lk 24:15 645, 659; Lk 24:17 643; Lk 24:21 439; Lk 24:22-23 640; Lk 24:25-27 112, 601; Lk 24:26-27 572, 652; Lk 24:26 555, 710; Lk 24:27 555, 2625; Lk 24:30 645, 1166; Lk 24:31 659; Lk 24:34 552, 641

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Homily:

Heavenly Father, we humbly pray that those suffering from the coronavirus be returned quickly to full health by the power of your Son’s healing presence, and those in fear be calmed through the Holy Spirit.

In Christ’s name we pray. – Amen.

Emmaus – The story that was proclaimed in the Gospel of St. Luke today mentions the village by name.  Yet if you look at a map, even the earliest maps of that region, you would not find it.  Yes, there are references to it in early manuscripts and there is speculation that places it between 8 and 17 miles northeast of Jerusalem.  But as a physical place you could not go visit it if you took one of the pilgrimages to the Holy Land, except by speculation and extrapolation.  Emmaus does not exist today in a physical sense.  Yet, as a destination, it is a place we are all seeking at our own pace and in our own way.

The disciples who were traveling that way on the day the Lord was revealed in the resurrection were probably traveling there in fear.  They had seen the Son of God beaten, mocked, crucified and then skewered with a lance as he slumped dead against the cross.  The long awaited Messiah was no more.  They had seen his body hastily laid in a tomb. 

We hear echoes of the emotions they felt in the passages from Acts of the Apostles, and the First Letter of Peter.  In Acts we heard the Apostles boldly using the gift of the Holy Spirit they had just received at Pentecost, as they told their Jerusalem audience: “This man, delivered up by the set plan and foreknowledge of God, you killed, using lawless men to crucify him.”  We can almost see St. Peter pointing his finger at the members of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish leadership.  And then in St. Peter’s First Letter the Apostle says:

“conduct yourselves with reverence during the time of your sojourning,

realizing that you were ransomed from your futile conduct,

handed on by your ancestors,

not with perishable things like silver or gold

but with the precious blood of Christ

as of a spotless unblemished lamb.”

We hear the awe and reverence of the Apostle as he recalls the Savior bleeding upon the cross, the innocent Lamb of God, offering himself as our sacrifice of atonement.

Those disciples on the road to Emmaus were not just frightened; they were crushed, fleeing to a place of safety perhaps.  One record of the journey by these disciples to Emmaus, found in the manuscripts of Eusebius of Caesarea, refers to a church in the house of Cleopas in that village.  It is states that Cleopas was one of the disciples who traveled that road.  Putting the pieces together, we can speculate that they were headed for the house of Cleopas to sort things out.  As our two fleeing disciples traveled, they are joined by a stranger (we wonder if they thought he was a gardener as Mary Magdalene had just done).

It is such an easy analogy; isn’t it?  How often do we find ourselves fleeing to places of safety when we are faced with trials or difficult situations?  How often do we seek the help of God and travel that road in fear seeking answers to the things in our lives that make no sense?

And how like those frightened disciples are we?  How often do we seek answers only to find out later that the Lord has already answered us and we just did not recognize it? He was walking with us and we did not know it.

We can go further too.  When the disciples finally recognized the Lord in his Eucharistic celebration they suddenly regained their courage.  They found the strength that had left them in the fear of the moment, and ran back to Jerusalem to tell the others who they had encountered. 

Yes, the village of Emmaus does not exist on any map, but it is certainly the destination we who hope to follow Christ are constantly seeking.  We travel a path that leads to a place where the Lord will reveal himself to us in his glorified body, sitting at a table with us, and giving us the sudden knowledge that he has been walking with us the whole way, and we didn’t even know it.

Our journey this Easter season is still ahead of us as we look toward Pentecost.  As we travel that road may we all be comforted in knowing that the Lord was with us, even when we did not know he was there, and even in our isolation.

In this strange year where many of us will not be able to receive the Blessed Sacrament or celebrate as a community in our houses of worship, we must be prepared to receive spiritual communion in prayer:

My Jesus,

I believe that You

are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.

I love You above all things,

and I desire to receive You into my soul.

Since I cannot at this moment

receive You sacramentally,

come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You.

Amen.

Pax

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[1] Catechism links are taken from the Homiletic Directory, published by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 29 June 2014.

[2] The picture is “The Supper at Emmaus” by Le Nain brothers 1645.

[3] S.S. Commemoratio

[4] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.

[5] Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, © 2010, Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA. p.452.

[6] The Gospel of Luke by Pablo T. Gadenz © 2018, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids MI, p. 395.

[7] The Navarre Bible, “Gospels and Acts,” Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002, p. 513.

Feast of Saint Mark, Evangelist

“Saint Mark” by Guido Reni, 1621

Biographical Information about St. Mark [1]

Readings for the Feast of St. Mark

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]

Readings and Commentary: [3]

Reading 1: 1 Peter 5:5b-14

Beloved:

Clothe yourselves with humility

in your dealings with one another, for:

God opposes the proud

but bestows favor on the humble.

So humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God,

that he may exalt you in due time.

Cast all your worries upon him because he cares for you.

Be sober and vigilant.

Your opponent the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion

looking for someone to devour.

Resist him, steadfast in faith,

knowing that your brothers and sisters throughout the world

undergo the same sufferings.

The God of all grace

who called you to his eternal glory through Christ Jesus

will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you

after you have suffered a little.

To him be dominion forever. Amen.

I write you this briefly through Silvanus,

whom I consider a faithful brother,

exhorting you and testifying that this is the true grace of God.

Remain firm in it.

The chosen one at Babylon sends you greeting, as does Mark, my son.

Greet one another with a loving kiss.

Peace to all of you who are in Christ.

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Commentary on 1 Pt 5:5b-14

St. Peter, according to most scholars, probably wrote this letter just before his death in Rome (code named Babylon in our text today) between 65 and 67 A.D. This concluding part of his letter encourages humility and fidelity to the Lord in the face of persecution which comes from the devil. The mention of Mark at the end of this selection is probably referring to St. Mark the Evangelist.

"The Apostle concludes his exhortation with a call to humility, which should express itself in complete docility in the face of the trials God permits (verses 6-7). This last piece of advice is often found in Sacred Scripture: 'Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you' (Psalm 55:23); Jesus also teaches that we should trust in God's fatherly providence (cf. Matthew 6:19-34). 'You have such care for each one of us', St. Augustine exclaims, 'as if you had no others to care for' ("Confessions", 3, 11)." [4]

CCC: 1 Pt 5:7 322; 1 Pt 5:8 409, 2849

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 89:2-3, 6-7, 16-17

R. (2) For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

or:

R. Alleluia.

The favors of the LORD I will sing forever;

through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness.

For you have said, "My kindness is established forever";

in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.

R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

or:

R. Alleluia.

The heavens proclaim your wonders, O LORD,

and your faithfulness, in the assembly of the holy ones.

For who in the skies can rank with the LORD?

Who is like the LORD among the sons of God?

R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Blessed the people who know the joyful shout;

in the light of your countenance, O LORD, they walk.

At your name they rejoice all the day,

and through your justice they are exalted.

R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

or:

R. Alleluia.

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Commentary on Ps 89:2-3, 6-7, 16-17

Psalm 89 is a lament of the community. The psalmist rejoices in God’s steadfast support. God’s constant presence is established through the gift of his creation, proof of his omnipotence. The selection concludes inviting the faithful to rejoice in God’s presence and the justice of his judgement.

CCC: Ps 89 709

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Gospel: Mark 16:15-20

Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them:

"Go into the whole world

and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved;

whoever does not believe will be condemned.

These signs will accompany those who believe:

in my name they will drive out demons,

they will speak new languages.

They will pick up serpents with their hands,

and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them.

They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

Then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them,

was taken up into heaven

and took his seat at the right hand of God.

But they went forth and preached everywhere,

while the Lord worked with them

and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.

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Commentary on Mk 16:15-20

The verse just prior to this passage, which is the ending of St. Mark’s Gospel, indicates that the disciples are still not sure what has happened (typical of the image we have of the disciples in St. Mark's Gospel). Jesus comes to them at table, rebuking them for their unbelief. That sets the stage for this commissioning address by the Lord. Once again the disciples, now Apostles, are sent into the world with God’s blessing. This action is important because it supports the universal mission of the Twelve. In response to the Lord's instructions the Apostles went into the world, accompanied by the Holy Spirit ("while the Lord worked with them"). They demonstrated the truth that is Christ risen.

CCC: Mk 16:15-16 977, 1223; Mk 16:15 888; Mk 16:16 161, 183, 1253, 1256, 1257; Mk 16:17-18 670, 1507; Mk 16:17 434, 1673; Mk 16:18 699; Mk 16:19 659, 659; Mk 16:20 2, 156, 670

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Reflection:

Today we have a little break in our on-going stories from the Acts of the Apostles as we celebrate the Feast of St. Mark.  As a tribute to him we hear the very end of this shortest of the canonical Gospels.  Many scholars believe St. Mark was thought to be the Mark mentioned in the reading from 1st Peter we also hear today.  He was also thought to be the young man who ran away when Jesus was arrested.  If these assumptions are true, he was very familiar with the Jesus story.

Although he was not as eloquent as Matthew or Luke, nor as theologically well-grounded as John, his gospel gives us a view of the disciples that seems unvarnished.  St. Mark lets us identify with a group of followers who were not perfect and did not instantly understand the signs Jesus performed or the Lord’s identity as the Messiah.  His portrait is very believable. It balances well against John’s Gospel in which Jesus himself (in the eyes of the author) has much more foreknowledge than he does according to St. Mark.  Mark uniquely shows us Jesus Christ, True God and True Man, most clearly.  Today we see Jesus’ farewell to the Apostles as he ascends to the Father.

While we are not given the formula of “baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” as we are in Matthew (Matthew28:19), we can still see the importance placed on that conversion and the indelible change it manifests in each of us.

The reading from St. Peter gives us another glimpse into the life of the early Christian community, and reminds us, as a people who share a common faith and purpose, that we are to accept that mantle with humility.  It is a lesson we as a community learned again five decades ago when, following the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, we dropped the "Triumphant Church" attitude of: "If you're not Catholic you're going to hell."  It is a corporate learning experience many of our Protestant brethren are still struggling to learn.

We are asked to be open, inviting, and inclusive.  This supports the great paradox of Christ's teaching that we must be part of the world (in order to effect change), but be separate from it to insure we retain the ideals that define us as Christian.  Today we go out into the world once more and pray that our Christian identity is obvious to all we meet. 

Pax 

In other years: Saturday of the Second Week of Easter

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[1] The picture is “Saint Mark” by Guido Reni, 1621.

[2] S.S. Commemoratio

[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.

[4] The Navarre Bible: “Revelation and Hebrews and Catholic Letters.” Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003, p. 346.