“Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.” – Mark 16:15

       There are many problems that people face. There are those who are financially broke, addicted to drugs, sexually abused, suicidal, products of broken homes, involved in violent gangs, etc. To the self-righteous, these are the least in the kingdom of heaven.

       The Gospel was preached and accepted. As it was cultivated, it bore fruit and the harvest came.

  Let’s go and proclaim the Gospel! Obet Cabrillas (kpreacherobet@gmail.com)

Reflection: “Proclaim the Gospel, if necessary speak!” (St. Francis of Assisi)

Lord, use my life as Your Gospel that is preached with everything I do and say. Amen.

St. Stanislaus, bishop and martyr, pray for us.

The Apostles were warned to remain silent but they continued to proclaim the Gospel, oblivious to the threats of the authorities. Some of them will be martyred but there are more than enough volunteers to take their places. The Gospel has gained unstoppable momentum even as early as this.

13 Observing the boldness of Peter and John and perceiving them to be uneducated, ordinary men, the leaders, elders and scribes were amazed, and they recognized them as the companions of Jesus. 14 Then when they saw the man who had been cured standing there with them, they could say nothing in reply. 15 So they ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin, and conferred with one another, saying, 16 “What are we to do with these men? Everyone living in Jerusalem knows that a remarkable sign was done through them and we cannot deny it. 17 But so that it may not be spread any further among the people, let us give them a stern warning never again to speak to anyone in this name.” 18 So they called them back and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 Peter and John, however, said to them in reply, “Whether it is right in the sight of God for us to obey you rather than God, you be the judges. 20 It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.” 21 After threatening them further, they released them, finding no way to punish them, on account of the people who were all praising God for what had happened.

Psalm 118:1, 14-15, 16-18, 19-21

R: I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me.

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. 14 My strength and my courage is the Lord, and he has been my savior. 15 The joyful shout of victory in the tents of the just. (R) 16 “The right hand of the Lord is exalted; the right hand of the Lord has struck with power.” 17 I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord. 18 Though the Lord has indeed chastised me, yet he has not delivered me to death. (R) 19 Open to me the gates of justice; I will enter them and give thanks to the Lord. 20 This is the gate of the Lord; the just shall enter it. 21 I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me and have been my savior. (R)

These resurrection appearances seem to be a later addition to Mark’s Gospel and leave the reader to supply the story of the resurrection with his or her own conversion experience. This reflects a conviction in the power of the resurrection experience.

This is the day the Lord has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it.

9 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. 10 She went and told his companions who were mourning and weeping. 11 When they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe. 12 After this he appeared in another form to two of them walking along on their way to the country. 13 They returned and told the others; but they did not believe them either. 14 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. 15 He said to them, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.”

think: When I reflect upon the Risen Lord, my conviction is put to the test.

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Leviticus 16-18

WE CANNOT DENY IT!

Denial is part of our everyday life. We worry about dying but we never talk about death. We worry about not being good-looking or beautiful enough, but we seldom talk about how to keep healthy, eat healthy and live healthy. Malcolm Muggeridge even says that death has become the great unmentionable, even as sex has become the most mentionable word.

       When Jesus rose from the dead, people in power and position also tried to deny His resurrection. They went to such lengths as to invent a preposterous story that must have gotten the soldiers who propagated it.

       We get in trouble, too, when we do not accept the truth. Neurosis is the non-acceptance of truth. But its opposite — the passionate, solid and firm dedication to the truth — opens us to something liberating, uplifting and worth sharing and reporting to others.

       This is the story told by Peter and John, who acted and spoke as bold witnesses. There were naysayers who flatly denied what they witnessed to.  They “ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.”

       Interestingly though, even the most rabid haters and naysayers needed to accept certain things. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows that a remarkable sign was done through them, and we cannot deny it,” they said to one another.

       Perhaps worrying too much about being healthy and trying to postpone the reality of dying can lead us to accept something that is behind it all. We long for life — life in its fullness, life unending, life eternal. Only this explains why we try everything possible to remain young, vibrant, alive, and well.

       Countless gurus and sages have come and gone, with conflicting messages about the ultimate meaning and end of life. Only one comes out as most credible — only Jesus preached about everlasting life. And only He rose from the dead to prove it. We cannot deny it! Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

REFLECTION QUESTION: What truth about your life seems most difficult for you to accept?

Lord, forgive me for the times I doubted Your presence in my life or Your promises of everlasting life. Strengthen my faith, dear Lord.