Suy Niệm Thứ bẩy Tuần Phục Sinh
Qua sách Công Vụ Tông đồ, chúng ta thấy các Tông đồ đã quá sợ hãi, và trốn kín trong căn phòng trên lầu mà các cửa đã được khóa kín, họ run sợ những người do thái lùng bắt họ mỗi khi nghe những bước chân đi bên ngoài. Nhưng sau lễ Ngũ Tuần, Họ đã được biến đổi, và bây giờ họ đã ngang nhiên họ cười vào mặt những kẻ bắt nạt họ cho dù cái chết đang đe dọa trước mắt. Sau khi họ bị kéo lê tới trước mặt những nhà chức trách, thầy thượng tế, họ đã được cảnh cáo là phải im miệng và không được rao giảng về Chúa Giêsu đã sống lại nữa, nhưng họ đã phản ứng ngược lại và trả lời rất cứng rắn:” bất cứ điều gì Chúa muốn, chúng tôi làm, và Thiên Chúa muốn chúng tôi phải tiếp tục việc rao giảng của chúng tôi”.
Đôi khi chúng ta có thể bị choáng ngợp với sự sợ hãi, nhưng với ơn thiêng liêng của Chúa Thánh Thần ở trong chúng ta, chúng ta có thể làm bất cứ điều gì và tuân theo thánh ý của Thiên Chúa chính là sức mạnh và niềm vui của chúng ta. Bằng những nỗ lực riêng của mỗi người, chúng ta có thể làm được những việc tối thiểu; nhưng nếu chúng ta biết dựa vào ân sủng của Thiên Chúa, chúng ta có thể làm được bất cứ những gì chúng ta muốn làm theo ý Chúa. Thế giới hôm nay đang cần những chứng nhân biết vui tươi và can đảm. Lạy Chúa, xin ban cho chúng con sự can đảm không bao giờ cạn.
Saturday of Easter
Week
The apostles had been broken and terrified men. They cowered behind locked doors, listening in dread for the footsteps of their persecutors. But after Pentecost, it was a different story. They were transformed, and they laughed in the face of bullying and death threats. After being dragged before the authorities, they were warned to keep their mouths shut and not proclaim the risen Jesus again. Their response was simple: whatever God wants, we do, and God wants us to continue our proclamation. Sometimes we can be overwhelmed with fear, but with God’s spirit within us, we can do anything. Strength and joy come from doing the right thing and obeying the will of God.
The original shorter ending of Mark ended abruptly with the women running away and telling no one what they had seen, for they were terrified. It took the appearance of the Lord and his missioning speech to change their hearts and minds. Again, fear was powerful, but God can overcome all and make weak people into courageous witnesses for the faith. Alone and by our own efforts we can do little; with the Lord’s grace, we can do just about anything. The world needs joyful and courageous witnesses.
Lord, grant me unfailing courage.
Saturday in the
Octave of Easter 2026
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. Mark 16:9–11
Today’s Gospel from Saint Mark offers a concise summary of three of Jesus’ resurrection appearances. Rather than presenting these appearances in detail or as separate encounters, Mark strings them together to convey one clear message: fear and despair resulting from suffering must give way to faith and hope because of the Resurrection.
Mark’s Gospel begins with Jesus’ appearance to Mary Magdalene, simply stating that Jesus appeared to her. Immediately, Mark relates that Mary went to tell Jesus’ companions, including the eleven and some other followers. When Mary went to tell them Jesus had appeared to her, she found them “mourning and weeping.” After she told them Jesus had risen, “they did not believe.”
“Mourning and weeping” are the result of fear, doubt, and despair. While mourning in the form of holy sorrow can arise from genuine charity, as taught in the Beatitudes, mourning as sadness stems from a heart overcome by fear, anxiety, or doubt—each of which can lead to despair. The fruit of despair, as Mark reveals here, is disbelief.
After this account, Mark relates a shortened version of Jesus’ appearance to two disciples on the way to Emmaus. That same Easter day on which Jesus rose and appeared to Mary Magdalene, He appeared to these two disciples. They quickly returned to Jerusalem to share their experience with the eleven and other disciples, who had already disbelieved Mary Magdalene’s testimony. Once again, “they did not believe them either.”
Finally, later on the same day, Mark states: “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” (Mark 16:14). Saint Mark the Evangelist wants us to know that even the eleven remaining Apostles, along with the other disciples, did not immediately believe in the Resurrection. They did not believe until Jesus appeared before them, revealing their hardness of heart that prevented true faith in His word. Jesus rebuked them for this unbelief, showing that the heart closed to faith cannot receive the hope He offers.
If Jesus’ closest companions struggled with faith in the Resurrection and the hope that such faith brings, then we should each prayerfully reflect upon the depth of faith—or lack thereof—we have in the Resurrection.
Practically speaking, what does it mean to have faith in the Resurrection? It means that we will not face life’s crosses with self-pity, sadness, discouragement, or despair. If we understand the glory and transforming power of Christ’s Resurrection, we will immediately perceive every suffering we endure as an opportunity for grace and triumph, not defeat.
Because the disciples did not yet understand the Resurrection, they were mourning without hope. Their minds could not comprehend that the death they had witnessed just days before was now transformed into the most glorious event in human history. When Jesus appeared to them as a group, His rebuke was an act of love, to teach them they must change their understanding of His death and see it through the lens of His Resurrection. We must do the same in our lives.
Reflect today on any cross you carry or suffering you endure. Learn from the sadness and despair that led to disbelief among the disciples. Listen to our Resurrected Lord who lovingly rebukes you and invites you to see the great value in every suffering that you unite to His Cross. His Resurrection must bring a clarity that instills hope into our lives. Commit to live as the disciples did, after Jesus rebuked them, rejoicing that Jesus’ Resurrection conquers all.
Most glorious Lord, Your Resurrection transformed Your suffering and death into the means of eternal salvation for all who believe in You. Help me to be open to that transforming grace and to unite my own sufferings with Yours so that all I endure will be transformed and so that I may share in the glory of Your Resurrection. Jesus, I trust in You.
Saturday of Easter
Week 2026
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I rejoice today as I contemplate the great things you have done. I want to proclaim the joy of the Resurrection to every creature. The mystery of your Son’s Resurrection is the great sign that fills me with hope for eternal life with you.
Encountering the Word of God
1. The Fearless Proclamation of the Gospel: In the Acts of the Apostles, we see how Peter and John proclaimed the Gospel fearlessly. They were bold in their witness because they were empowered by the Holy Spirit. Although uneducated in the Law of Moses, they spoke with confidence and authority to those who had dedicated their entire lives to the study of Scripture. The Sanhedrin, in contrast to the disciples, were speechless and unable to explain the remarkable sign of the healing of the man crippled from birth. “The members of the Sanhedrin are befuddled, frustrated, and struggling to limit the damage. Their consultation about Peter and John illustrates the powerlessness of Israel’s old leadership to effectively counter the apostolic leaders of the renewed Israel” (Kurz, Acts of the Apostles, p. 83).
2. Obeying God: Jesus commanded the apostles to preach the Gospel in his name; the Sanhedrin commanded them not to speak to anyone or teach in the name of Jesus. Peter responded that, in this case, they must obey God rather than the Sanhedrin. It was impossible for them not to speak about what they had seen and heard. They were witnesses to the Resurrection, and their faith in Jesus was not in vain. They received a gift from God and wanted to share that gift with all men and women. Peter spoke of Jesus as the stone rejected by builders and quoted Psalm 118:22. Jesus is the cornerstone and there is salvation in no one else. “When the members of the Sanhedrin saw the boldness of Peter, they were taken aback. What a remarkable change in this man who had been so intimidated by a maid servant that he denied Christ three times!” (Gray, Peter, 143). Peter had been transformed by the gift of the Holy Spirit, sent by Jesus and God the Father. “That’s the gift that we must ask for if we are going to be faithful disciples on the journey. Let us pray that we may be strengthened by the gifts of the Holy Spirit so that we, like Peter, can boldly witness the love of Jesus to the world for the salvation of souls” (Gray, Peter, 143-144).
3. Supernatural Fortitude: “Peter’s frankness is indeed remarkable considering that the leaders to whom he spoke were the very ones who had handed over Jesus for execution not long before and who could easily do the same to him. Peter does not count on protection from such a threat; he knows that some of the apostles will in fact be put to death (cf. Luke 21:16). Yet he is free, and his freedom is undiminished by the danger he faces. Physical dangers cannot touch either the life that comes from the Holy Spirit (cf. Luk 21:18-19) or the gifts that come with it. The apostles’ boldness corresponds to the gift of fortitude, one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, which is marked by an invincible confidence in the victory of God’s will in one’s life” (Pimentel, Witnesses of the Messiah, 62)
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you rebuked your disciples for their unbelief and hardness of heart. Help me to overcome my own unbelief and stubbornness and fully embrace the new life of your resurrection.
Saturday of Easter
Week
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. Mark 16:9
The first person recorded in Scripture to whom Jesus appeared was Mary Magdalene. Notably, she was the one out of whom Jesus cast seven demons. Being possessed by seven demons has traditionally been understood to mean that she was completely possessed. Prior to Jesus freeing her, satan and His demons had completely taken over her will by her free submission to evil. And yet, it was to her, a woman with such a horrible past, that Jesus chose to give the honor of His first appearance. What an amazing fact!
Everyone has a past. Some have been grave sinners. Others, like Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, have never committed a mortal sin. Obviously, the beauty of a soul like Saint Thérèse is deeply admirable, and such a soul will be greatly rewarded in Heaven. But what about the grave sinner? What about those like Mary Magdalene who have lived horribly sinful lives? What does our Lord think about them?
The fact that Mary Magdalene is the first person recorded in Scripture to have seen the risen Lord should tell us much about how Jesus views a person who has greatly struggled with serious sin but has later overcome that sin and turned wholeheartedly to our Lord. Sin is demoralizing. When unrepented, it leaves a loss of dignity and integrity. However, even after one has repented, some people will continue to struggle with unhealthy guilt and shame. And for some, these struggles can become a weapon by which the evil one tries to discourage them from feeling worthy to serve our Lord with zeal and passion.
But the truth in the mind of God is that repentant sinners are true jewels and beautiful in the eyes of our Lord. They are worthy of the greatest honors. God does not dwell on our past sin. Instead, our past sin, when it has been repented of and forgiven, will be an eternal sign of the love and mercy of God.
How do you deal with your past sin? First, have you completely acknowledged it, repented of it and sought forgiveness from our Lord? If so, does it still haunt you? Does the evil one still try to remind you of your past and strip away your hope in the mercy of God?
Reflect, today, upon the most grievous of your past sins. If you haven’t yet confessed them, then do so as soon as you can. If you have, try to see your soul through the eyes of God. God does not see your past sins with anger and disgust. Rather, He sees only the depth of your conversion, sorrow and repentance. And, to Him, this is holy and beautiful. Ponder the beauty of your repentant heart and know that, as you do, you will be looking at your own heart through the eyes of God.
My most merciful God, You love the sinner and hate the sin. You love me in ways that are beyond my understanding. Help me to understand how deeply You love my heart when I completely repent. And help me to see my heart only through Your eyes. I thank You for Your love and mercy, dear Lord. Help me to love You all the more. Jesus, I trust in You.
Saturday of Easter
Week 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I rejoice today as I contemplate the great things you have done. I want to proclaim the joy of the Resurrection to every creature. The mystery of your Son’s Resurrection is the great sign that fills me with hope for eternal life with you.
Encountering the Word of God
1. They did not believe Mary Magdalene: A dominant theme in Mark’s account of the Resurrection of Jesus is not belief, but unbelief. Mark tells us that Mary of Magdala received the first appearance of the risen Jesus. But Mark doesn’t focus on their encounter or what was said between them. He focuses, rather, on the fact that when she told Jesus’ companions that he was alive and that she saw him, they did not believe her. This unbelief of the disciples fits with Mark’s account of Jesus’ passion which emphasizes how the disciples abandoned Jesus.
2. They did not believe the Two: When Mark summarizes the account of the two disciples who encountered the risen Jesus on the way to Emmaus, he doesn’t detail how Jesus explained the scriptures or how Jesus was recognized in the breaking of bread. Mark emphasizes that the companions of Jesus – his disciples – did not believe Cleopas and the other disciple – possibly, Mary, the wife of Cleopas.
3. Jesus rebuked the Eleven for their Unbelief: When Jesus appeared to the Eleven Apostles while they were at table for the evening meal, he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart. From the other Gospels, we know that Peter and John saw the empty tomb and told the others. The eleven all heard the witness of Mary of Magdala. The eleven heard the witness of the two disciples who walked with the risen Jesus for several hours. And yet they struggled to believe. Why does the Gospel of Mark emphasize this? If we remember that Mark’s Gospel was written for Gentiles in the Roman Empire almost thirty years after Jesus died and rose from the dead, we see that Mark wants to emphasize how faith in the risen Jesus was difficult even for Jesus’ eleven apostles. If they struggled to believe without seeing, it is understandable that we would too. We don’t want to hear the rebuke of Jesus. Centuries have passed, and we are called to believe those who saw the risen Jesus. The Gospel of Mark doesn’t end with the rebuke, but with the commission: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.”
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you rebuked your disciples for their unbelief and hardness of heart. Help me to overcome my own unbelief and stubbornness and fully embrace the new life of your resurrection.
Saturday of Easter
Week 2022
Opening Prayer: Lord Jesus, I believe you are alive and close to me, especially through your sacramental presence. From here, you work tirelessly to extend your kingdom. May I cling to your Church so that your love will continue to flow through me and sustain me in fulfilling the mission you have entrusted to me.
2. Alive and Seen: Faith in the risen Christ came slowly for the disciples, and Jesus had to convince them that he had risen from death. Our faith journey has its fair share of ups and downs, but we cannot deny in times of darkness or desolation what we have seen in the light and experienced in a sure moment of grace. Even though our life of prayer goes through phases, at times filled with many words and at other moments in complete silence, Jesus wants us to learn to trust that He is always near, even when it may not seem so. By loving Jesus in obscurity and darkness, our faith springs to life.
3. Go into the Whole World: Jesus knows that, at times, we will struggle in our efforts to carry out our mission, just as it was challenging for the disciples to believe in the Resurrection. We can be outwardly confident yet harbor doubts and, in other moments, hesitant to proclaim what seems certain. Jesus sees and understands our resistance and reluctance; however, he continues to send us out to "the whole world." He never despairs of us, his beloved followers. After all, it is His work taking effect through our faithfulness. "[T]he Lord has taken the initiative, he has loved us first (1 Jn 4:19), and therefore we can move forward, boldly take the initiative, go out to others, seek those who have fallen away, stand at the crossroads and welcome the outcast.” (Evangelii Gaudium #24) Listen for where the Lord is inviting you to proclaim the Good News in the current circumstances of your life.
Conversing with Christ: I have experienced the presence of God in numerous ways, not the least of which is in the sacraments given to me through the Church. I have had so many moments of strength, consolation, and peace in prayer to the risen Lord who desires to draw near. May I grow deeper in my conviction and more courageous in my response to the commission to proclaim the Gospel in every aspect of my life.
Qua sách Công Vụ Tông đồ, chúng ta thấy các Tông đồ đã quá sợ hãi, và trốn kín trong căn phòng trên lầu mà các cửa đã được khóa kín, họ run sợ những người do thái lùng bắt họ mỗi khi nghe những bước chân đi bên ngoài. Nhưng sau lễ Ngũ Tuần, Họ đã được biến đổi, và bây giờ họ đã ngang nhiên họ cười vào mặt những kẻ bắt nạt họ cho dù cái chết đang đe dọa trước mắt. Sau khi họ bị kéo lê tới trước mặt những nhà chức trách, thầy thượng tế, họ đã được cảnh cáo là phải im miệng và không được rao giảng về Chúa Giêsu đã sống lại nữa, nhưng họ đã phản ứng ngược lại và trả lời rất cứng rắn:” bất cứ điều gì Chúa muốn, chúng tôi làm, và Thiên Chúa muốn chúng tôi phải tiếp tục việc rao giảng của chúng tôi”.
Đôi khi chúng ta có thể bị choáng ngợp với sự sợ hãi, nhưng với ơn thiêng liêng của Chúa Thánh Thần ở trong chúng ta, chúng ta có thể làm bất cứ điều gì và tuân theo thánh ý của Thiên Chúa chính là sức mạnh và niềm vui của chúng ta. Bằng những nỗ lực riêng của mỗi người, chúng ta có thể làm được những việc tối thiểu; nhưng nếu chúng ta biết dựa vào ân sủng của Thiên Chúa, chúng ta có thể làm được bất cứ những gì chúng ta muốn làm theo ý Chúa. Thế giới hôm nay đang cần những chứng nhân biết vui tươi và can đảm. Lạy Chúa, xin ban cho chúng con sự can đảm không bao giờ cạn.
The apostles had been broken and terrified men. They cowered behind locked doors, listening in dread for the footsteps of their persecutors. But after Pentecost, it was a different story. They were transformed, and they laughed in the face of bullying and death threats. After being dragged before the authorities, they were warned to keep their mouths shut and not proclaim the risen Jesus again. Their response was simple: whatever God wants, we do, and God wants us to continue our proclamation. Sometimes we can be overwhelmed with fear, but with God’s spirit within us, we can do anything. Strength and joy come from doing the right thing and obeying the will of God.
The original shorter ending of Mark ended abruptly with the women running away and telling no one what they had seen, for they were terrified. It took the appearance of the Lord and his missioning speech to change their hearts and minds. Again, fear was powerful, but God can overcome all and make weak people into courageous witnesses for the faith. Alone and by our own efforts we can do little; with the Lord’s grace, we can do just about anything. The world needs joyful and courageous witnesses.
Lord, grant me unfailing courage.
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. Mark 16:9–11
Today’s Gospel from Saint Mark offers a concise summary of three of Jesus’ resurrection appearances. Rather than presenting these appearances in detail or as separate encounters, Mark strings them together to convey one clear message: fear and despair resulting from suffering must give way to faith and hope because of the Resurrection.
Mark’s Gospel begins with Jesus’ appearance to Mary Magdalene, simply stating that Jesus appeared to her. Immediately, Mark relates that Mary went to tell Jesus’ companions, including the eleven and some other followers. When Mary went to tell them Jesus had appeared to her, she found them “mourning and weeping.” After she told them Jesus had risen, “they did not believe.”
“Mourning and weeping” are the result of fear, doubt, and despair. While mourning in the form of holy sorrow can arise from genuine charity, as taught in the Beatitudes, mourning as sadness stems from a heart overcome by fear, anxiety, or doubt—each of which can lead to despair. The fruit of despair, as Mark reveals here, is disbelief.
After this account, Mark relates a shortened version of Jesus’ appearance to two disciples on the way to Emmaus. That same Easter day on which Jesus rose and appeared to Mary Magdalene, He appeared to these two disciples. They quickly returned to Jerusalem to share their experience with the eleven and other disciples, who had already disbelieved Mary Magdalene’s testimony. Once again, “they did not believe them either.”
Finally, later on the same day, Mark states: “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” (Mark 16:14). Saint Mark the Evangelist wants us to know that even the eleven remaining Apostles, along with the other disciples, did not immediately believe in the Resurrection. They did not believe until Jesus appeared before them, revealing their hardness of heart that prevented true faith in His word. Jesus rebuked them for this unbelief, showing that the heart closed to faith cannot receive the hope He offers.
If Jesus’ closest companions struggled with faith in the Resurrection and the hope that such faith brings, then we should each prayerfully reflect upon the depth of faith—or lack thereof—we have in the Resurrection.
Practically speaking, what does it mean to have faith in the Resurrection? It means that we will not face life’s crosses with self-pity, sadness, discouragement, or despair. If we understand the glory and transforming power of Christ’s Resurrection, we will immediately perceive every suffering we endure as an opportunity for grace and triumph, not defeat.
Because the disciples did not yet understand the Resurrection, they were mourning without hope. Their minds could not comprehend that the death they had witnessed just days before was now transformed into the most glorious event in human history. When Jesus appeared to them as a group, His rebuke was an act of love, to teach them they must change their understanding of His death and see it through the lens of His Resurrection. We must do the same in our lives.
Reflect today on any cross you carry or suffering you endure. Learn from the sadness and despair that led to disbelief among the disciples. Listen to our Resurrected Lord who lovingly rebukes you and invites you to see the great value in every suffering that you unite to His Cross. His Resurrection must bring a clarity that instills hope into our lives. Commit to live as the disciples did, after Jesus rebuked them, rejoicing that Jesus’ Resurrection conquers all.
Most glorious Lord, Your Resurrection transformed Your suffering and death into the means of eternal salvation for all who believe in You. Help me to be open to that transforming grace and to unite my own sufferings with Yours so that all I endure will be transformed and so that I may share in the glory of Your Resurrection. Jesus, I trust in You.
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I rejoice today as I contemplate the great things you have done. I want to proclaim the joy of the Resurrection to every creature. The mystery of your Son’s Resurrection is the great sign that fills me with hope for eternal life with you.
Encountering the Word of God
1. The Fearless Proclamation of the Gospel: In the Acts of the Apostles, we see how Peter and John proclaimed the Gospel fearlessly. They were bold in their witness because they were empowered by the Holy Spirit. Although uneducated in the Law of Moses, they spoke with confidence and authority to those who had dedicated their entire lives to the study of Scripture. The Sanhedrin, in contrast to the disciples, were speechless and unable to explain the remarkable sign of the healing of the man crippled from birth. “The members of the Sanhedrin are befuddled, frustrated, and struggling to limit the damage. Their consultation about Peter and John illustrates the powerlessness of Israel’s old leadership to effectively counter the apostolic leaders of the renewed Israel” (Kurz, Acts of the Apostles, p. 83).
2. Obeying God: Jesus commanded the apostles to preach the Gospel in his name; the Sanhedrin commanded them not to speak to anyone or teach in the name of Jesus. Peter responded that, in this case, they must obey God rather than the Sanhedrin. It was impossible for them not to speak about what they had seen and heard. They were witnesses to the Resurrection, and their faith in Jesus was not in vain. They received a gift from God and wanted to share that gift with all men and women. Peter spoke of Jesus as the stone rejected by builders and quoted Psalm 118:22. Jesus is the cornerstone and there is salvation in no one else. “When the members of the Sanhedrin saw the boldness of Peter, they were taken aback. What a remarkable change in this man who had been so intimidated by a maid servant that he denied Christ three times!” (Gray, Peter, 143). Peter had been transformed by the gift of the Holy Spirit, sent by Jesus and God the Father. “That’s the gift that we must ask for if we are going to be faithful disciples on the journey. Let us pray that we may be strengthened by the gifts of the Holy Spirit so that we, like Peter, can boldly witness the love of Jesus to the world for the salvation of souls” (Gray, Peter, 143-144).
3. Supernatural Fortitude: “Peter’s frankness is indeed remarkable considering that the leaders to whom he spoke were the very ones who had handed over Jesus for execution not long before and who could easily do the same to him. Peter does not count on protection from such a threat; he knows that some of the apostles will in fact be put to death (cf. Luke 21:16). Yet he is free, and his freedom is undiminished by the danger he faces. Physical dangers cannot touch either the life that comes from the Holy Spirit (cf. Luk 21:18-19) or the gifts that come with it. The apostles’ boldness corresponds to the gift of fortitude, one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, which is marked by an invincible confidence in the victory of God’s will in one’s life” (Pimentel, Witnesses of the Messiah, 62)
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you rebuked your disciples for their unbelief and hardness of heart. Help me to overcome my own unbelief and stubbornness and fully embrace the new life of your resurrection.
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. Mark 16:9
The first person recorded in Scripture to whom Jesus appeared was Mary Magdalene. Notably, she was the one out of whom Jesus cast seven demons. Being possessed by seven demons has traditionally been understood to mean that she was completely possessed. Prior to Jesus freeing her, satan and His demons had completely taken over her will by her free submission to evil. And yet, it was to her, a woman with such a horrible past, that Jesus chose to give the honor of His first appearance. What an amazing fact!
Everyone has a past. Some have been grave sinners. Others, like Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, have never committed a mortal sin. Obviously, the beauty of a soul like Saint Thérèse is deeply admirable, and such a soul will be greatly rewarded in Heaven. But what about the grave sinner? What about those like Mary Magdalene who have lived horribly sinful lives? What does our Lord think about them?
The fact that Mary Magdalene is the first person recorded in Scripture to have seen the risen Lord should tell us much about how Jesus views a person who has greatly struggled with serious sin but has later overcome that sin and turned wholeheartedly to our Lord. Sin is demoralizing. When unrepented, it leaves a loss of dignity and integrity. However, even after one has repented, some people will continue to struggle with unhealthy guilt and shame. And for some, these struggles can become a weapon by which the evil one tries to discourage them from feeling worthy to serve our Lord with zeal and passion.
But the truth in the mind of God is that repentant sinners are true jewels and beautiful in the eyes of our Lord. They are worthy of the greatest honors. God does not dwell on our past sin. Instead, our past sin, when it has been repented of and forgiven, will be an eternal sign of the love and mercy of God.
How do you deal with your past sin? First, have you completely acknowledged it, repented of it and sought forgiveness from our Lord? If so, does it still haunt you? Does the evil one still try to remind you of your past and strip away your hope in the mercy of God?
Reflect, today, upon the most grievous of your past sins. If you haven’t yet confessed them, then do so as soon as you can. If you have, try to see your soul through the eyes of God. God does not see your past sins with anger and disgust. Rather, He sees only the depth of your conversion, sorrow and repentance. And, to Him, this is holy and beautiful. Ponder the beauty of your repentant heart and know that, as you do, you will be looking at your own heart through the eyes of God.
My most merciful God, You love the sinner and hate the sin. You love me in ways that are beyond my understanding. Help me to understand how deeply You love my heart when I completely repent. And help me to see my heart only through Your eyes. I thank You for Your love and mercy, dear Lord. Help me to love You all the more. Jesus, I trust in You.
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I rejoice today as I contemplate the great things you have done. I want to proclaim the joy of the Resurrection to every creature. The mystery of your Son’s Resurrection is the great sign that fills me with hope for eternal life with you.
Encountering the Word of God
1. They did not believe Mary Magdalene: A dominant theme in Mark’s account of the Resurrection of Jesus is not belief, but unbelief. Mark tells us that Mary of Magdala received the first appearance of the risen Jesus. But Mark doesn’t focus on their encounter or what was said between them. He focuses, rather, on the fact that when she told Jesus’ companions that he was alive and that she saw him, they did not believe her. This unbelief of the disciples fits with Mark’s account of Jesus’ passion which emphasizes how the disciples abandoned Jesus.
2. They did not believe the Two: When Mark summarizes the account of the two disciples who encountered the risen Jesus on the way to Emmaus, he doesn’t detail how Jesus explained the scriptures or how Jesus was recognized in the breaking of bread. Mark emphasizes that the companions of Jesus – his disciples – did not believe Cleopas and the other disciple – possibly, Mary, the wife of Cleopas.
3. Jesus rebuked the Eleven for their Unbelief: When Jesus appeared to the Eleven Apostles while they were at table for the evening meal, he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart. From the other Gospels, we know that Peter and John saw the empty tomb and told the others. The eleven all heard the witness of Mary of Magdala. The eleven heard the witness of the two disciples who walked with the risen Jesus for several hours. And yet they struggled to believe. Why does the Gospel of Mark emphasize this? If we remember that Mark’s Gospel was written for Gentiles in the Roman Empire almost thirty years after Jesus died and rose from the dead, we see that Mark wants to emphasize how faith in the risen Jesus was difficult even for Jesus’ eleven apostles. If they struggled to believe without seeing, it is understandable that we would too. We don’t want to hear the rebuke of Jesus. Centuries have passed, and we are called to believe those who saw the risen Jesus. The Gospel of Mark doesn’t end with the rebuke, but with the commission: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.”
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you rebuked your disciples for their unbelief and hardness of heart. Help me to overcome my own unbelief and stubbornness and fully embrace the new life of your resurrection.
Opening Prayer: Lord Jesus, I believe you are alive and close to me, especially through your sacramental presence. From here, you work tirelessly to extend your kingdom. May I cling to your Church so that your love will continue to flow through me and sustain me in fulfilling the mission you have entrusted to me.
2. Alive and Seen: Faith in the risen Christ came slowly for the disciples, and Jesus had to convince them that he had risen from death. Our faith journey has its fair share of ups and downs, but we cannot deny in times of darkness or desolation what we have seen in the light and experienced in a sure moment of grace. Even though our life of prayer goes through phases, at times filled with many words and at other moments in complete silence, Jesus wants us to learn to trust that He is always near, even when it may not seem so. By loving Jesus in obscurity and darkness, our faith springs to life.
3. Go into the Whole World: Jesus knows that, at times, we will struggle in our efforts to carry out our mission, just as it was challenging for the disciples to believe in the Resurrection. We can be outwardly confident yet harbor doubts and, in other moments, hesitant to proclaim what seems certain. Jesus sees and understands our resistance and reluctance; however, he continues to send us out to "the whole world." He never despairs of us, his beloved followers. After all, it is His work taking effect through our faithfulness. "[T]he Lord has taken the initiative, he has loved us first (1 Jn 4:19), and therefore we can move forward, boldly take the initiative, go out to others, seek those who have fallen away, stand at the crossroads and welcome the outcast.” (Evangelii Gaudium #24) Listen for where the Lord is inviting you to proclaim the Good News in the current circumstances of your life.
Conversing with Christ: I have experienced the presence of God in numerous ways, not the least of which is in the sacraments given to me through the Church. I have had so many moments of strength, consolation, and peace in prayer to the risen Lord who desires to draw near. May I grow deeper in my conviction and more courageous in my response to the commission to proclaim the Gospel in every aspect of my life.
