1) Opening prayer
Father,
guide us, as you guide creation
according to your law of love.
May we love one another
and come to perfection
in the eternal life prepared for us.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

2) Gospel Reading - Luke 8,19-21
Jesus’ mother and his brothers came looking for him, but they could not get to him because of the crowd.

He was told, ‘Your mother and brothers are standing outside and want to see you.’ But he said in answer, ‘My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and put it into practice.’

3) Reflection
• The Gospel today presents the episode in which the relatives of Jesus and also his Mother want to speak with him, but Jesus does not pay attention to them. Jesus had problems with his family. Sometimes the family helps one to live the Gospel and to participate in the community. Other times, the family prevents this. This is what happened to Jesus and this is what happens to us.

• Luke 8, 19-20: The family looks for Jesus. The relatives reach the house where Jesus was staying. Probably, they had come from Nazareth. From there to Capernaum the distance is about 40 kilometres. His Mother was with them. Probably, they did not enter because there were many people, but they sent somebody to tell him: “Your Mother and your brothers are outside and want to see you”. According to the Gospel of Mark, the relatives do not want to see Jesus, they want to take him back home (Mk 3, 32). They thought that Jesus had lost his head (Mk 3, 21). Probably, they were afraid, because according to what history says, the Romans watched very closely all that he did, in one way or other, with the people (cf. Ac 5, 36-39). In Nazareth, up on the mountains he would have been safer than in Capernaum.
• Luke 8, 21: The response of Jesus. The reaction of Jesus is clear: “My mother and my brothers are those who listen to the Word of God and put it into practice”. In Mark the reaction of Jesus is more concrete. Mark says: Looking around at those who were sitting there he said: “Look, my mother and my brothers! Anyone who does the will of God, he is my brother, sister and mother (Mk 3, 34-35). Jesus extends his family! He does not permit the family to draw him away from the mission: neither the family (Jn 7, 3-6), nor Peter (Mk 8, 33), nor the disciples (Mk 1, 36-38), nor Herod (Lk 13, 32), nor anybody else (Jn 10, 18).
• It is the Word of God which creates a new family around Jesus: “My mother and my brothers are those who listen to the Word of God, and put it into practice.” A good commentary on this episode is what the Gospel of John says in the Prologue: “He was in the world that had come into being through him and the world did not recognize him. He came to his own and his own people did not accept him”. But to those who did accept him he gave them power to become children of God: to those who believed in his name, who were born not from human stock or human desire, or human will, but from God himself. And the Word became flesh, he lived among us; and we saw his glory, the glory that he has from the Father as only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth. (Jn 1, 10-14). The family, the relatives, do not understand Jesus (Jn 7, 3-5; Mk 3, 21), they do not form part of the new family. Only those who receive the Word, that is, who believe in Jesus, form part of the new family. These are born of God and form part of God’s Family.
• The situation of the family at the time of Jesus. In the time of Jesus, the political social and economic moment or the religious ideology, everything conspired in favour of weakening the central values of the clan, of the community. The concern for the problems of the family prevented persons from being united in the community. Rather, in order that the Kingdom of God could manifest itself anew, in the community life of the people, persons had to go beyond, to pass the narrow limits of the small family and open themselves to the large family, toward the Community. Jesus gives the example. When his own family tried to take hold of him, Jesus reacted and extended the family (Mk 3, 33-35). He created the Community.
• The brothers and the sisters of Jesus. The expression “brothers and sisters of Jesus” causes much polemics among Catholics and Protestants. Basing themselves on this and on other texts, the Protestants say that Jesus had more brothers and sisters and that Mary had more sons! The Catholics say that Mary did not have other sons. What should we think about this? In the first place, both positions: that of the Catholics as well as that of the Protestants, start from the arguments drawn from the Bible and from the Traditions of their respective Churches. Because of this, it is not convenient to discuss on this question with only intellectual arguments. Because here it is a question of the convictions that they have and which have to do with faith and sentiments. The intellectual argument alone does not succeed in changing a conviction of the heart! Rather, it irritates and draws away! And even if I do not agree with the opinion of the other person, I must respect it. In the second place, instead of discussing about texts, both we Catholics and the Protestants, we should unite together to fight in defence of life, created by God, a life totally disfigured by poverty, injustice, by the lack of faith. We should recall some phrase of Jesus: “I have come so that they may have life and life in abundance” (Jn 10, 10). “So that all may be one so that the world will believe that it was you who sent me” (Jn 17, 21). “Do not prevent them! Anyone who is not against us is for us” (Mk 9, 39.40).

4) Personal questions
• Does your family help or make it difficult for you to participate in the Christian community?
• How do you assume your commitment in the Christian community without prejudice for the family or for the community?

5) Concluding Prayer
Teach me, Yahweh, the way of your will,
and I will observe it.
Give me understanding and I will observe your Law,
and keep it wholeheartedly. (Ps 119,33-34)

1) Opening prayer
Almighty God,

our creator and guide,
may we serve you with all our hearts
and know your forgiveness in our lives.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

2) Gospel Reading - Luke 7,31-35
Jesus said: ‘What comparison, then, can I find for the people of this generation? What are they like? They are like children shouting to one another while they sit in the market place: We played the pipes for you, and you wouldn’t dance; we sang dirges, and you wouldn’t cry.

‘For John the Baptist has come, not eating bread, not drinking wine, and you say, “He is possessed.” The Son of man has come, eating and drinking, and you say, “Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.” Yet wisdom is justified by all her children.’

3) Reflection
• In today’s Gospel we see the novelty of the Good News which opens its way and thus persons who are attached to ancient forms of faith feel lost and do not understand anything more of God’s action. In order to hide their lack of openness and of understanding they defend and seek childish pretexts to justify their attitude of lack of acceptance. Jesus reacts with a parable to denounce the incoherence of his enemies: “You are similar to children who do not know what they want”.

• Luke 7, 31: To whom, then, shall I compare you? Jesus is struck by the reaction of the people and say: “What comparison, then, can I find for the people of this generation? What are they like?” When something is evident and the persons, out of ignorance or because of bad will, do not perceive things and do not want to perceive them, it is good to find an evident comparison which will reveal their incoherence and the ill will. And Jesus is a Master in finding comparisons which speak for themselves.
• Luke 7, 32: Like children without judgment. The comparison which Jesus finds is this one. You are like “those children, shouting to one another while they sit in the market place: we played the pipes for you, and you would not dance; we sang dirges and you would not cry!” Spoiled children, all over the world, have the same reaction. They complain when others do not do and act as they say. The reason for Jesus’ complaint is the arbitrary way with which people in the past reacted before John the Baptist and how they react now before Jesus.
• Luke 7, 33-34: Their opinion on John and on Jesus. “For John the Baptist has come, not eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say: he is possessed. The Son of man has come eating and drinking, and you say: look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners”. Jesus was a disciple of John the Baptist; he believed in him and was baptized by him. On the occasion of this Baptism in the Jordan, he had the revelation of the Father regarding his mission as Messiah-Servant (Mk 1, 10). At the same time, Jesus stressed the difference between him and John. John was more severe, more ascetical, did not eat nor drink. He remained in the desert and threatened the people with the punishment of the Last Judgment (Lk 3, 7-9). Because of this, people said that he was possessed. Jesus was more welcoming; he ate and drank like everybody else. He went through the towns and entered the houses of the people; he accepted the tax collectors and the prostitutes. This is why they said that he was a glutton and a drunkard. Even considering his words regarding “the men of this generation” (Lk 7, 31), in a general way, probably, Jesus had in mind the opinion of the religious authority who did not believe in Jesus (Mk 11,29-33).
• Luke 7, 35: The obvious conclusion to which Jesus arrives. And Jesus ends drawing this conclusion: “Yet, wisdom is justified by all her children”. The lack of seriousness and of coherence is clearly seen in the opinion given on Jesus and on John. The bad will is so evident that it needs no proof. That recalls the response of Job to his friends who believe that they are wise: “Will no one teach you to be quiet! - the only wisdom that becomes you!” (Job 13, 5).

4) Personal questions
• When I express my opinion on others, am I like the Pharisees and the Scribes who gave their opinion on Jesus and John? They expressed only their preconceptions and said nothing on the persons whom they judged.

• Do you know any groups in the Church who would merit the parable of Jesus?

5) Concluding Prayer
How blessed the nation whose God is Yahweh,
the people he has chosen as his heritage.
From heaven Yahweh looks down,
he sees all the children of Adam. (Ps 33,12-13)

The witness of the Holy Spirit
and the witness of the disciples
John15:26-27, 16:12-15

1. Opening prayer

Oh, My Father, when will the Consoler come? When will your Spirit of Truth reach me? The Lord Jesus has promised Him, He has said that He would have sent Him from Your womb down to us. Father, then, open wide Your heart and send Him from your holy Heavens, from Your high dwelling! Do not delay any more, but fulfill the ancient promise; save us today, for ever! Open and free Your Love for us, in order that I too can be open and freed by You, in You. May this Word of Yours today be the holy place of our encounter, be the nuptial room to be immersed in You, Oh Trinity who are Love! Come in me and I in You; dwell in me and I in You. Remain, Father! Remain Oh Son Jesus Christ! Remain for ever, Consoler Spirit, do not leave me ever! Amen.

2. Reading

a) In order to insert this passage in its context:

The few verses which the Liturgy offers us today for meditation belong to the great farewell discourse which Jesus addressed to His disciples before the Passion, and which John extends from 13:31 to the end of chapter 17. Here Jesus begins to speak of the unavoidable consequence of following the choice of faith and love for Him. The disciple has to be ready to suffer persecution from the world. But in this struggle, in this pain, there is a consolation, there is a Defender, an Advocate who witnesses for us and saves us: the gift of the Spirit illuminates the human adventure of the disciple and fills us with a living hope. He is sent to make us understand the mystery of Christ and to allow us to participate in it.

b) To help in the reading of the passage:

15, 26-27: Jesus announces the coming of the Holy Spirit, as Consoler, as the defending Advocate. He will be the one to act in the process of accusation which the world has against the disciples of Christ. He will be the one to make them strong in persecution. The Spirit renders witness to the world regarding the Lord Jesus; He defends Christ, who is contested, accused, and rejected. But the witness of the disciples is also necessary. The Spirit has to use them to proclaim with strength, in this world, the Lord Jesus. It is the beauty of our life transformed into a witness of love and fidelity to Christ.

16, 12: Jesus places His disciples – and therefore us too – ahead of their condition of poverty and incapacity, by which they do not understand well neither the words of Jesus, nor the words of Scripture. His truth is still a burden, which they cannot receive, lift up, and carry.

16, 13 –15: In these last verses, the Word of Jesus reveals to the disciples what will be the action of His Spirit in them. He will be the one to guide them in the whole truth. He will make them understand the mystery of Jesus in all its importance or significance, and in the totality of His truth. He will guide, reveal, proclaim, and illuminate, bringing to us, His disciples, the words of the Father. In this way we will be led to the encounter with God. By His grace we will be rendered capable of understanding the depth of the Father and of the Son.

c) The Text:

Jesus said to his disciples: "When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me. And you also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.” "I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you."

3. A moment of prayerful silence

I keep silence, from time to time I repeat in a low voice: “Come Holy Spirit”.

4. Some questions

a) “When the Paraclete will come”. Jesus immediately places me in front of a very concrete reality; He opens before me a new time and tells me that this is a time of waiting in my life. The Paraclete is about to come, the Holy Spirit. Why Lord, have I waited for you for such a short time, and has my attention toward you been so weak, so hypocritical? You send someone to look for me and I am not even aware, do I not even show any interest?

b) “And you too will be witnesses”. Jesus affirms this, addressing Himself to His disciples of that time and of today. He speaks precisely to me and tells me: “You too will be a witness”. I am afraid. Why lose my importance before others: my companions in school, in the university, in my team, my friends, who invite me to go out with them? Why this great difficulty? Can I not be a Christian just the same? You are my beginning and my end: You are my whole existence! How could I not be Your witness, Lord? How can I continue to keep silence in this way?.

c) “He will lead you to the complete truth”. I have always planned my decisions to change. I have always been able to do everything alone. And now, Lord, You tell me that another One will guide me. This is not an easy choice, I confess it. But I want to try, I want to accept You, oh You who are Love. I allow myself to be taken hold of by Your Spirit. Will He lead me to the desert, as He did with You (cf. Lk4:1)? Will He open my life, as He opened the womb of the Virgin Mary (Lk1:35)? Will He invest me as He did with Peter, with the others, with all who believed in the preaching, as it is narrated in the Acts of the Apostles? I do not know what will happen to me, but I want to say yes to You.

5. A key for the Reading

* The Holy Spirit Paraclete

At first sight this term may seem a bit strange. It is a Greek word which is quite vague, from ancient times. Saint John referred to it when he said: “I shall ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever” (Jn 14:16) and revealing that the Spirit comes to console, to remain with them, to defend and to protect. Here, though, in this verse, there seems to emerge a nuance: the Spirit presents Himself to us as the Advocate, that is, the One who is at our side in the judgment, in the accusation, in the tribunal of persecution. We know the whole story that bears in its heart the accusation, the contempt, the condemnation of the Lord Jesus and for all those who love Him. This is the daily story of all. At the bench of the accused, at the side of Jesus, we also sit, but not alone. We have an Advocate. The Spirit of the Lord comes and acts in the judgment in our behalf: He has discourses, renders witness, tries to convince and to prove. His work is immense in our midst, and for us. Before the Father, our Advocate is Jesus, as John writes in his first Letter (1 Jn2:1); but before the world, our Advocate is the Spirit, whom he sends to us from the Father. We should not prepare our defense beforehand (Lk 21:14), thinking that we can excuse ourselves alone, but we have to make space, within us, for the breath of the Holy Spirit, and allow Him to be the one who speaks, says, proves. Paul also had to have this hard experience. He writes this in his second Letter to Timothy: “The first time I had to present my defense, no one came in to court to support me. Every one of them deserted me” (2 Tim4:16). It is truly like that. There is no defense for us, no innocence, liberation, true freedom from jail, except in the intimate relationship with the Spirit of the Lord. He comes to us, in order that we may allow ourselves to be taken up by His presence, as in an embrace, as in an intimate and intense relationship of friendship, trust, abandonment and love.

* The Witness

I begin to understand, continuing to accept, in my heart, the words of this Gospel, that the relationship of us, disciples with the Holy Spirit, has as its purpose to render us capable of giving our witness to Jesus. We are united unconditionally with the Holy Spirit. We are grasped by Him, taken up in His fire, which is the reciprocal Love of the Father and of the Son, so that we too may become luminous, that we also may be sources of love in this world.

To render witness means to affirm clearly, giving proofs. The first one to do this, continually, is the Spirit. In every place and at all times He acts with power, in us and around us. He is the one who moves the hearts, who changes our distorted and hardened thoughts, who brings us closer, reconciles, impels to pardon, and brings us to union. He is also the One who heals the soul, the sick body and heart. He is the One who teaches, trains and makes one docile. He gives witness to the Lord Jesus, the Savior, through all His actions, soft touches of love, and of communion on our desolate and dry earth. He calls out the Risen One, who has conquered and stepped on death for ever. He gives witness to the Living One, the Glorified One from the One who is with us until the end of time. Behold, this is the witness. The Spirit introduces this in our world, brings it to us. We cannot remain indifferent or choose a bit here and there. He is the truth. And there is only one truth: that of God, His Son Jesus Christ. We are called to give witness to all of this. That is to commit our life, out of love, to this truth. To give witness is to become martyrs, out of love. Not alone, not by our own strength or by our own wisdom. “You will also be my witnesses”, says Jesus. But our wisdom can only exist within the witness of the Holy Spirit. They are not parallel witnesses, but lives fused together: that of the Spirit and ours. This takes place before the infinite tribunals of the world, every day of our life. It becomes a sacred place, almost a sanctuary, of the witness to the Lord Jesus. It is not important to carry out great enterprises, to show wisdom and intelligence, or attract crowds of people. No, one thing alone suffices: to tell the world that the Lord is alive, that He is here, in our midst and to proclaim His mercy, His infinite love.

* The Father

The contact with the Holy Spirit, allowing ourselves to be embraced and invaded by Him, leads us to the Lord Jesus. It leads us to His Heart, to the source of His love. And from there we go to the Father. We had nothing. We were not able to bring anything with us coming into this world and now, behold, we are loaded with gifts! It’s impossible to contain them all. It is necessary to allow them to overflow, to flow outside, toward the brothers and sisters whom we meet.

The Spirit speaks of Jesus and uses the words of the Father. He repeats to us what He hears from the Father. His dwelling is the Father, and coming to us, the Spirit brings with Him the seal of that dwelling, of that place of infinite communion, which is the womb of the Father. We understand well that this is our house. We recognize the place of our origin and our end. Receiving the Spirit of Jesus we rediscover that we also come from the Father, that we are born in Him and we live in Him. If we seek ourselves, if we want to find the way, the sense of our life here, all this is written in the words which the Spirit pronounces for us, within us, concerning us. It is truly necessary to have a great silence in order to be able to listen to understand Him. It is necessary to go back to the house. To finally rethink in the Father and to say, within ourselves: “Yes, it is now enough! I have wandered far away from You for a long time, I have been lost… I will go back to my Father”. I see how many wonders the Spirit of truth can act, that my Lord Jesus Christ sends me from the Father. It will not be Pentecost if I do not allow myself to be taken up by Him, to be led by Him to the womb of the Father, where Christ is already waiting for me, where the fire of the Holy Spirit is already burning for me.

6. A moment of prayer

Psalm 68

(The tenderness of the Father is the dwelling of the poor)

Response: Abbà Father, I am your son!

I pray to You, Yahweh,
at the time of Your favor;
in Your faithful love answer me,
in the constancy of Your saving power.

Answer me, Yahweh, for Your faithful love is generous;
in Your tenderness turn towards me;
do not turn away from Your servant,
be quick to answer me, for I am in trouble.

Come to my side, redeem me,
ransom me because of my enemies.

The humble have seen and are glad.
Let your courage revive,
you who seek God.
For God listens to the poor,
He has never scorned His captive people.

Let heaven and earth and seas,
and all that stirs in them, acclaim Him!
For God will save Zion,
and rebuild the cities of Judah,
and people will live there on their own land;
the descendants of His servants will inherit it,
and those who love His name will dwell there.

7. Final Prayer

Thank You, Father, for the coming of the Consoler, the Advocate. Thank You for His witness of Jesus in the world in me and in my life. Thank You because it is He who makes me capable of receiving and bearing the glorious weight of your Son and my Lord. Thank you, because He guides me in truth, He hands me over to the whole truth and reveals to me the Word which You Yourself pronounce. Thank You, my Father, because in Your goodness and tenderness You have joined me today and You have attracted me to You. You have made me enter in the house of your heart. You have immersed me in the fire of the Trinitarian love, where You and Your Son Jesus are only one in the infinite kiss of the Holy Spirit. I am also here and because of this my joy is overflowing. I pray You, Father, make me give this joy to all, in the loving witness of Jesus, the Savior, every day of my life. Amen.

Ascension of The Lord
"Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News!"
He lives in our midst!
Mark 16:15-20

1. Opening prayer

Lord Jesus, send Your Spirit to help us to read the Scriptures with the same mind that You read them to the disciples on the way to Emmaus. In the light of the Word, written in the Bible, You helped them to discover the presence of God in the disturbing events of Your sentence and death. Thus, the cross that seemed to be the end of all hope became for them the source of life and of resurrection.

Create in us silence so that we may listen to Your voice in Creation and in the Scriptures, in events and in people, above all in the poor and suffering. May Your word guide us so that we too, like the two disciples from Emmaus, may experience the force of Your resurrection and witness to others that You are alive in our midst as source of fraternity, justice and peace. We ask this of You, Jesus, son of Mary, who revealed to us the Father and sent us Your Spirit. Amen.

2. Reading

a) A key to the reading:

The liturgy of the feast of the Ascension presents us with a scene where Jesus appears to the disciples and confers on them the mission of going to the whole world to proclaim the Good News. The text of Mark's Gospel (Mk 16:9-20) is the final section of the appendix of that Gospel (Mk 16:15-20). We expand the brief commentary to include the whole of the appendix. During the reading we need to pay attention to the following point: "To whom does Jesus appear, what are the various aspects of the mission and what are the signs of His presence in the community?"

b) A division of the text as an aid to the reading:

Mark 16:9-11: Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene.

Mark 16:12-13: Jesus appears to two disciples.

Mark 16:14-18: Jesus appears to the eleven and gives them a mission.

Mark 16:19-20: Jesus ascends into heaven in the presence of the disciples.

c) The text:

Jesus said to his disciples: “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.”

So 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.

3. A moment of prayerful silence

so that the Word of God may penetrate and enlighten our life.

4. Some questions

to help us in our personal reflection.

a) How do we handle discerning and verifying the news we hear today? What news today would be able to make us change our lives completely as news of the Resurrection did back then?

b) To whom does Jesus manifest Himself alive and how do they react (Mk 16:9-20)?

c) In this text, who has the greatest difficulty in believing in the resurrection?

d) As Paul says, "God brought us to life with Christ…and gave us a place with Him in heaven" (Eph 2:6). How does this affirmation help us to understand the meaning of the Ascension?

e) What are the signs of Jesus' presence within the community? What is the meaning of each sign? What is our personal involvement, reaction and response to each?

f) What signs best convince people today of the presence of Jesus in our midst?

5. A key to the reading

to enter deeper into the theme.

i) The context:

The appendix of Mark's Gospel offers a list of Jesus' appearances (Mk 16:9-20). There are other lists but they do not always coincide. The list given by Paul in his letter to the Corinthians is quite different (1Cor 15:3-8). These differences show that, in the beginning, Christians were not concerned about describing or proving the resurrection. For them, faith in the resurrection was so vivid and evident that there was no need to prove it. The communities themselves, living and persevering among so many challenges and persecutions from the Roman Empire, were living proof of the truth of the resurrection.

The people of that time were not easily convinced of things. They demanded proof all along the way, from the Pharisees to Thomas. Considerable weight must be given to the way the first communities lived out their witness. The Gospels are not a general history book. Much is also handed down through tradition (Jn 21:25). Consider, even in that time, the Jews paid to create false news stories of the Resurrection. Belief within the first communities, despite death and persecution, is more convincing than logical arguments for us today. Their radical change of life proves they experienced Jesus and the Gospel in reality.

ii) Commentary on the text:

a) Mark 16:9-11: Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene, but the other disciples do not believe her.

Jesus first appears to Mary Magdalene and she announces this to the others. To come into the world, God chose to depend on the yes of Mary of Nazareth (Lk 1:38). To be recognized as living in our midst, He chose to depend on the word of Mary Magdalene who had been freed from seven devils.

Mark says that Jesus appeared first to Mary Magdalene. In this he agrees with the other three Evangelists (cf. Mt 28:9-10; Jn 20:16; Lk 24:9-11). But on the list of appearances given in the Letter to the Corinthians (1Cor 15:3-8), there is no mention of any appearances to the women. The first Christians found it difficult to believe the witness of women. This was a condition of the society at the time.

b) Mark 16:12-13: Jesus appears to two disciples

The story of Jesus' appearance to the two disciples who were walking in the fields is probably a reference to Jesus' appearance to the disciples from Emmaus who, on returning, shared their experience of the resurrection with "the eleven” and their companions (Lk 24:33-34). Only here, Mark differs from Luke because the others did not believe in the witness of the two disciples.

c) Mark 16:14: Jesus scolds the eleven for their incredulity

Finally, Jesus appears to the eleven disciples gathered at table and scolds then because they have not believed those who had seen Him risen. For the third time, Mark makes reference to the resistance of the disciples to believe the witness of those who had experienced the resurrection of Jesus. Why does Mark insist so much on the incredulity of the disciples? Probably to teach two things: first, that faith in the risen Jesus is transmitted through the faith of those who give witness to it; second, that no one must give up hope when doubt or confusion arises in one's heart. Even the eleven had doubts!

d) Mark 16:15-18: The signs that go with the proclamation of the Good News

Jesus immediately confers the mission of announcing the Good News to all creation. The requirement for anyone who wishes to be saved is this: to believe and be baptized. To those who have the courage to believe in the Good News and are baptized, He promises the following signs: (1) they will drive out devils; (2) they will speak in new tongues; (3) they will hold snakes in their hands; (4) if they drink poison it will not harm them; (5) they will lay hands on the sick and these will be healed. These signs take place even now:

* to drive out devils is to fight the power of evil that chokes life. The life of many people has improved since they entered in community and have started to live the good news of the presence of God. By participating in the life of the community, they drive out evil from their lives.

* to speak in new tongues: is to begin to communicate with others in a new way. Sometimes we meet someone whom we have never met before, but it is as if we have known each other for a long time. This is because we speak the same language of love. The way of thinking about others and speaking to them is different than what our original inclination was.

* to hold snakes in one's hand and to overcome poison: there are so many things that poison our life and living together. Gossip breaks down relationships for instance, as does envy, hate, pride, and many others. Those who live in the presence of God can overcome these deadly poisons. “Snakes”, as in serpents, can refer back to the devil’s interaction in the Garden. We are able to restrain these demons who attack us.

* to heal the sick: wherever we have a clearer awareness of the presence of God, we find also special care for those excluded and marginalized, especially the sick. What best restores health is welcoming and loving care. To “lay hands on” means to touch. It demands more than tossing a donation in a cup. Touching creates a bond of friendship, whereas a donation is more like a transaction.

e) Mark 16:19-20: Through the community, Jesus continues His mission

The Jesus who, in Palestine, welcomed the poor and revealed to them the love of the Father, is the same Jesus who now continues to be present in our midst in our communities, from couples to families to parishes and religious orders. Through us, He continues His mission of revealing the Good News of the love of God for the poor. To this day, the resurrection still takes place. No earthly power can neutralize the force that comes from faith in the resurrection (Rom 8:35-39). A community that wants to witness to the resurrection must be a sign of life, must fight against the power of death. So that the world may become a place of life, that community must believe that another world is possible. Above all, where the life of the people is in danger because of a system of death that is imposed, the community must be a living proof of the hope that conquers the world, without fear of unhappiness!

iii) Further information on the Gospel of Mark - God's surprises:

From the start, Mark's Gospel insists that  "The time has come…and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe the Good News" (Mk 1:15). This initial request for conversion and faith shows us the door through which we have access to Jesus and the Good News of God that He brings. There is no other access. Faith demands belief in Jesus, in His Word, accepting Him unconditionally. We are invited to not shield ourselves with any name or title, doctrine or custom, and to keep ourselves always open to the surprises of God which demand a constant conversion. Names and titles, doctrines and customs, devotions and pleadings are like a tag that we wear on our chest for identification. The tag is important because it helps us and directs us when necessary to meet a person we are looking for. But when we meet, we do not look at the tag any more, but at the face! Very often, when we meet the person we are looking for he or she is quite different from what we imagined before. The meeting always carries some surprises! More so our meeting with God in Jesus. Throughout Mark's Gospel there are many surprises for the disciples, and these come from where they least expect them:

* from a pagan who gives Peter a lesson because he recognizes the presence of God in the crucified one (Mk 15:39);

* from a poor widow who gives her all to share with others (Mk 12:43-44);

* from a blind man who annoys the disciples by calling out and who does not even have a definite belief (Mk 10:46-52);

* from marginalized little ones who believe in Jesus (Mk 9:42);

* from those who use the name of Jesus to fight evil but who do not belong to the "Church" (Mk 9:38-40);

* from an anonymous woman who scandalizes the disciples by her manner of acting (Mk 14:3-9);

* from a father of a family who is obliged to carry the cross and becomes a model disciple (Mk 15:21)

* from Joseph of Arimathea who risks everything by asking for the body of Jesus to give it burial (Mk 15:43).

* from women who, then, could not be official witnesses but were chosen by Jesus as expert witnesses of His resurrection (Mk 15:40.47; 16:6.9-10).

In a word: The twelve disciples who were specially called by Jesus (Mk 3:13-19) and who were sent by Him on a mission (Mk 6:7-13), failed. Peter denied Him (Mk 14:66-72), Judas betrayed Him (Mk 14:44-45) and all fled (Mk 14:50). But it is precisely through their failure that is shown the strength of faith of the others who were not part of the group of the chosen twelve. The community must clearly be aware that it does not own Jesus nor does it own all the criteria of the action of God in our midst. Jesus does not belong to us, but we, the community, the Church, belong to Jesus, and Jesus is of God (1Cor 3:23). The greatest surprise of all is the resurrection!

6. Psalm 27 (26)

Courage born of faith

The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?

When evildoers assail me,
uttering slanders against me,
my adversaries and foes,
they shall stumble and fall.

Though a host encamp against me,
my heart shall not fear;
though war arise against me,
yet I will be confident.

One thing have I asked of the Lord,
that will I seek after;
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to behold the beauty of the Lord,
and to inquire in His temple.

For He will hide me in His shelter in the day of trouble;
He will conceal me under the cover of His tent,
He will set me high upon a rock.

And now my head shall be lifted up
above my enemies round about me;
and I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the Lord.

Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud,
be gracious to me and answer me!
Thou hast said, "Seek ye My face."
My heart says to Thee,
"Thy face, Lord, do I seek."

Hide not Thy face from me.
Turn not Thy servant away in anger,
Thou who hast been my help.
Cast me not off, forsake me not,
O God of my salvation!
For my father and my mother have forsaken me,
but the Lord will take me up.

Teach me Thy way, O Lord;
and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.
Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;
for false witnesses have risen against me,
and they breathe out violence.

I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living!
Wait for the Lord; be strong,
and let your heart take courage;
yea, wait for the Lord!

7. Final Prayer

Lord Jesus, we thank You for the word that has enabled us to understand better the will of the Father. May Your Spirit enlighten our actions and grant us the strength to practice that which Your Word has revealed to us. May we, like Mary, Your mother, not only listen to but also practice the Word. You who live and reign with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.