Homily for April 22, 2017.
Finally, we get to hear Mark’s
version of the events that took place on Easter morning. Even though what he
says is not too different from the other three Gospels, it contains some very
interesting details.
First, it is from Mark that we get to
hear that seven demons had been cast out of Mary Magdalene; the first person to
see the resurrected Jesus. Why did Mark include such a detail about Mary
Magdalene’s past? It is simply a confirmation of God’s word in the book of Ezekiel:
“But if
a wicked man turns away from all his sins which he has committed and keeps all
my statutes and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall
not die. None of the transgressions which he has committed shall be remembered
against him; for the righteousness which he has done he shall live. Have I any
pleasure in the death of the wicked, says the Lord GOD, and not rather that he
should turn from his way and live? Ezekiel 18:21-23.
In the
eyes of God, our past does not matter. For ordinary men, such a woman like Mary
Magdalene does not deserve to be the first to see Jesus but God so did it to
prove that He has truly come to save sinners.
Again,
Mark tells us that when Mary Magdalene delivered the news to the people who had
been with Jesus (his disciples), they did not believe her. It was too good to
be true. They would rather remain weeping than rejoice at such a good news.
Even
when Jesus again appeared to two of the disciples, and they brought the news to
the others, they still refused to believe. For their hardness of heart, Jesus decided
to appear to the Eleven disciples and he upbraided them strongly for their
unbelief.
Even though
Jesus was not happy with them for doubting, he nonetheless proceeded to hand on
to them the task of preaching the Gospel to the whole nations. This is also
very interesting. These men not only doubted God’s ability to raise Jesus from
the dead, they doubted themselves yet Jesus believed enough in them to entrust
them with the task of preaching the Gospel.
If the
Eleven disciples were seminarians, they would not have qualified for ordination
and no one would give them such a great assignment knowing how they have failed
woefully by refusing to believe. Again, we now see that God does not judge as
men do.
God
sees potential, God judges according to what he knows you are capable of doing
but Humans see only the past, humans judge according to what you did, humans do
not believe so much in potential, we believe the future will always resemble
the past so when a person has done something bad in the past, he or she is
automatically disqualified.
Who would
have believed that the same Peter and John who were among the doubting
disciples would become so bold as to challenge the rulers and elders and
scribes as we read in our first reading? Even to the extent that they would not
give in to the threats.
Peter
and John said: “We cannot but speak of what we have heard and seen.” They were
willing to obey God rather than men not minding if the authorities would try to
frustrate them. Somehow, it was good they once doubted, their initial doubt
must have helped them understand with and penetrate the hearts of those who did
not initially believe.
Dear friends,
it doesn’t matter what your past has been, it doesn’t matter if you once
doubted God, you too can go out there and preach the Good News. This is our
essential duty as Christians come rain, come shine.
Let us
Pray: Lord Jesus, use me as your instrument of evangelization. Amen.
Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith.
It is well with you. God bless you. (Easter Saturday. Bible Study: Acts 4:13-21 and Mark 16:9-15).
Fr. Abu.
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