“For the Souls in Purgatory – Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord”
When Jesus Comes to You: The Call to Believe and Go
Mark 16:9-15
When he 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. After this he appeared in another form to two of them walking along on their way to the country. They returned and told the others; but they did not believe them either. [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. He said to them, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.
Grace Prayed For
The grace of a deeper faith in the power of the resurrection and the courage to proclaim the Gospel with boldness.
Reflection
The resurrection is not just an event of the past; it is the defining reality of our lives today. Jesus, who conquered death, appeared first to those who least expected it—Mary Magdalene, the two disciples on the road, and then finally the Eleven. He did not wait for their faith to be perfect before coming to them. Instead, He met them in their sorrow, their doubts, and their struggles to believe.
We, too, often hesitate to trust in the full power of the resurrection. Like the disciples, we may remain stuck in grief, fear, or skepticism, unable to fully embrace the truth that Christ is alive and at work. Yet Jesus, in His mercy, does not abandon us in our unbelief. He rebukes, yes, but only to awaken us to the joy and mission He has prepared for us.
The Great Commission flows directly from the reality of the resurrection. Jesus, triumphant over sin and death, entrusts His disciples—including us—with the task of proclaiming this victory to the whole world. This is not a burden but an invitation to share in His own mission. He does not send us alone. He walks with us, as He did with the disciples on the road, as He appeared to the Eleven in their fear. The power of the resurrection is not only something to believe in—it is something to live.
How is Christ calling you to believe more deeply in His risen presence? Where is He sending you to proclaim His gospel? He is alive, and because of this, your life can never be the same.
Growing in Intimacy/Union with Jesus
This passage reveals the personal nature of Jesus’ resurrection—He comes to individuals in their struggles, calls them to deeper belief, and entrusts them with His mission. Recognizing that He meets us in our doubts and commissions us despite our weaknesses deepens our intimacy with Him. We learn to trust in His living presence and share in His mission as beloved co-workers in the Gospel.
When Time Allows Reflect on the Posts in Library and Musings
Sharing
Jesus last words on Earth were to his disciples, can be found in Matthew Chap 28 when Jesus told his disciples, “Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
Jesus calls all of us to share in his redemptive mission here on Earth. I would ask you to share this Scripture reflection with your family, your friends and your acquaintances, and then share it with a couple of individuals that you may may not be comfortable sharing with, keeping in mind always the words of Jesus, And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age
Author was assisted by AI in the drafting of this Post