Gospel reading Mark 16:15-20
[To be read aloud]
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.
Brief commentary:
This passage is unique to the Gospel of
Mark. It is read on the feast of the Ascension because it tells us that Jesus
“was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God.” Most
scholars of the Bible believe that the original Gospel of Mark ended abruptly
at 16:8 and that his intention was to invite the readers to step in and take
the place of the women at the empty tomb. Nevertheless, the canonically
approved Gospel contains the “longer ending” (vv. 9-20) which is believed to
have been added by first or second century Christians who felt that Mark should
have added it himself. The longer ending includes appearances of the risen
Jesus to Mary of Magdala and to the disciples and ends the Gospel more
smoothly. The shorter ending that appears in the Bible after today’s reading is
a fifth century addition to the longer ending and it is preserved in the Freer
Gallery in Washington, D.C.
Today’s reading offers three significant messages:
●l The Church’s early missionaries had nothing to fear, because
the ascended Lord was with them in their preaching.
●l We are all sent to throw out the demons of selfishness and
greed, and to protect others from hatred and disunity.
●l Jesus’ ascension ends his time on earth but not his presence
among us as the risen Christ.
The ascension initiates the
process of evangelization to all peoples and nations.
For our shared or personal reflection:
After a
brief pause for silent reflection share your answers, ideas or feelings.
- 1. How am I turning towards the needs of
others around me?
2. What prevents me from being a messenger
of good news in my family, workplace, school or parish?
Suggested readings: Catechism of the Catholic Church
paragraphs 2; 156; 161; 183; 434; 659; 670; 699; 977; 1223; 1253-1257; 1507;
1673.
