Like the apostles in today's Gospel reading, many Christians today are stubborn and lacking in faith (Mk 16:14). Like Peter and John, most Christians in the world are uneducated and unimportant by the world's standards (Acts 4:13). The world uses and abuses these simple, weak, and sinful nobodies. It threatens them and tries to stop them from being witnesses for the risen Jesus (see Acts 4:17).
What does Jesus do with average people in all their weaknesses and sins? Jesus does not try to control them with threats. Rather, He corrects them so that they will not be controlled and manipulated by their carnal desires and the pressures of the world (Mk 16:14). In contrast to the world, Jesus does not try to put a stop to the talk of the nobodies but commands them to go and proclaim the gospel to all creation (Mk 16:15).
No one respects, frees, empowers, and loves people as Jesus does. The risen Jesus is the only Hope for the oppressed and also for the oppressive people of the world. Give your life to Jesus. Only He will respect you and not reject you (Jn 6:37).
| PRAYER: | Risen Jesus, thank You for choosing and cherishing the weak, lowborn, and despised (1 Cor 1:27-28). |
| PROMISE: | "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight for us to obey you rather than God. Surely we cannot help speaking of what we have heard and seen." –Acts 4:19-20 |
| PRAISE: | Alleluia! Jesus is risen! Jesus will raise from the dead those who believe in Him! (Jn 11:26) Alleluia! |
Reprinted with permission from Presentation Ministries, a lay association of the Catholic Church that focuses on evangelization and discipleship through Bible teaching, daily Mass, the charisms of the Holy Spirit, and Small Christian Community. Their ministries include:
· One Bread, One Body
· Daily Bread Radio Program
· Annual Bible Institute
· Discipleship Retreats
· Guadalupe Bible College