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.
Gospel Trivia:
Biblical scholars generally agree that this ending in the gospel of Mark was added much later after the earlier and original ending of Mark's gospel on verse 16:8 - "Then they went out and fled from the tomb, seized with trembling and bewilderment. They said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid."
Such a disappointing ending, isn't it?
The purpose of the the "added ending" is to capture the transformation of the converted Christians after Jesus ascended to heaven (or, when Jesus was no longer physically with them). They were transformed from a group of people trembling and hiding, to a band of disciples who "proclaimed the gospel to every creature" and performed miracles.
How do we evaluate our Christian life? Are we afraid and in hiding when asked to make an unpopular, but Christian, choice? Or do we go forth and confirm our faith in our action and options?
Reference:
- Nil Guillemette, SJ, A Kingdom for All (Makati: St. Paul's Publications), pp. 109-110.
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