Proclaim

Saturday in the Octave of Easter

Observing the boldness of Peter and John and perceiving them to be uneducated, ordinary men, the leaders, elders, and scribes were amazed, and they recognized them as the companions of Jesus. Then when they saw the man who had been cured standing there with them, they could say nothing in reply. So they ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin, and conferred with one another, saying, "What are we to do with these men?  Acts 4:13-16A

But later, as the Eleven were at the 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." Mark 16:14-15

Piety

Father, help us to obey you rather than our culture.  Make it impossible for us to not speak and act about what we have seen and heard.

Study

There are lots of commandments throughout the Bible.  There are the ten that Moses carved in stone and brought back down the mountain.  There are the two that Jesus spoke and etched into our hearts and minds. Remember that from Matthew 22:36-40?

“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?”  He said to him, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”

In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus does not say much that is directly quoted AFTER the Resurrection.  There is the encounter in the tomb with the young man in the white robe.  However, that figure is not revealed as Jesus.  While there is a reference to a few other encounters, today’s Gospel includes the beginning of the ONLY direct quote we have according to St. Mark. 

"Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature."

What happens?  Do the disciples run and scatter again as they did on Good Friday?  Not hardly.  This time, they obey and act upon the Final Commissioning. “…[T]hey went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.” (Mark 16:20). 

We see how some in the world react to this in the Acts of the Apostles. Peter and John did not get in trouble for what they said.  They got in trouble for what they did – their preaching was mixed up in their action – healing the man crippled from birth.

Action

What are these Cursillstas to do with the lessons they have learned?

Proclaim. Sound off. Spread it around. Get on a Soapbox.  Announce.  Blast.  Broadcast.  Demonstrate. 

Demonstrate.

Demonstrate.

It is not just about what we say.  It’s more about what we do.