Gospel of Jesus

Today’s Gospel Text:  And he said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover." 19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it. Amen. Mark 16:15-20

Reflection: Some theologian’s best way to scuttle the work of God was by denying that it was Jesus who ever said these things and that the disciples had put these words in the mouth of Jesus.

When they did not succeed in their fabrication they resorted to other ways to foil the work of God in the revelation of his Son Jesus.

This time around, in their ever newer methods, they did not deny the words but took the liberty to give it a new meaning and interpretation.

"We need to proclaim gospel values and not the gospel", they said and evangelize by actions rather than words and hence witness by deeds.

They managed to sweep quite a few with their deceptive tail and hence many walked in their deception because they trusted their irrational rational mind rather than trust the truth; Jesus Christ who has proved himself for all ages by his death on the cross.

Hence the call to proclaim the gospel, which is the good news of God’s saving plan stands firm forever and for all ages:

"Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” (vss. 15-16)

The saving good news of God offered through his son Jesus is to be believed in order for men to be saved and there is no other way offered by God to humanity. (cfr. Acts 4:12)

There have been countless witnesses who have proclaimed the gospel with great risk to their lives and with great sacrifice, going through great persecution and torture for the sake of the Gospel.

Compare this with terrorism in the name of religion; even in our day there are people who go through great hardship for the sake of the gospel of peace.

There have also been dedicated disciples of Christ who support this mandate of Jesus with their prayers and material support so that the work of God may triumph until the day of Christ.

Prayer:  Lord, protect me from every deception of the evil one as I seek to dedicate my heart to your gospel.

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

Gospel of Peace

Today’s Gospel Text:  On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you." 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."  24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe." 26 Eight days later, his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said, "Peace be with you." 27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing." 28 Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" 29 Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe."  30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name. John 20:19-31

Reflection: When Jesus first went about his ministry he proclaimed the gospel of repentance and belief to the people.

 

In the post resurrection situation we see him proclaim peace to the Apostles as they meet in the closed room.

Is there is difference between the two proclamation? No, not at all! The difference is in the timing of the two. 

The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is also referred to as the gospel of peace by St. Paul who so succinctly refers to it thus: “… and having shod your feet with the equipment of the gospel of peace.”  Eph 6:15

By fulfilling the law and prophets or in other words by becoming the good news, Jesus became the author of our salvation through which we have peace.

Humanity seeks peace, which is his source of deep happiness. One ever strives for that elusive peace  in seeking freedom by accumulating worldly wealth and positions, which gives a person many options in life. 

No one can have that perfect peace apart from Christ Jesus who, through his passion, death and resurrection has reconciled us to the living God.

Every other peace and happiness that humanity seeks can be found in the created divine, in the divinity in which one creates, which includes wealth or idols or greed or the company of one another.

But the true and lasting peace is only in the divinity of Christ, who truly reconciles us to the source of creation, God himself and through whom we are reconciled to his creation.

Hence when Jesus appears to his disciples he proclaims a peace which is not an empty word or a mere ritual but a solid affirmation of what his words mean and what it is meant to be.

We as Christian can be assured of one thing for sure, that we who are called to encounter the risen Lord can have the same peace and happiness of heart that comes through knowing him;  peace of his presence.

Prayer:  Show us thy steadfast love, O Lord, and grant us thy salvation. Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints, to those who turn to him in their hearts. Ps 85:7-8

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us