Reflections on Scripture | The Feast of Saint Mark

Join Msgr. Don Fischer as he reads and delivers a short reflection on today’s gospel, followed by 3 1/2 minutes of contemplative music and a closing prayer. Msgr. Don hopes that today’s reflection on the gospel will empower you to carry the Word in your heart throughout the day.

Choose either the video or audio below.

Gospel
Mark 16:15-20

Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them:
"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."

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.

Reflection

The words, the last words that Jesus spoke to his disciples are very interesting. It underscores the fact that there are things such as demons, things that hurt and harm, and He's telling the disciples He will not remove them, but He will give them power not to be impacted in a negative way by them. That frees them then to be instruments of great healing, to know that you are free of the negative things in your life.

And to know that once you are freed from them, you will become a healer. Is the great mystery of the preaching of the disciples.

The Closing prayer

Father, help us to feel. The promise you made to the disciples is a promise you've made to us. There's evil and destruction in the world. It can poison us. But your grace, your life within us is stronger than evil. And we'll conquer it. Help us to hear that message in our hearts. Preach it to us day after day so that we never lose hope. And we ask this in Jesus name. Amen.

Reflections Archives

Kyle Cross