REFLECTIONS TODAY

A lady friend of mine years ago told me she was going to Latin America to be a lay missionary. I was quite surprised by the “grandiose” plan she had when, no offense meant, she was “just” from a small barrio in our hometown. Whether she heard about today’s Gospel and took it literally, her desire to be a missionary abroad impressed me a lot. I thought she had great courage and took seriously her being a Christian disciple. Her example made me realize my own rather narrow and limited horizon in discipleship. I was not dreaming big for the Lord. Many of us, I think, underestimate our power to be greater disciples, not for ourselves but for the Lord, for the faith. By doing so, we are actually “restraining,” if not “extinguishing,” the fire of the Holy Spirit in us — the power to do greater things for God. Are we dreaming of, or at least open to, the possibilities of becoming greater disciples to promote God’s greater glory?

Gospel • Mark 16:9-15

When Jesus had risen, early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. She went and told his companions who were mourning and weeping. When they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe. After this he appeared in another form to two of them walking along on their way to the country. They returned and told the others; but they did not believe them either. But later, as the Eleven were at 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.”’

SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2022,” ST. PAULS, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; Fax 632-895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.