PRI Reflections on Scripture • 5-9-24 - Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord

Finding God In Our Hearts with Msgr. Don Fischer

Gospel Mark 16:15-20
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.
Reflection In this passage, we see the disciples experiencing the fullness of what has been promised. Jesus spent 40 days again speaking to them before he ascended into heaven. And what we see in this story is very clearly that the gift that he gave the world was light and life. It overcomes all the darkness. It has the power to heal.
And we see the fruit of the Holy Spirit in these men as they go about preaching everywhere. And Jesus continually showing them, through signs that they are living the gospel.
Closing Prayer Father, we are called to also preach, but not necessarily to always use words. We can resonate a life filled with love, a light to people in darkness. All of that is within our capacity as those who have been gifted with redemption. Help us to believe in that. Help us to be attached to it so that we resonate this life giving spirit to all we encounter. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.