Saturday within Easter Octave – 10th April 2021 — Gospel: Mk 16,9-15
Hardness of His Close Associates
Jesus appeared first to Mary Magdalene personally (Mk 16,9), because all other women fled from the tomb (16,8). The first time she met Jesus, He had cast seven demons out of her. From then on she served Him lovingly with her possessions. She witnessed the crucifixion, and saw where His body was laid. In contrast to her faith, Mk 16,9-14 emphasizes on the unbelief of the disciples, who were mourning and weeping instead of rejoicing at the good news. Was it because they were prejudiced against the witness of the women? Perhaps, for the testimony of a woman was not accepted in a Jewish court. But even when the two Emmaus disciples returned to Jerusalem and reported their fellowship with the risen Jesus, they met the same disbelief that Mary had encountered (compare Mk 16,13 with Lk 24,33-35). Apparently there was division in the Upper Room until Jesus Himself appeared before all of them. But when He appeared, He rebuked them for their refusal to accept the reports of His resurrection from Mary and the others, which was caused by their hardness of heart (see Mk 6,52; 8,17). Finally, Jesus made it clear that the witnesses of His resurrection could and should be trusted.
