Believe then Proclaim

Gospel: Mark 16:15-18

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."

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We can go on telling everyone about God’s greatness and infinite love but the real challenge is to make them actually believe in it. All the wordy proclamation of the Gospel would be worthless if you don’t put some action into it.

How can you make a person believe that God is a good God who blesses abundantly when you, as a friend, can’t be a comforting blessing when that person is in deep sorrow?

How can you make people believe that God loves them no matter who they are when you let your own insecurities eat you up?

How can you make people believe that Jesus died on the cross to save them when you, yourself, condemn them?

Many of us are guilty of these. Sometimes, we even feel unworthy or we simply turn a blind eye on our faults. At other times, we justify ourselves. To make people believe in what you say, you have to believe it yourself.

Another point in the Gospel today that struck me is that when Jesus said “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature”, He meant everyone. Those who have once heard and believed in Him, we are tasked to remind them. Those who have never once heard of Him, we are tasked to introduce Him to them. Those who once believed and rebelled against Him, we are tasked to bring them back to Him. That’s everyone. One challenge here could be figuring out who these people are. So let us keep our eyes and hearts open to these people.