Thursday - Feast of St. Mark

Gospel– Mark 16:15-20

You’re Hired!

Chapel of the Ascension

We take a brief pause today during the Season of Easter to celebrate the Feast of St. Mark, Apostle and Evangelist.  What we hear in today’s Gospel is the very end of the story according to Mark – the Ascension.  Rather curious actually, since we still have a long way to go before we celebrate the Feast of the Ascension.

There is a story I recall many decades ago about a Christian missionary who went and lived with an isolated tribe in Africa.  For 2 years, he lived with them, worked with them, instructed them and guided them in the Christian faith.  At the end of 2 years, a good number of them were baptized.  And at the end of the Baptismal rite, he got up and told them “I have finished my last instruction in your village.  I will never come back to teach anyone else here again.  From this day on, it is you people who must teach and judge whether anyone is ready for Baptism.  From this day forward, stop depending on me and start depending on the Holy Spirit.  You were a people with a past and no future; now you are the People of God.  You are now the Church.  If what I have taught you has any meaning at all, you will continue to grow in the faith and share that faith with others.  It is now all up to you!”

In today’s Gospel, Jesus gathers with His 11 Apostles for one last time.  He has been instructing them, training them, guiding them for 3 years.  Their internship is now over; they have passed the test.  They’ve got the job!  It is now their responsibility to carry on the faith, to proclaim the Good News to the whole world.  The Holy Spirit will continue to be with them, to guide and support them even when death seems imminent.  And all who are baptized will be saved.

We too have been in training all our lives.  We have been filled with the Holy Spirit from the moment of our Baptism.  It is our mission as well to go out into the world and proclaim the Good News, by our words and our actions.  You got the job!  You’re hired!  Now get to work!!

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