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Apr. 11, 2026
Gospel Reflection: Faith & Hope vs. Fear & Despair
Saturday in the Octave of Easter
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. Mark 16:9–11
Today’s Gospel from Saint Mark offers a concise summary of three of Jesus’ resurrection appearances.
Rather than presenting these appearances in detail or as separate encounters, Mark strings them together to convey one clear message: fear and despair resulting from suffering must give way to faith and hope because of the Resurrection.
Mark’s Gospel begins with Jesus’ appearance to Mary Magdalene, simply stating that Jesus appeared to her. Immediately, Mark relates that Mary went to tell Jesus’ companions, including the eleven and some other followers. When Mary went to tell them Jesus had appeared to her, she found them “mourning and weeping.” After she told them Jesus had risen, “they did not believe.”
“Mourning and weeping” are the result of fear, doubt, and despair. While mourning in the form of holy sorrow can arise from genuine charity, as taught in the Beatitudes, mourning as sadness stems from a heart overcome by fear, anxiety, or doubt—each of which can lead to despair. The fruit of despair, as Mark reveals here, is disbelief.
After this account, Mark relates a shortened version of Jesus’ appearance to two disciples on the way to Emmaus. That same Easter day on which Jesus rose and appeared to Mary Magdalene, He appeared to these two disciples. They quickly returned to Jerusalem to share their experience with the eleven and other disciples, who had already disbelieved Mary Magdalene’s testimony. Once again, “they did not believe them either.”
Finally, later on the same day, Mark states: “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” (Mark 16:14). Saint Mark the Evangelist wants us to know that even the eleven remaining Apostles, along with the other disciples, did not immediately believe in the Resurrection. They did not believe until Jesus appeared before them, revealing their hardness of heart that prevented true faith in His word. Jesus rebuked them for this unbelief, showing that the heart closed to faith cannot receive the hope He offers.
If Jesus’ closest companions struggled with faith in the Resurrection and the hope that such faith brings, then we should each prayerfully reflect upon the depth of faith—or lack thereof—we have in the Resurrection.
Practically speaking, what does it mean to have faith in the Resurrection? It means that we will not face life’s crosses with self-pity, sadness, discouragement, or despair. If we understand the glory and transforming power of Christ’s Resurrection, we will immediately perceive every suffering we endure as an opportunity for grace and triumph, not defeat.
Because the disciples did not yet understand the Resurrection, they were mourning without hope. Their minds could not comprehend that the death they had witnessed just days before was now transformed into the most glorious event in human history. When Jesus appeared to them as a group, His rebuke was an act of love, to teach them they must change their understanding of His death and see it through the lens of His Resurrection. We must do the same in our lives.
Reflect today on any cross you carry or suffering you endure. Learn from the sadness and despair that led to disbelief among the disciples. Listen to our Resurrected Lord who lovingly rebukes you and invites you to see the great value in every suffering that you unite to His Cross. His Resurrection must bring a clarity that instills hope into our lives. Commit to live as the disciples did, after Jesus rebuked them, rejoicing that Jesus’ Resurrection conquers all.
Most glorious Lord, Your Resurrection transformed Your suffering and death into the means of eternal salvation for all who believe in You. Help me to be open to that transforming grace and to unite my own sufferings with Yours so that all I endure will be transformed and so that I may share in the glory of Your Resurrection. Jesus, I trust in You.
Audio recording: https://youtu.be/BVBue7h000A?si=0WxG6PpDf2mKikYQ
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National Shrine of Saint Jude: Legion of Mary Praesidium
MARIA SPES SINENSIUM Members :
- President: Caroline Gozun
SCOPE OF WORK:
Home to home visitation; taking and updating of the parish census; recruitment and follow up of active and auxiliary members; follow up on marriage validation, baptismal, Holy Communion and confirmation cases; hospital visitation; block rosary; participation in various parish and curia activities.
ABOUT:
The Legion of Mary
The object of the Legion of Mary is the glory of God through the holiness of its members developed by prayer and active co-operation in Mary’s and the Church’s work. The unit of the Legion of Mary is called a praesidium, which holds a weekly meeting, where prayer is intermingled with reports and discussion. Persons who wish to join the Legion must apply for membership in a Praesidium. The Legion sees as its priority the spiritual and social welfare of each individual. The members participate in the life of the parish through visitation of families, the sick, both in their homes and in hospitals and through collaboration in every apostolic and missionary undertaking sponsored by the parish. Every legionary is required to carry out a weekly apostolic work in the spirit of faith and in union with Mary.
The Legion of Mary is a lay apostolic association of Catholics who, with the sanction of the Church and under the powerful leadership of Mary Immaculate, Mediatrix of All Graces, serve the Church and their neighbour on a voluntary basis in about 170 countries. The first meeting of the Legion of Mary took place in Myra House, Francis Street, Dublin, Ireland, on 7 September, 1921. This meeting was to have very beneficial consequences for the mission of the Catholic Church and, in a special way, for millions of members of Christ’s lay faithful who would serve in the Legion and for those who would be served by the legionary apostolate. Many persons outside the Catholic Church would also benefit from that apostolate. With the approval and support of the Popes and a great many Bishops, Priests and Religious, as well as the prayers and efforts of legionaries, the Legion, by the grace of God, has grown into a worldwide organisation with several million members.
Drawing its inspiration from the True Devotion to Mary, as taught by St. Louis Marie de Montfort, and which had a profound influence on the Founder of the Legion, the Servant of God, Frank Duff, the Legion is at the disposal of the Bishops and Priests for use in the mission of the Church. While essentially a lay association, legionaries look for spiritual and apostolic formation to priests and religious, who, as Legion Spiritual Directors, hold an honoured place in the Legion system. The Legion requires ecclesiastical approval to work in a diocese or parish. Loyalty to the Magisterium and to Ecclesiastical Authority is a basic legionary principle. The Legion aims to bring Mary to the world as the infallible means of winning the world to Jesus and legionary service is based on the doctrine of the Mystical Body of Christ so that in their fellow members and in those they serve, legionaries seek to have the Person of our Lord once again seen and served by Mary, his Mother.
The general and essential means by which the Legion of Mary is to effect its object is personal service acting under the influence of the Holy Spirit, having Divine Grace as its moving principle and support, and the glory of God and the salvation of souls as its final end and purpose. Evangelisation, especially the seeking of conversions to the Church, should be a priority for the Legion. Through the visitation of homes and by other means, the Legion must, as a first principle, set out to establish a contact of some sort with every soul everywhere. Seeing and serving Christ in the sick and marginalised is another vital part of the legionary apostolate. While not engaging in the giving of material relief, legionaries will often find opportunities to do works of service for the needy.
The basic unit of the Legion is called a praesidium, which is normally based in a parish. A parish may have more than one praesidium. To be an active legionary it is necessary to apply for membership in a praesidium, which holds a weekly meeting and allocates a weekly apostolic task to the members, who generally work in pairs. After a successful period of probation, members are called to make the Legionary Promise (this is only applicable for members over 18 years) which is directed to the Holy Spirit. Realising the necessity for a strong support of prayer, the Legion has Auxiliary members, who associate themselves with the Legion by undertaking a service of prayer in its name. The administration of the Legion is carried out through its various councils at local, regional and national level. The central council, the Concilium Legionis Mariae, meets monthly in Dublin.
The Cause for Beatification has been introduced for three legionaries: The Servant of God, Frank Duff (1889-1980), Founder of the Legion, who attended the Second Vatican Council as a Lay Observer; Venerable Edel Quinn (1907-1944), Legion Envoy to East Africa; and the Servant of God, Alfie Lambe (1932-1959), Legion Envoy to South America.