The priest who has been giving the sermons this week at St. Joseph's in Dorking is an excellent homilist. Father Terry Martin manages to give ideas in a short manner which one can mull over the entire day. Yesterday, Father exclaimed that when the Resurrected Jesus enters our lives, exciting things happen and we are never the same. True and simple. What exciting things one may wonder, but the life of joy and the life of the virtues would be exciting in this day and age of sadness, gloom and general lack of virtues. The point Father was making is to be open to Christ changing us, giving us grace, and inviting us to join in His Life.
This morning, the message was connected, but emphasized our duty to go out and change the world by our Christian commitment. The world needs us to bring Christ into a morass of paganism and depression. Father noted that the apostles and disciples were grieving at the loss and manner of the death of their Beloved Jesus when Mary Magdalen brought news that He was and is alive. What confusion this must have caused, noted Father, but the message of Life brought hope and joy to all, as it does to us. The command to preach to all nations, to carry the joy of the Resurrection out into the world, needs to be taught from the pulpit, as did good Father Terry this morning and all week.
Mark 16: 9 - 15 (thanks to ewtn website)
9 Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons.10,She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept.11 But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.12 After this he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country.13 And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them.14 Afterwards he appeared to the eleven themselves as they sat at table; and he upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen.15 And he said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation.
