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.

After this he appeared in another form
to two of them walking along on their way to the country.
They returned and told the others;
but they did not believe them either.

But later, 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.
He said to them, “Go into the whole world
and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.”
Mark 16:9-15

Prayer

Dear Father are we as the Eleven that were at table, unbelieving and hard of heart when we hear the Gospel proclaimed at Mass. Do we shut our ears to what your shepherds preach because they rebuke us as you did to your disciples. Help us to open our hearts to your love as you also appear to us in the form of bread where we are to unite ourselves to you so we may too go out into the world and proclaim the Gospel and undying love for us, for our salvation. May we believe in the living presence of our Lord each time we receive him and come to glorify God, our Father, who is truth. Amen