Like many songs in the psalter, Psalm 47 calls upon the people of Israel to proclaim that the Lord, the Most High, the awesome, is the great king over all the earth. In a sense, Jesus is following in this tradition when, at the end of Mark’s Gospel, he instructs his disciples to go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. The disciples will do so, bringing grace to bear upon the the lives of all who hear them; their proclamation is an opportunity for all to embrace the love of God. The disciples will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon them, Jesus tells them in the first chapter of Acts of the Apostles, and will be his witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. With this final instruction, Jesus is lifted up, taken from their sight.
While the promise of signs may give the disciples courage – the ability to drive out demons, speak new languages, and pick up serpents with their hands, among others – the true power given to the disciples is the power of God’s love. Jesus deems the disciples ready, and indeed they do go forth and preach everywhere!
Are we ready to do as Jesus instructs all of his disciples? Are we ready to go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature? We may hesitate on our own, until we are able to see ourselves as God sees us. Like the disciples, the Apostles and the evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, we are called to get on with the task of revealing Christ’s life, death and resurrection to the nations, starting with our own families and friends. Paul prays that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ give the Ephesian community a Spirit of wisdom and revelation resulting in knowledge of him, so that the eyes of their hearts may be enlightened. Knowing, as the Ephesians knew, that God is nothing short of mercy, forgiveness, and infinite love, we are called to allow the Spirit to draw us more closely into relationship with the Lord, not only as individuals, but as his Body, the church. Our union with that Body enables us to share in the fullness of all Christ has to offer us. It is when we know, when we have clear vision into, the surpassing greatness of his power, the power of love that enabled Christ to die and rise for us, that we can share God’s vision and bring that good news to all the world!
This post is based on Fr. Pat’s Scripture class.
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