Gospel Reflection For The 25th day of April in the year of Our Lord, 2024
Gospel
Mark 16:15-20
15 And he said to them: Go ye into the whole world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
16 He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved: but he that believeth not shall be condemned. 17 And these signs shall follow them that believe: In my name they shall cast out devils: they shall speak with new tongues. 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they shall drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them: they shall lay their hands upon the sick, and they shall recover. 19 And the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God. 20 But they going forth preached everywhere: the Lord working withal, and confirming the word with signs that followed.
Unfortunately, far too many people, especially Protestants, fail to pay attention to certain specifics of today’s Gospel.
First, Jesus spoke specifically to “the 11”. It seems that most people in our time pick up a Bible and read every verse as if it was directed to them, personally, and to all people in general. This verse states plainly in more modern translations that Jesus was speaking to His 11 Holy Apostles personally and specifically. To them, and to them alone, He gave this command and the powers that accompanied it. This was necessary to establish and grow the Church. The Apostles had such great powers that even a cloth they had touched could be taken to a person at a distance and heal that person with the power of Christ. Saint Peter’s power was such that those who lied to him were struck dead in at least one instance recorded in the Bible. However, there are several formal Protestant denominations and less formal “non-denominational” Protestant churches that insist that all “true believers” have these gifts of the Spirit. Whether Pentecostal Holiness Churches, who speak in tongues, Church of God, Primitive Baptist or “Signs” churches in which people hold deadly snakes and drink poison to prove their faith, or anything of the like, all are in grave error and at risk for both demonic possession and death. Such people work themselves up into an ecstatic state and begin babbling, hallucinating, thrashing about uncontrollably – none of this is “of God.” It is either delusion or demonic, and little different than the pagan traditions of taking hallucinogenic drugs and falling under the influence of spirits.
Granted, not all Pentecostals participate in such. My great grandparents not only attended, but founded a Pentecostal Holiness church. They were quiet, reserved and quite devout. In fact, my great grandfather was likely the most truly holy many I have ever known and when he was buried I saw white doves fly up from his grave. I am speaking in regard to the more extreme elements of charismatic denominations. I do not claim to understand “charismatic” Christianity. It makes me extremely uncomfortable. But, the charismatic movement is even part of the Catholic Church. Catholicism does not fall into the same error of taking up snakes and speaking in tongues though, and I do not mean to criticize those who are drawn to charismatic worship… I just want no part of it!
The other aspect of this verse is one that helps prevent a great deal of error in Catholic charismatic congregations. That is the necessity of Baptism. “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved…” The Sacrament of Baptism is not only necessary for salvation, but prevents one from being possessed by demons against his will. That is why the Catholic Church practices infant Baptism. It is actually a grave sin for parents not to have their child Baptized at the earliest possible age and time. If we believe the Bible, then we must believe in demonic possession. The Bible also tells us that many “false prophets” engaged in frantic dancing, singing, dangerous activities such as cutting themselves, etc to enter such ecstatic states that would enable them to become possessed by demons who spoke through them. Baptism is essential to protect us, especially when we are engaging in religious worship. The devil surely enjoys nothing more than to lead a Christian astray through false teachings and delusion. Baptism is also essential for just every day life… after all, how many of us made it through our high school and college years without doing some very foolish and dangerous things? I certainly didn’t. I thank God for His protection!
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Gospel passages are taken from the Douay Rheims Bible.