"We cannot stop proclaiming what we have seen and heard" - a conviction and belief after long dark hours of doubt and disbelief when the "twelve" had refused to believe the words of Mary Magdelene and the "two" disciples to whom Jesus had first appeared! Truly it is a long road to faith that the twelve had travelled by the time they cured the lame man at the gates of the Temple.

The Church's early missionaries had nothing to fear because the Risen Lord (Acts 4:19) was with them in their preaching and healing (Acts 4:20) and would confirm their message with special signs of his protection and power (V.17-18). There are echoes of familiar scenes in Mark's account which are gathered from other Gospels to round up Mark's abrupt ending of the Resurrection story in 16:8. Mark left it to his readers to complete his Gospel in their lives. Do we like, the women at the tomb, flee pertrified with fear and trembling and say nothing to anyone regarding the Good News of Jesus Christ? Or do we like Mary Magdelene (Jn. 20:11-18) and the two disciples (Lk. 24:13-35) return with the joy of the Risen Lord to the community. All of us are equally commissioned to go out into the whole world. (Mt. 28:16-20)

Today's Gospel reverses the fear and silence of the women at the tomb and shows how the message of the Resurrection came to be proclaimed through Peter's companions.