The issue of doubt frequently rises up in many people when they are confronted with unexpected difficulties. Many question how a loving God could allow evil things to happen. Why does God allow young people to die? Why does God not protect people from hurricanes and tornadoes? Why does God not punish evil doers? Why do good people suffer?
The ending St. Mark’s Gospel is almost a treatise on doubt. At our Easter vigil, I mentioned that the Gospel originally ended with the women running away in fear and telling no one about what they had seen. Today, the manuscript of St. Mark’s Gospel has two additional endings appended to it. The Gospel reading for today comes from one of those two endings, the longer of the two. It basically refers to the appearances of Jesus which are recorded in the other Gospels.
The only thing that can explain these various endings is the fact that from the very beginning, doubt has played a part in the story of the Resurrection. However, by the time that the apostles were called before the Sanhedrin to explain their actions, it is clear that Peter and John have overcome any doubts they may have entertained. While the Sanhedrin lets them go with a stern warning this time, we all know that they will begin to persecute and even kill the followers of Jesus in an effort to quell the growing faith in the people of Jerusalem.
Doubt and faith are still in a constant struggle even today as we grapple with the issues that face us in our own minds. We profess a belief in the death and resurrection of Jesus, but because we don’t completely understand (nor will we ever) the Paschal Mystery, many harbor a fear of death. During the rest of Easter Season, we will read once again the Acts of the Apostles, St. Luke’s second contribution to our Scriptures. In some ways it is a map for us to follow in our own journey of faith as it bears witness to the faith of the apostles and disciples of Jesus. That story never really ends as the history of the Church is filled with the faithful discipleship of the many we have come to regard as saints. As we gather around the altar each day, the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist helps us to bolster our faith and to set aside any doubt we may encounter.
Fr. Lawrence Jagdfeld, O.F.M., Administrator