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.”
REFLECTION
they did not believe. they did not believe them either. rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart because they had not believed those who saw him after he had been raised.
It is all in the belief. Belief can be of a complex nature. Even Jesus' disciples after His Resurrection, the first hand account of Mary Magdalene and the two disciples walking to Emmaus did not remove their struggle with unbelief, doubt and misunderstanding.
To trust someone we must get to know them and it is not so much the removal of doubt but the relationship one has through grace, repentance and God's timing. The disciples did not understand the Resurrection, they still clung to their earthly expectations and broken dreams, found it hard to follow Him after witnessing to all that happened.
As the father who brought his son to Jesus we all should pray, "I believe, help my unbelief." (Mark 9:14-29)
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