Feast
of Saint Mark, Evangelist
Lectionary: 555
Lectionary: 555
Beloved:
Clothe yourselves with humility
in your dealings with one another, for:
God opposes the proud
but bestows favor on the humble.
So humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God,
that he may exalt you in due time.
Cast all your worries upon him because he cares for you.
Be sober and vigilant.
Your opponent the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion
looking for someone to devour.
Resist him, steadfast in faith,
knowing that your brothers and sisters throughout the world
undergo the same sufferings.
The God of all grace
who called you to his eternal glory through Christ Jesus
will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you
after you have suffered a little.
To him be dominion forever. Amen.
I write you this briefly through Silvanus,
whom I consider a faithful brother,
exhorting you and testifying that this is the true grace of God.
Remain firm in it.
The chosen one at Babylon sends you greeting, as does Mark, my son.
Greet one another with a loving kiss.
Peace to all of you who are in Christ.
Clothe yourselves with humility
in your dealings with one another, for:
God opposes the proud
but bestows favor on the humble.
So humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God,
that he may exalt you in due time.
Cast all your worries upon him because he cares for you.
Be sober and vigilant.
Your opponent the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion
looking for someone to devour.
Resist him, steadfast in faith,
knowing that your brothers and sisters throughout the world
undergo the same sufferings.
The God of all grace
who called you to his eternal glory through Christ Jesus
will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you
after you have suffered a little.
To him be dominion forever. Amen.
I write you this briefly through Silvanus,
whom I consider a faithful brother,
exhorting you and testifying that this is the true grace of God.
Remain firm in it.
The chosen one at Babylon sends you greeting, as does Mark, my son.
Greet one another with a loving kiss.
Peace to all of you who are in Christ.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 89:2-3, 6-7, 16-17
R.
(2) For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The favors of the LORD I will sing forever;
through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness.
For you have said, “My kindness is established forever”;
in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The heavens proclaim your wonders, O LORD,
and your faithfulness, in the assembly of the holy ones.
For who in the skies can rank with the LORD?
Who is like the LORD among the sons of God?
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Blessed the people who know the joyful shout;
in the light of your countenance, O LORD, they walk.
At your name they rejoice all the day,
and through your justice they are exalted.
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The favors of the LORD I will sing forever;
through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness.
For you have said, “My kindness is established forever”;
in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The heavens proclaim your wonders, O LORD,
and your faithfulness, in the assembly of the holy ones.
For who in the skies can rank with the LORD?
Who is like the LORD among the sons of God?
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Blessed the people who know the joyful shout;
in the light of your countenance, O LORD, they walk.
At your name they rejoice all the day,
and through your justice they are exalted.
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Alleluia1 COR 1:23A-24B
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
We proclaim Christ crucified;
he is the power of God and the wisdom of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
We proclaim Christ crucified;
he is the power of God and the wisdom of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMK 16:15-20
Jesus
appeared to the Eleven and said to them:
“Go into the whole world
and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved;
whoever does not believe will be condemned.
These signs will accompany those who believe:
in my name they will drive out demons,
they will speak new languages.
They will pick up serpents with their hands,
and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them.
They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
Then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them,
was taken up into heaven
and took his seat at the right hand of God.
But they went forth and preached everywhere,
while the Lord worked with them
and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.
“Go into the whole world
and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved;
whoever does not believe will be condemned.
These signs will accompany those who believe:
in my name they will drive out demons,
they will speak new languages.
They will pick up serpents with their hands,
and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them.
They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
Then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them,
was taken up into heaven
and took his seat at the right hand of God.
But they went forth and preached everywhere,
while the Lord worked with them
and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.
Meditation: "Go into all the world and preach the
gospel to the whole creation"
In many churches in the
East and West, Mark the Evangelist is honored today. Each of the four gospel
accounts gives us a portrait of Jesus, his life, mission, and teaching. Each is
different in style, length, and emphasis. But they all have a common thread and
purpose – the proclamation of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the
world. Among the four gospels, Mark's account is unique in many ways. It is the
shortest account and seems to be the earliest. Mark the Evangelist was an
associate of Peter and likely wrote his gospel in Rome where Peter was based.
Mark wrote it in Greek. It was likely written for Gentile readers in general,
and for the Christians at Rome in particular. It is significant that Mark, as
well as Luke, was chosen by the Holy Spirit to write the gospel account even
though he wasn't one of the twelve apostles. Augustine of Hippo,
explains: "The Holy Spirit willed to choose for the writing of the
Gospel two [Mark and Luke] who were not even from those who made up the Twelve,
so that it might not be thought that the grace of evangelization had come only
to the apostles and that in them the fountain of grace had dried up"
(Sermon 239.1).
Mark ends his gospel
account with Jesus' last appearance to the apostles before his ascension into
heaven. Jesus' departure and ascension was both an end and a beginning for his
disciples. While it was the end of Jesus' physical presence with his beloved
disciples, it marked the beginning of Jesus' presence with them in a new way.
Jesus promised that he would be with them always to the end of time. Now as the
glorified and risen Lord and Savior, ascended to the right hand of the Father
in heaven, Jesus promised to send them the Holy Spirit who would anoint them
with power on the Feast of Pentecost, just as Jesus was anointed for his
ministry at the River Jordan. When the Lord Jesus departed physically from the
apostles, they were not left in sorrow or grief. Instead, they were
filled with joy and with great anticipation for the coming of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus' last words to his
apostles point to his saving mission and to their mission to be witnesses of
his saving death and his glorious resurrection and to proclaim the good news of
salvation to all the world. Their task is to proclaim the good news of
salvation, not only to the people of Israel, but to all the nations. God's love
and gift of salvation is not just for a few, or for a nation, but it is for the
whole world – for all who will accept it. The gospel is the power of God, the
power to forgive sins, to heal, to deliver from evil and oppression, and to
restore life. Do you believe in the power of the gospel?
This is the great
commission which the risen Christ gives to the whole church. All believers have
been given a share in this task – to be heralds of the good news and
ambassadors for Jesus Christ, the only savior of the world. We have not been
left alone in this task, for the risen Lord works in and through us by the
power of his Holy Spirit. Today we witness a new Pentecost as the Lord pours
out his Holy Spirit upon his people to renew and strengthen the body of Christ
and to equip it for effective ministry and mission world-wide. Do you witness
to others the joy of the gospel and the hope of the resurrection?
“Lord Jesus, through the
gift of your Holy Spirit, you fill us with an indomitable spirit of praise and
joy which no earthly trial can subdue. Fill me with your resurrection joy and
help me to live a life of praise and thanksgiving for your glory. May I witness
to those around me the joy of the gospel and the reality of your resurrection.”
FEAST OF SAINT MARK, EVANGELIST
MONDAY, APRIL 25, MARK 16:15-20
(1 Peter 5:5b-14; Psalm 89)
MONDAY, APRIL 25, MARK 16:15-20
(1 Peter 5:5b-14; Psalm 89)
KEY VERSE: "Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature" (v 15).
TO KNOW: Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Mark wrote what is believed to be the first Gospel. It is thought that Mark wrote from Rome during the persecution by Nero Caesar in the late 60's shortly before the destruction of Jerusalem (70 CE). Mark wrote to Gentile Christians to encourage them to endure their sufferings, and urged them to continue to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is believed that Mark's gospel originally ended at Mk 16:8 with the women fleeing the empty tomb in fear. But Mark's purpose in writing was complete; Jesus had been raised from the dead just as he told his followers. Mark wanted to challenge his readers to preach the gospel courageously. The concluding verses (9-20) were a later summary of other events and were not in any of the early manuscripts. This "longer ending" is a picture of the work committed to the Church by Jesus Christ. First, the Church has a preaching mission to tell the story of the good news of Jesus. Next, the Church has a healing task to bring health to the body and to the soul. Finally, the Church will never be left on its own to do its work. Christ works with and through the Church. Mark’s gospel ends with the message that the Christian life is filled with the power of Christ who was crucified and rose again.
TO LOVE: Is my life a "gospel" that others can read?
TO SERVE: Risen Lord, help me to proclaim your good news everywhere I go.
Monday 25 April 2016
Mon 25th. Anzac Day.
Isaiah 9:1-6 / Wisdom 3:1-9. Justice shall flourish
in his time and fullness of peace for ever—Ps 71(72):2-4, 7-8, 12-13, 17. Ephesians
2:13-18 / 1 Corinthians 1:18-25. John 12:23-28 / John 14:23-29.
Restoration and redemption.
A retired Turkish naval captain turned tour guide
gifts small pieces of shrapnel he collected from the Gallipoli trenches, where
he played as a kid, to his clients. These shards of destruction symbolise not
only the devastation caused by war, but the peace and honour eventually
restored and ardently remembered. In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells of the greater
good that comes from sacrifice. Like the single grain, which dies and bears
fruit, the soldiers’ lives lost bear the Anzac legacy of courage and mateship;
the service they offered forever honoured, as Ataturk (1934) wrote: ‘You, the
mothers, who sent their sons from faraway countries wipe away your tears; your
sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace, after having lost their lives
on this land they have become our sons as well
MINUTE
MEDITATIONS
|
Spiritual Resilience
|
Spiritual resilience is the deep, profound support beneath even
the most storm-tossed individual. And when nurtured and strengthened, it
provides a shield against emotional deterioration and personal despair.
April
25
St. Mark
St. Mark
Most
of what we know about Mark comes directly from the New Testament. He is usually
identified with the Mark of Acts 12:12. (When Peter escaped from prison, he
went to the home of Mark's mother.)
Paul
and Barnabas took him along on the first missionary journey, but for some
reason Mark returned alone to Jerusalem. It is evident, from Paul's refusal to
let Mark accompany him on the second journey despite Barnabas's insistence,
that Mark had displeased Paul. Because Paul later asks Mark to visit him in
prison, we may assume the trouble did not last long.
The
oldest and the shortest of the four Gospels, the Gospel of Mark emphasizes
Jesus' rejection by humanity while being God's triumphant envoy. Probably
written for Gentile converts in Rome—after the death of Peter and Paul sometime
between A.D. 60 and 70—Mark's Gospel is the gradual manifestation of a
"scandal": a crucified Messiah.
Evidently
a friend of Mark (Peter called him "my son"), Peter is only one of
the Gospel sources, others being the Church in Jerusalem (Jewish roots) and the
Church at Antioch (largely Gentile).
Like
one other Gospel writer, Luke, Mark was not one of the 12 apostles. We cannot
be certain whether he knew Jesus personally. Some scholars feel that the
evangelist is speaking of himself when describing the arrest of Jesus in
Gethsemane: "Now a young man followed him wearing nothing but a linen
cloth about his body. They seized him, but he left the cloth behind and ran off
naked" (Mark 14:51-52).
Others
hold Mark to be the first bishop of Alexandria, Egypt. Venice, famous for the
Piazza San Marco, claims Mark as its patron saint; the large basilica there is
believed to contain his remains.
A
winged lion is Mark's symbol. The lion derives from Mark's description of John
the Baptist as a "voice of one crying out in the desert" (Mark 1:3),
which artists compared to a roaring lion. The wings come from the application
of Ezekiel's vision of four winged creatures (Ezekiel, chapter one) to the
evangelists.
Comment:
Mark fulfilled in his life what every Christian is called to do: proclaim to all people the Good News that is the source of salvation. In particular, Mark's way was by writing. Others may proclaim the Good News by music, drama, poetry or by teaching children around a family table.
Mark fulfilled in his life what every Christian is called to do: proclaim to all people the Good News that is the source of salvation. In particular, Mark's way was by writing. Others may proclaim the Good News by music, drama, poetry or by teaching children around a family table.
Quote:
There is very little in Mark that is not in the other Gospels—only four passages. One is: “...This is how it is with the kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land and would sleep and rise night and day and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how. Of its own accord the land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once, for the harvest has come” (Mark 4:26-29).
There is very little in Mark that is not in the other Gospels—only four passages. One is: “...This is how it is with the kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land and would sleep and rise night and day and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how. Of its own accord the land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once, for the harvest has come” (Mark 4:26-29).
Patron Saint of:
Notaries
Notaries
DIVINA LECTIO: ST. MARK, EVANGELIST - MK 16,15-20
Lectio Divina:
Monday, April 25, 2016
Easter Time
1) Opening prayer
Lord our God,
there is much in us that obscures your word
and keeps us from being truly your Church.We pray you today:
Call us, as once you called Mark,
to speak and live your word.
Inspire us through your Spirit
and teach us to live in the hope
that your kingdom will come
and remain among us
through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
now and for ever.
there is much in us that obscures your word
and keeps us from being truly your Church.We pray you today:
Call us, as once you called Mark,
to speak and live your word.
Inspire us through your Spirit
and teach us to live in the hope
that your kingdom will come
and remain among us
through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
now and for ever.
2) Gospel Reading - Mark 16,15-20
Jesus said to the Eleven, 'Go out to the
whole world; proclaim the gospel to all creation.
Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. These are the signs that will be associated with believers: in my name they will cast out devils; they will have the gift of tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands and be unharmed should they drink deadly poison; they will lay their hands on the sick, who will recover.' And so the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven; there at the right hand of God he took his place, while they, going out, preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word by the signs that accompanied it.
Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. These are the signs that will be associated with believers: in my name they will cast out devils; they will have the gift of tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands and be unharmed should they drink deadly poison; they will lay their hands on the sick, who will recover.' And so the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven; there at the right hand of God he took his place, while they, going out, preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word by the signs that accompanied it.
3) Reflection
• Today’s Gospel forms part of the
appendix of the Gospel of Mark (Mk 16, 9-20) which presents the list of some
apparitions of Jesus: to Magdalene (Mk 16, 9-11), to the two disciples who were
walking out in the country (Mk 16, 12-13) and to the twelve apostles (Mk 16,
14-18). This last apparition together with the description of the Ascension
into Heaven (Mk 16, 19-20) forms the Gospel for today.
• Mark 16, 14: The signs which accompany the announcement of the Good News. Jesus appears to the eleven disciples and reproaches them for not believing the persons who had seen him resurrected. They did not believe Mary Magdalene (Mk 16, 11), neither the two disciples on the road out in the country (Mk 16, 13). Several times, Mark refers to the resistance of the disciples in believing the witness of those who experienced the Resurrection of Jesus. Why does Mark insist so much on the lack of faith of the disciples? Probably, to teach two things: First, that faith in Jesus goes through faith in persons who give witness. Second, that no one should be discouraged when there is incredulity in the heart. Even the eleven disciples doubted!
• Mark 16, 15-18: The mission to announce the Good News to the whole world. After having criticized the lack of faith of the disciples, Jesus confers the mission to them: “Go out to the whole world, proclaim the Gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned”. To those who had the courage to believe in the Good News and who are baptized, Jesus promises the following signs: they will cast out devils, they will have the gift of tongues, they will pick up snakes in their hands and be unharmed if they drink deadly poison, they will lay their hands on the sick who will recover. This happens even today:
- to cast out devils: it is to fight against the force of evil which destroys life. The life of many persons improves because they entered into the community and have begun to live the Good News of the presence of God in their life.
- to speak new tongues: it means to begin to communicate with others in a new way. Sometimes we meet a person whom we have never seen before, but it seems to us that we have known her for some time. This happens because we speak the same language, the language of love.
- deadly poison will not harm them: there are many things that poison life together, community There is much gossiping which destroys the relationship between persons. The one who lives in the presence of God does not pay attention to these things and is able not to be disturbed by this terrible poison.
- they cure the sick. Wherever there is a clearer and livelier conscience of God’s presence, there is also a special care given to the excluded and marginalized persons, especially the sick. What can help the cure is that the person feels accepted and loved.
• Mark 16, 19-20: Through the community Jesus continues his mission. Jesus himself who lives in Palestine, and accepts the poor of his time, revealing the love of the Father to them, and this same Jesus continues to be alive in our midst, in our community. Through us, he wants to continue his mission to reveal the Good News of God’s love to the poor. Even up to this time the resurrection takes place. And it impels us to sing: “Who will separate us from the love of Christ, who will separate us?” No power of this world is capable to neutralize the force that comes from faith in the Resurrection (Rm 8, 35-39). A community which wants to be a witness of the Resurrection should be a sign of life, should struggle against the forces of death, in such a way that the world may be a favourable place for life, where to believe that another world is possible. Above all, in Latin America, where the life of people is in danger because of the system of death which has been imposed, the communities should be a living proof of the hope which overcomes the world, without fear of being happy!
• Mark 16, 14: The signs which accompany the announcement of the Good News. Jesus appears to the eleven disciples and reproaches them for not believing the persons who had seen him resurrected. They did not believe Mary Magdalene (Mk 16, 11), neither the two disciples on the road out in the country (Mk 16, 13). Several times, Mark refers to the resistance of the disciples in believing the witness of those who experienced the Resurrection of Jesus. Why does Mark insist so much on the lack of faith of the disciples? Probably, to teach two things: First, that faith in Jesus goes through faith in persons who give witness. Second, that no one should be discouraged when there is incredulity in the heart. Even the eleven disciples doubted!
• Mark 16, 15-18: The mission to announce the Good News to the whole world. After having criticized the lack of faith of the disciples, Jesus confers the mission to them: “Go out to the whole world, proclaim the Gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned”. To those who had the courage to believe in the Good News and who are baptized, Jesus promises the following signs: they will cast out devils, they will have the gift of tongues, they will pick up snakes in their hands and be unharmed if they drink deadly poison, they will lay their hands on the sick who will recover. This happens even today:
- to cast out devils: it is to fight against the force of evil which destroys life. The life of many persons improves because they entered into the community and have begun to live the Good News of the presence of God in their life.
- to speak new tongues: it means to begin to communicate with others in a new way. Sometimes we meet a person whom we have never seen before, but it seems to us that we have known her for some time. This happens because we speak the same language, the language of love.
- deadly poison will not harm them: there are many things that poison life together, community There is much gossiping which destroys the relationship between persons. The one who lives in the presence of God does not pay attention to these things and is able not to be disturbed by this terrible poison.
- they cure the sick. Wherever there is a clearer and livelier conscience of God’s presence, there is also a special care given to the excluded and marginalized persons, especially the sick. What can help the cure is that the person feels accepted and loved.
• Mark 16, 19-20: Through the community Jesus continues his mission. Jesus himself who lives in Palestine, and accepts the poor of his time, revealing the love of the Father to them, and this same Jesus continues to be alive in our midst, in our community. Through us, he wants to continue his mission to reveal the Good News of God’s love to the poor. Even up to this time the resurrection takes place. And it impels us to sing: “Who will separate us from the love of Christ, who will separate us?” No power of this world is capable to neutralize the force that comes from faith in the Resurrection (Rm 8, 35-39). A community which wants to be a witness of the Resurrection should be a sign of life, should struggle against the forces of death, in such a way that the world may be a favourable place for life, where to believe that another world is possible. Above all, in Latin America, where the life of people is in danger because of the system of death which has been imposed, the communities should be a living proof of the hope which overcomes the world, without fear of being happy!
4) Personal questions
• How do theses signs of God’s presence
take place in my life?
• Today, which are the signs of the presence of Jesus in our midst that convince persons the most?
• Today, which are the signs of the presence of Jesus in our midst that convince persons the most?
5) Concluding Prayer
I shall sing the faithful love of Yahweh
for ever,
from age to age my lips shall declare your constancy,
for you have said: love is built to last for ever,
you have fixed your constancy firm in the heavens. (Ps 89,1-2)
from age to age my lips shall declare your constancy,
for you have said: love is built to last for ever,
you have fixed your constancy firm in the heavens. (Ps 89,1-2)
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét