Feast of Saint Mark, evangelist
Lectionary: 555
Lectionary: 555
Beloved:
Clothe yourselves with humility
in your dealings with one another, for:
Clothe yourselves with humility
in your dealings with one another, for:
God
opposes the proud
but bestows favor on the humble.
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.
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.
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.
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
Psalm89:2-3, 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.”
“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.
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
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, teaching,
mission, and his death and resurrection. 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 the apostle
Peter and likely wrote his Gospel in Rome where Peter was based. Mark wrote it
in Greek. It was likely written for Gentile (non-Jewish) 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 [Apostles], 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).
All
must hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ until he comes again
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.
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 atoning death for sin and his glorious resurrection to new
life for all who will believe in Jesus, God's beloved Son. 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?
Christ
calls every believer to be his ambassador of Good News (the Gospel message)
This is the great commission which the risen Christ gives to the whole church - the people of God. All believers have been given a share in this task - to be heralds of the good news (the Gospel message) 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?
This is the great commission which the risen Christ gives to the whole church - the people of God. All believers have been given a share in this task - to be heralds of the good news (the Gospel message) 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 victory over the grave and gift of everlasting life.”
A
Daily Quote for Easter season: The Gospel proclaimed to all creation,
by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"The
command to the apostles to be witnesses to him in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria,
and even to the uttermost parts of the earth (Acts 1:8) was not addressed
exclusively to those to whom it was immediately spoken. They alone would not be
the only ones who would carry such an enormous task to completion. Similarly he
seems to be speaking to the apostles very personally when he says: 'Behold I am
with you even to the end of the world' (Matthew 28:20), yet who does not know that
he made this promise to the universal church which will last from now even to
the consummation of the world by successive births and deaths?" (excerpt
from LETTER 199,TO HESYCHIUS 49)
FEAST OF SAINT MARK, EVANGELIST
SATURDAY, APRIL 25, MARK 16:15-20
(1 Peter 5:5b-14; Psalm 89)
SATURDAY, 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. 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. 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 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 be a messenger of good news wherever I go.
SAINT MARK, EVANGELIST
Mark is sometimes called John Mark in the New Testament. His mother's house in Jerusalem served as a meeting place for Christians. Mark was associated with Paul and Barnabas (Mark's cousin) on their missionary journey through the island of Cyprus. When he had a falling out with Paul, Mark accompanied Barnabas alone. Tradition tells us that Mark was asked to set down the teachings of Peter, which seems to be confirmed by the important position that Peter has in this gospel. In this way Mark's Gospel is a record of the life of Jesus as seen through the eyes of Peter, the Prince of the Apostles. Tradition ascribes to Mark the founding of the Church in Alexandria. Mark is represented in art by a lion, which comes from the temptation of Jesus in his gospel: "He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts" (Mark 1:13).
Saturday 25 April 2020
ANZAC Day
Acts 6:1-7. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place
our trust in you – Psalm 32(33):1-2, 4-5, 18-19. John 6:16-21.
‘Do not be afraid.’
In his novel, The Great World, David Malouf writes
about two ex-servicemen, Digger and his city mate. Their wives noticed that
when occasionally they met, the visits would be long. Sometimes fishing
together, conversation was sparse. They had been POWs together on the Burma
railroad where there was mud, sickness and starvation aplenty.
At one point there, Digger, drowning in mud, lost hope. The city
mate, at great risk, pulled him out, and carried him to a murky creek infested
with blood-sucking fish. He cleaned away the mud from Digger’s gangrenous foot
and the fish did the rest. His friend was saved. In Corinthians, we hear that,
for the believer, there is strength beyond any person’s ability, and this comes
from the power and wisdom of the Cross of Christ. Lord, be this power and
strength for all those we remember this day.
Saint Mark
Saint of the Day for April 25
(? – c. April 25, 68)
 |
| Saint Mark the Evangelist | Jean Bourdichon |
Saint Mark’s Story
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 Saint
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’s 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—calling him “my son”—Peter is only
one of this Gospel’s sources, others being the Church in Jerusalem (Jewish
roots), and the Church at Antioch (largely gentile).
Like another 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 to the evangelists.
Reflection
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.
Saint Mark is the Patron Saint of:
Notaries
Divina Lectio: St. Mark, Evangelist - Mk 16:15-20
Lectio Divina
Saturday, April 25, 2020
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,
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.
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 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.
3) Reflection
• Today’s Gospel forms part of the appendix of the Gospel of
Mark (Mk 16:9-20) which presents a 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), nor the two disciples on the road out in the country (Mk 16:13). Several times, Mark refers to the resistance of the disciples to 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 doubt 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 their 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 speak new languages, they will pick up snakes in their hands and be unharmed if they drink deadly poison, and they will lay their hands on the sick who will recover. This happens even today. To cast out devils is to fight against the force of evil which destroys life. The life of many people 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 languages: it means to begin to communicate with others in a new way. Sometimes we meet a person whom we have never seen before, and we care deeply for them and their situation, even though we don't know them well. 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 in community. There is gossip which destroys the relationship between persons. The one who lives in the presence of God does not participate in these things and is able to not be disturbed by this terrible poison.
- they cure the sick. Wherever there is a clear and lively knowledge of God’s presence, there is also a special care given to the excluded and marginalized, especially the sick. What can help cure is that the person feels accepted and loved.
• 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), nor the two disciples on the road out in the country (Mk 16:13). Several times, Mark refers to the resistance of the disciples to 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 doubt 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 their 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 speak new languages, they will pick up snakes in their hands and be unharmed if they drink deadly poison, and they will lay their hands on the sick who will recover. This happens even today. To cast out devils is to fight against the force of evil which destroys life. The life of many people 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 languages: it means to begin to communicate with others in a new way. Sometimes we meet a person whom we have never seen before, and we care deeply for them and their situation, even though we don't know them well. 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 in community. There is gossip which destroys the relationship between persons. The one who lives in the presence of God does not participate in these things and is able to not be disturbed by this terrible poison.
- they cure the sick. Wherever there is a clear and lively knowledge of God’s presence, there is also a special care given to the excluded and marginalized, especially the sick. What can help 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, 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 of neutralizing 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 and should
struggle against the forces of death in such a way that the world may be a
favorable place for life. Above all, in parts of the world such as Latin
America and the Middle East, where the life of people is in danger because of
the system of death which has become common there, 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?
• What are the signs of the presence of Jesus in our midst that convince people the most today?
• What are the signs of the presence of Jesus in our midst that convince people the most today?
• Do I proclaim the Gospel through my words and actions every
day, or just sometimes?
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)
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