Feast of Saint Mark, Evangelist
Recently I had the opportunity to visit my parents along with my two sisters without our spouses and children. It was an unusual visit in that regard and the first time in probably twenty years or more that it was just us five, as it had been when we were growing up. One of the highlights of the visit for me was my Dad reading to us a letter he had written to his mother years ago when we were still in school after we had moved out of state. Some things that he read we all remembered, some things we had forgotten but remembered upon hearing it, and at least one thing he read was a surprise to all of us. It was fun and also disturbing to realize that as time passes, we forget some things that happened earlier in our lives. It also prompted us to bug our parents, again, to write down their memories while they can.
I share this story in light of the Church celebrating the feast of St. Mark today. St. Mark wrote the first Gospel narrative (sometime around the year 70). According to Robert Ellsberg’s All Saints, prior to Mark’s gospel writing, Jesus’ teachings were circulated in the form of sayings, and the Gospel of Mark gradually came to be seen as a handbook of discipleship. He passed on the message that to be a disciple one must pattern one’s own life on Jesus’ example of self-sacrificing love. Today’s first reading (1 Peter 5: 5B-14) reflects that message as we are exhorted to clothe ourselves in humility in our dealings with one another.
The Gospel of Mark was written for early Christians experiencing persecution or even death for their faith. The author is reminding them and, now, us to put our complete trust in God as Jesus did. Again, today’s first reading reflects that as we are encouraged to “Cast all your worries upon him because he cares for you,” (vs7) for “Christ (Jesus) will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you after you have suffered a little.” (vs10) The author of Peter’s letter also reminds the disciples that “your fellow believers throughout the world undergo the same sufferings.” Granted, most of us may never suffer death for our faith, but are we willing to? Are we willing to give up our status or comfort or fixed ideas of what our life should be like for the sake of the Gospel? I know these are difficult questions for me.
Today’s Gospel reading (Mark 16: 15-20) from Mark, who is also known as the Evangelist, shares Jesus appearing to his disciples after his resurrection and telling them to “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.” How are we, as Jesus’ disciples today, proclaiming the Gospel to every creature? Do our lives, including our words and actions, proclaim Jesus’ message of self-sacrificing love to everyone we encounter, including God’s creatures? In the words attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, “Preach the Gospel at all times. If necessary, use words.”
I am thankful today for the Gospel writer’s passing on of Jesus’ message and life story. How are you and I called to share our story as disciples of Jesus today?
-Eileen Miller