Today we honor St. Mark the Evangelist, writer of what is probably the earliest of the four Gospels.
Reflections on the readings for Feast of St. Mark (April 25, 2022): 1 PT 5:5-14; PS 89:2-3,6-7,16-17; MK 16:15-20
MISSIO offers “Preaching Mission,” as a homily help, providing connections to mission from the readings of Sundays, Feast Days and Holy Days.
The Jesus we meet through Mark is both a servant and a Messiah. He preaches, often through parables, about the kingdom of God. He also heals the suffering and performs other miracles.
On this day we commemorate St. Mark the author of one of the Gospels of Jesus Christ. More than that, we honor not only an evangelist who wrote about Him, but also a disciple of our Lord who preached His word. St. Mark is most often identified with the John Mark who appears in the Acts of the Apostles. His mother was a prominent member of the Christian community and St. Barnabas was his cousin. Mark also accompanied St. Paul on some of his travels and was a friend of St. Peter. It was probably from Peter that Mark gained so much direct knowledge about Jesus’ mission. And it was this public ministry that is the focus of his Gospel, since it contains nothing about Christ’s birth or childhood. It is told in a brisk style. The Jesus we meet through Mark is both a servant and a Messiah. He preaches, often through parables, about the kingdom of God. He also heals the suffering and performs other miracles. Mark shows our Lord pointing to His own passion and teaching His followers what it truly means to be a disciple. In the reading today taken from St. Peter’s first letter, we hear him also telling the early Christians about what is demanded of them in following our Redeemer: “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 … the God of 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” (1 Peter 5:6,10-11). Peter concludes the letter by sending his final greeting “as does Mark, my son.”
It is believed that after writing the Gospel in Rome, Mark journeyed to Alexandria, Egypt where he founded the local Church. It is uncertain what happened to him after that, however, it is generally thought it was in that city that he is was eventually martyred. St. Mark is patron of Egypt as well as of Venice where some of his relics were eventually transferred in the Middle Ages. They are now located there in the Basilica of St. Mark’s.
