As Author of the 2nd Gospel, he sas sometimes called John, or John Mark. His mother, Mary, owned a house in Jerusalem. Some scholars believe that was the place where
the dinner of Holy Thursday took place, when Christ initiated the Blessed
Sacrament and the Holy Spirit descended upon them. It was this house where Mark lived that was
described in Acts of the Apostles that the Christians assembled during the
persecutions of Herod Agrippa. It was to his house that Peter came when he was
miraculously released from prison.
It is believed that Peter himself baptized Mark,
whom he referred to as his spiritual son. Mark was Paul’s companion when Paul went to
Antioch and Perga on Paul’s first missionary voyage. It is believed that Mark was the cousin of
Barnabas, with whom he travelled to Cypress to preach while Paul and Silas went
on Paul’s 2nd missionary journey. When Paul was imprisoned in Rome, it was Mark,
Paul writes in the letter to the Colossians, who was his companion and comfort. In letters from Peter, he tacked into them a
hello from Mark to the Jewish Christians in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia
and Bithynia. Mark was that well known
throughout the area.
In Christian literature and art, St. Mark is
often depicted as a lion, or esp. a winged lion, also the symbol of the city of
Venice. In his Gospels, Mark aimed to show the divinity of
Christ in a way similar to how Peter argued.
Today we read from the Gospel of Mark. We hear the gloriousness of Christ:
"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.”
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.”
"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.
Mark encourages us to faith as strong and powerful as a lion. Truly he tells us, Jesus is the Christ, God
made manifest. Praise be to God, Alleluia!
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