Feast of Saint Mark, Evangelist
1 Peter 5:5b–14; Psalm 89; Mark 16:15–20
The Bible begins with a promise:
the serpent will not have the last word.
From the beginning, the enemy is named, and from the beginning, his defeat is foretold.
The serpent appears again and again— in fear, in violence, in lies, in all that opposes God and keeps human beings in bondage.
And today the Gospel says: those who believe will handle serpents.
What does this mean?
It means that in Christ the Church need no longer live in terror before the ancient enemy.
What once poisoned, need not rule forever. What once enslaved, need not remain master.
The disciples of Jesus are given power over what once held them down.
So Paul was bitten, but not conquered. The viper struck, but its venom did not reign. He shook it into the fire and went on living.
This is a sign.
The Gospel is not only a message to be heard. It is a power that changes lives.
It drives out unclean spirits. It heals what is wounded. It gives bold speech to those who once were silent with fear. It creates in human beings a freedom they did not have before.
For the risen Christ does not merely send His Church. He works with her. He confirms His word. He makes His Gospel fruitful.
And Mark ends not with silence, but with a command: Go into the whole world.
According to the ancient Church, Mark gives us Peter’s witness— short, urgent, burning with life. It moves quickly, but it cuts deeply.
This Gospel tells us that Jesus enters a world wounded by sin, troubled by demons, burdened by sickness, and overshadowed by death. But wherever He goes, the enemy begins to lose ground.
That is why this small Gospel has such great power.
Again and again, this Gospel has led people to Christ. Again and again, it has awakened faith, taught what following Christ means, and set hearts on fire.
For Mark does not merely tell us about Jesus. He places us on the road with Him.
And so on this feast we give thanks for this brief and burning Gospel.
And we pray:
Saint Mark, pray for us. Teach us to read your Gospel with open hearts. May the Christ you proclaim change us. May He free us from the old serpent, make us faithful disciples, and send us into the world to announce His victory over death.
Amen.
Scripture Attribution
New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993
the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of
Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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