S. Mark the Evangelist| Recitation of the Litany of the Saints in Latin Calendar| Daily Meditation| Daily Quote by St Padre Pio| Divine Mercy Reflection
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 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' 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 (Peter called him "my son"), Peter is only one of the Gospel sources, others being the Church in Jerusalem (Jewish roots) and the Church at Antioch (largely Gentile).
Like one other 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 (Ezekiel, chapter one) to the evangelists.
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.
There is very little in Mark that is not in the other Gospels—only four passages. One is: “...This is how it is with the kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land and would sleep and rise night and day and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how. Of its own accord the land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once, for the harvest has come” (Mark 4:26-29).
Patron Saint of:
Litany of The Saints:
No matter how old your kids are, whether they are small and living with you or they are grown and gone, loving the complete personhood of your spouse is an absolute must to keeping your marriage thriving. It orients all of your action toward loving charity.
Quote by S. Padre Pio:
Thanks to this 'yes' pronounced by Mary Most Holy, the world obtained salvation, and humanity was redeemed.
Divine Mercy Reflection
Reflections on Notebook Two: 112-188
We now enter into Notebook Two of the six notebooks that make up the Diary of Saint Faustina. The reason for having more than one notebook is simply that when one notebook was filled by Saint Faustina she began with a new one. Therefore, there is nothing particularly different from one notebook to the other. However, for the purpose of this current book of daily reflections, each reflection will begin to be lengthened, starting here with Notebook Two, so as to help you, the reader, enter more deeply into the beautiful mysteries of faith and our shared spiritual life that have been revealed in these writings of Saint Faustina.
You are invited once again to take one reflection each day and to ponder it throughout the day. Try to pray the prayer for each reflection each morning, noon and evening. Allow each mystery reflected upon to become a source of wisdom and understanding for you.
Reflection 115: The Will of God Will Keep You Safe
The Will of God is much more than a future plan God has laid out for you. It’s more than His hopes and dreams for you. His Will is your path to holiness and it is a source of the greatest consolation and joy. His Will is both active and passive (permissive). It’s active in that He has definite plans for you and calls you to discern those plans and embrace them. It’s passive in that He will permit certain evils to befall you as a result of your own sins and those of the whole world. Do not fear when God permits some evil or some suffering to come your way. Jesus Himself is the perfect example of one who experienced the effects of the permissive Will of the Father. Do not be surprised or scandalized by what God permits. His passive and permissive Will invites you to trust in Him in all things and allows you to grow in faith and trust of Him no matter what your future holds. Do not be afraid of that which God permits. (See Diary #541).
Reflect upon any way that you are confused or even scandalized by what God has allowed to happen in your life. Know that He knows what He desires and He knows what He permits. Do not be afraid of His permissive Will. Do not be afraid to accept all that befalls you with faith and confidence. What God permits is done so as to manifest His providential care for you and as a way of increasing your own faith and trust in Him.
Lord, when I suffer, I sometimes doubt Your love and care for me. I question whether You are there, sustaining me and leading me. Give me the grace I need to endure all the effects of sin in our world. Help me to face the effects of my own sin and those of the world with courage and confidence in Your protective hand. Jesus, I trust in You.