The Holy Apostle and Evangelist Mark, also known as John Mark (Acts 12:12), was one of the Seventy Apostles, and also the nephew of St. Barnabas. He was born in Jerusalem. The house of his mother Mary adjoined the Garden of Gethsemane. After the Ascension of the Lord, the house of his mother Mary became a place where Christians gathered, and a place of lodging for some of the Apostles (Acts 12:12). St. Mark was a very close companion of the Apostles Peter and Paul and Barnabas. St. Mark was at Seleucia with Paul and Barnabas, and from there he set off to the island of Cyprus, and he traversed the whole of it from east to west. In the city of Paphos, St. Mark witnessed the blinding of the sorcerer Elymas by St. Paul (Acts 13: 6-12). After working with the Apostle Paul, St. Mark returned to Jerusalem, and then went to Rome with the Apostle Peter. From there, he set out for Egypt, where he established a local Church. Finally, he founded the Church of Alexandria.
You became an apostle to Christ through the teaching of Peter, and you traveled like the sun over foreign lands. You fathered the Alexandrians in Christ, O blessed saint, and, by you, Egypt was set free from her mistakes. You guide us all like a beacon, O Mark, voice of God. You are a pillar of the Church by your gospel teaching. We rejoice in this and keep your memory. Intercede with God, who proclaims the Gospel through you, to forgive us our many sins.
Receiving the grace of the Spirit from heaven, you silenced the babble of the orators, O apostle. You attracted the pagans by preaching of the Gospel and led them to your Master, O blessed Mark.
1st Peter 5: 6-14
Brothers and sisters: Bow humbly under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time he may lift you high. Cast all your cares on him because he cares for you. Stay sober and alert. Your opponent the devil is prowling like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, solid in your faith, realizing that the brotherhood of believers is undergoing the same sufferings throughout the world. The God of all grace, who called you to his everlasting glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish those who have suffered a little while. Dominion be his throughout the ages! Amen.
I am writing briefly through Silvanus, whom I take to be a faithful brother to you. Herewith are expressed my encouragement and my testimony that this is the true grace of God. Be steadfast in it. The church that is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greeting, as does Mark my son. Greet one another with the embrace of true love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.
Mark 6: 7-13
At that time Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two, giving them authority over unclean spirits. He instructed them to take nothing on the journey but a walking stick–no food, no traveling bag, not a coin in the purse in their belts. They were, however, to wear sandals. “Do not bring a second tunic,” he said, and added: “Whatever house you find yourself in, stay there until you leave the locality. If any place will not receive you or hear you, shake your dust from your feet in testimony against them as you leave.” With that they went off, preaching the need of repentance. They expelled many demons, anointed the sick with oil, and worked many cures.
Acts 3: 1-8
In those days, when Peter and John were going up to the temple for prayer at the three o’clock hour, a man crippled from birth was being carried in. They would bring him every day and put him at the temple gate called “the Beautiful” to beg from the people as they entered. When he saw Peter and John on their way in, he begged them for an alms. Peter fixed his gaze on the man; so did John. “Look at us!” Peter said. The cripple gave them his whole attention, hoping to get something. Then Peter said: “I have neither silver nor gold, but what I have I give to you! In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, walk!” Then Peter took him by the right hand and pulled him up. Immediately the beggar’s feet and ankles became strong; he jumped up, stood for a moment, and began to walk around. He went into the temple with them-walking, jumping about, and praising God.
John 2: 12-22
At that time Jesus went down to Capernaum, along with his mother and brothers (and his disciples) but they stayed there only a few days.
As the Jewish Passover was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple precincts he came upon people engaged in selling oxen, sheep and doves, and others seated changing coins. He made a kind of whip of cords and drove sheep and oxen alike out of the temple area, and knocked over the moneychangers’ tables, spilling their coins. He told those who were selling doves: “Get them out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!” His disciples recalled the words of Scripture: “Zeal for your house consumes me.”
At this the Jews responded, “What sign can you show us authorizing you to do these things?” Jesus answered: “Destroy this temple and in three days raise it up.” They retorted, “This temple took forty-six years to build, and you are going to ‘raise it up in three days’!” Actually Jesus was talking about the temple of his body. Only after Jesus had been raised from the dead did his disciples recall that he had said this, and come to believe the Scripture and the word he had spoken.
Icon courtesy of Jack Figel, Eastern Christian Publications – ecpubs.com
Thursday, April 24 –
