Thursday 25th april

by | Apr 24, 2024 | Evangelium

Saint Mark, Evangelist

Feast

White

He was a cousin of Barnabas and accompanied the apostle Paul on his first missionary journey; later he followed him to Rome. He is credited with founding the Church in Alexandria.

Entrance Antiphon : Mk 16: 15

Go into all the world, and proclaim the Gospel to every creature, alleluia.

Collect

O God, who raised up Saint Mark, your Evangelist, and endowed him with the grace to preach the Gospel, grant, we pray, that we may so profit from his teaching as to follow faithfully in the footsteps of Christ. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

First reading : 1 Peter 5:5-14

All wrap yourselves in humility to be servants of each other, because God refuses the proud and will always favour the humble. Bow down, then, before the power of God now, and he will raise you up on the appointed day; unload all your worries on to him, since he is looking after you. Be calm but vigilant, because your enemy the devil is prowling round like a roaring lion, looking for someone to eat. Stand up to him, strong in faith and in the knowledge that your brothers all over the world are suffering the same things. You will have to suffer only for a little while: the God of all grace who called you to eternal glory in Christ will see that all is well again: he will confirm, strengthen and support you. His power lasts for ever and ever. Amen. I write these few words to you through Silvanus, who is a brother I know I can trust, to encourage you never to let go this true grace of God to which I bear witness. Your sister in Babylon, who is with you among the chosen, sends you greetings; so does my son, Mark. Greet one another with a kiss of love.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 88:2-3,6-7,16-17

R/            I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord.

will sing for ever of your love, O Lord; through all ages my mouth will proclaim your truth. Of this I am sure, that your love lasts for ever, that your truth is firmly established as the heavens.

The heavens proclaim your wonders, O Lord; the assembly of your holy ones proclaims your truth. For who in the skies can compare with the Lord or who is like the Lord among the sons of God?

Happy the people who acclaim such a king, who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face, who find their joy every day in your name, who make your justice the source of their bliss.

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia, alleluia! Christ has risen and shone upon us whom he redeemed with his blood. Alleluia!

Gospel : Mark 16:15-20

Jesus showed himself to the Eleven, and said to them: ‘Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation. He who believes and is baptised will be saved; he who does not believe will be condemned. These are the signs that will be associated with believers: in my name they will cast out devils; they will have the gift of tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands, and be unharmed should they drink deadly poison; they will lay their hands on the sick, who will recover.’ And so the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven: there at the right hand of God he took his place, while they, going out, preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word by the signs that accompanied it.

Prayer over the Offerings

As we venerate the glory of Saint Mark, we offer you, Lord, the sacrifice of praise and humbly beseech you, that your Church may always persevere in the preaching of the Gospel. Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon : Mt 28: 20

Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age, says the Lord, alleluia.

Prayer after Communion

Grant, we pray, almighty God, that what we have received from your holy altar may sanctify us and make us strong in the faith of the Gospel which Saint Mark proclaimed. Through Christ our Lord.

Meditation

The significance of St Mark’s Day cannot be separated from the important mission Christ entrusted to all who have placed their trust in Him. This mission is for us to preach the Good News to all people all around the world. We cannot deny this mission, nor can we ignore it, for it is this mission that has been entrusted to all of us who have been baptised in the Name of our Lord. And it continues even today, as we still need to proclaim the word of God’s salvation to all the people. Had the Apostles kept the Good News to themselves, there would have been no Church. Today we are called to be the mouthpiece and witnesses of Christ to all the nations. Today’s Responsorial Psalm reminds me, «I will sing forever of your love, O Lord.»