The church celebrates today the Feast of St. Mark the Evangelist, the writer of the first Gospel. Of Hebrew origin but probably born outside of Palestine, Mark (whose complete name is John Mark) is the son of a widow named Mary (Acts 12:12), a rich woman who put her riches at the disposal of Jesus whenever he was in Jerusalem (see this Italian site for other details). Jesus and his apostles had the Last Supper in her house. It is also believed that after the Passion and up to Pentecost, her house was the one used by the apostles for their regular gatherings. A pious legend? Perhaps, but it somehow explains why Mark became so attached to Peter. In fact, if there is anything certain in these stories, one is that Mark was baptized by St. Peter who calls him, “my son.”
Mark (whose other name is John, hence John Mark) is also the nephew of Barnabas, a Levite, Cypriot by birth, who became a follower of Jesus (see Acts 4:36-37) and later, the “talent scout” of St. Paul. (see Acts 9:27; also 11:25-26). It was also Barnabas who introduced John Mark to the mission (Acts 12:25) but perhaps prematurely. In fact, Mark became the reason of contention between Paul and Barnabas in the planning of their second missionary journey and eventually, the reason for their separation and going each on his own way (see Acts 15:36-41).
I would like to believe that St. Mark had reflected on his initial experience of the mission and in writing his Gospel, inserted an “autobiographical account” regarding his desertion of the mission when trials came. See this lines from Mark 14:51-52 at the time of Jesus’ arrest in the garden of olives: "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.”
At any rate, Mark did learn his lesson. In fact, he followed St. Peter in Rome. In Paul’s Second Letter to Timothy, we have a glimpse of how they have become close collaborators again (2 Tim 4:11). Tradition has it that he died as a martyr in Alexandria, Egypt and that travelling christian merchants later brought his remains to what is now the Church of St. Mark in Venice, Italy.
As a tribute to St. Mark we could reflect and review our “following of Jesus” and perhaps get some courage and consolation from him, not to give up when the going gets rough. Incidentally, I found that my work on “Mark’s Open Ending – Mk 16:8) has been published in the internet. If you are interested to browse, click here.
Did you know that the etymology of the English word “maudlin” which means tearfully or effusively sentimental comes from the figure of the penitent Mary Magdalene? See this dictionary on line.
Unfortunately, poor Mary Magdalene has been wrongly identified as the weeping sinner portrayed at the end of Chapter 7 of Luke’s Gospel. I think we need to correct this erroneous identification of Mary Magdalene, but not her propensity for weeping as portrayed in today’s Easter Gospel, John 20:11-18. She truly is a highly sensitive person and this because, she loved her Rabbouni (Teacher) so much. Cardinal Martini, world renowned bible expert says of her, “Mary Magdalene is the prototype of a true believer, one who loves excessively. Not in a mediocre nor reasonable degree, but in such a complete manner. Through healing (cf Mk 16:9) and friendship, Jesus opened her eyes to love. While it is true that excess exists for better or for worse, Mary Magdalene represents that love which every Christian is invited to experience - complete, limitless love.”
What about Jesus the “gardener”? One commentary says this is an example of Johannine irony, associated to an earlier note that Jesus’ tomb was found in a garden (Jn 19:41). And from this image develops the reflection of the new creation which “redeems” the first creation in the garden of Eden and cancels the sin of the first man and woman. In our early morning mass today, the celebrant tried to develop the same theme, reflecting on the image of Jesus as the gardener – the patient and hopeful sower of good seeds!
My Gospel prayer:
If tears do come today,
let them be like those of Mary Magdalene,
flowing out of care and compassion.
And even if trials appear in this garden of life
let me follow my Master and Friend
announcing hope, offering his patient love.
This Holy Week has been a truly dramatic experience here in Italy as our hearts go out to the victims of the earthquake which hit the region of Abruzzo last Holy Monday. The tremors were also strongly felt here in Rome where I live and even as I lay awake those wee hours of the morning, I started to pray for the people who would be greatly affected by the catastrophe.
And who could ever imagine seeing those scenes of inhabited places turned into ghost towns! It was a slow awakening for all of us as we followed the news day after day, of persons seeking for their children, or children searching for their parents.
The intensity heightened as we drew close to the end of the Holy Week, on Good Friday, with the funeral of 203 of almost 300 victims found in the rubble of the devastated towns. It was heartbreaking to hear the wailing of young mothers and fathers, and the voiceless plea of old men and women who lost their sons or daughters much younger than them. People searched for meaning, for answers: “why?” And “where is God in all these?”
At the other end of the line, there are those who continue to believe, to search for signs of hope, strengthened by the faith that God walks and cries and struggles with them. In the death and loss of loved ones, in the destruction of everything they hold dear, God continues to hold their hands, embrace them, infuse courage, desire and determination to start all over again.
As I contemplate this living calvary, I sense Christ rising from the dead. And in this darkness-slowly-turning-into-light, I live my Easter, struggling to let God’s grace take me out of the tomb of my trivial pains and lamentations.
The church celebrates today the Feast of St. Mark the Evangelist, the writer of the first Gospel. Of Hebrew origin but probably born outside of Palestine, Mark (whose complete name is John Mark) is the son of a widow named Mary (Acts 12:12), a rich woman who put her riches at the disposal of Jesus whenever he was in Jerusalem (see this Italian site for other details). Jesus and his apostles had the Last Supper in her house. It is also believed that after the Passion and up to Pentecost, her house was the one used by the apostles for their regular gatherings. A pious legend? Perhaps, but it somehow explains why Mark became so attached to Peter. In fact, if there is anything certain in these stories, one is that Mark was baptized by St. Peter who calls him, “my son.”
