Saint of the Day for April 25: Mark (? ā c. April 25, 68)
Saint Markās Story 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 Saint Peter escaped from prison, he went to the home of Markās 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 Paulās refusal to let Mark accompany him on the second journey despite Barnabasās 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 Jesusās rejection by humanity while being Godās triumphant envoy. Probably written for gentile converts in Romeāafter the death of Peter and Paul sometime between A.D. 60 and 70āMarkās Gospel is the gradual manifestation of a āscandalā: a crucified Messiah. Evidently a friend of Markācalling him āmy sonāāPeter is only one of this Gospelās sources, others being the Church in Jerusalem (Jewish roots), and the Church at Antioch (largely Gentile). Like another 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: āNow 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 nakedā (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 Markās symbol. The lion derives from Markās description of John the Baptist as a āvoice of one crying out in the desertā (Mark 1:3), which artists compared to a roaring lion. The wings come from the application of Ezekielās vision of four winged creatures to the evangelists. Reflection 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, Markās way was by writing. Others may proclaim the Good News by music, drama, poetry, or by teaching children around a family table. Saint Mark is the Patron Saint of: Notaries
Venice | 