Feast of Saint Mark, Evangelist ~ 25 April 2016

Saint Mark was from the Jewish tribe of Levi. Like Saint Luke the author of the Gospel of Luke, Saint Mark also was not one of the twelve apostles of Jesus. 

Saint Mark who is also known as John Mark is the author of the second Gospel and his symbol is the winged lion because his Gospel begins with the story of John the Baptist, a “voice crying in the wilderness” (Mark 1:3), like the roaring of a lion. Saint Mark is one of the four evangelists that the prophet Ezekiel saw in a miraculous vision of the future many years before Jesus came to Earth; Mark appeared in the vision as a lion (Ezekiel 1:10, As for the appearance of their faces: the four had the face of a human being, the face of a lion on the right side, the face of an ox on the left side, and the face of an eagle). 

The Gospel of St.Mark, the shortest among the four Gospels, and it known for it's chronological presentation of the life of Christ. It is Roman Gospel as it originated in Rome and is addressed to Roman and for the Gentile converts to Christianity.. It is believed that Saint Peter was the primary source of the the accounts of the life of Jesus for Mark’s gospel. 

He travelled with Saint Paul and Saint Barnabas (who was Saint Mark's cousin) on a missionary journey through Cyprus. The Church in Alexandria is said to be founded by Saint Mark.

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. Amen.

Reading 1

1 Peter 5:5b-14
Beloved:
Clothe yourselves with humility
in your dealings with one another, for:

God opposes the proud
but bestows favor on the humble.

So humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God,
that he may exalt you in due time.
Cast all your worries upon him because he cares for you.

Be sober and vigilant.
Your opponent the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion
looking for someone to devour.
Resist him, steadfast in faith,
knowing that your brothers and sisters throughout the world
undergo the same sufferings.
The God of all grace
who called you to his eternal glory through Christ Jesus
will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you
after you have suffered a little.
To him be dominion forever. Amen.

I write you this briefly through Silvanus,
whom I consider a faithful brother,
exhorting you and testifying that this is the true grace of God.
Remain firm in it.
The chosen one at Babylon sends you greeting, as does Mark, my son.
Greet one another with a loving kiss.
Peace to all of you who are in Christ.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 89:2-3, 6-7, 16-17
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The favors of the LORD I will sing forever;
through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness.
For you have said, “My kindness is established forever”;
in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The heavens proclaim your wonders, O LORD,
and your faithfulness, in the assembly of the holy ones.
For who in the skies can rank with the LORD?
Who is like the LORD among the sons of God?
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Blessed the people who know the joyful shout;
in the light of your countenance, O LORD, they walk.
At your name they rejoice all the day,
and through your justice they are exalted.
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
We proclaim Christ crucified;
he is the power of God and the wisdom of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.


Gospel

Mark 16:15-20
Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them:
“Go into the whole world
and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved;
whoever does not believe will be condemned.
These signs will accompany those who believe:
in my name they will drive out demons,
they will speak new languages.
They will pick up serpents with their hands,
and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them.
They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them,
was taken up into heaven
and took his seat at the right hand of God.
But they went forth and preached everywhere,
while the Lord worked with them
and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.

St. Luke, Evangelist (Feast)

St. Luke

the Evangelist

Feast day : 18 October 

Saint Luke was from Antioch. He was from Greek family and was a trained physician. He is the author the third gospel known as the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. His gospel is considered the most poetic and beautiful among the four gospel. He was one of the first Gentile converted to Christianity, and he became a travelling companion of Saint Paul on his many missionary journeys. Saint Luke's gospel was believed to be an accurate account of the life of Christ, especially of Christ's birth and this is the reason, Luke was taken as one of the patrons of notaries. Luke is the only evangelist to record in his gospel about Jesus commissioning the seventy-two disciples (Luke 10:1-12). 

Saint Luke died in 70 A.D. He is the patron of the medical profession, bachelors, artists, painters, sculptors and craft workers. His name "Luke" means "bringer of light". 

Lord God, who chose Saint Luke to reveal by his preaching and writings the mystery of your love for the poor, grant that those who already glory in your name may persevere as one heart and one soul and that all nations may merit to see your salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. AMEN.

Friday, 18 October, 2013
St. Luke, Evangelist (Feast)

Reading

2 Timothy 4: 10 - 17
10	For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessaloni'ca; Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.
11	Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you; for he is very useful in serving me.
12	Tych'icus I have sent to Ephesus.
13	When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Tro'as, also the books, and above all the parchments.
14	Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will requite him for his deeds.
15	Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message.
16	At my first defense no one took my part; all deserted me. May it not be charged against them!
17	But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength to proclaim the message fully, that all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion's mouth.

Psalm

Psalms 145: 10 - 13, 17 - 18
10	All thy works shall give thanks to thee, O LORD, and all thy saints shall bless thee!
11	They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and tell of thy power,
12	to make known to the sons of men thy mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of thy kingdom.
13	Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endures throughout all generations. The LORD is faithful in all his words, and gracious in all his deeds.
17	The LORD is just in all his ways, and kind in all his doings.
18	The LORD is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth.

Gospel

Luke 10: 1 - 9
1	After this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to come.
2	And he said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.
3	Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.
4	Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and salute no one on the road.
5	Whatever house you enter, first say, `Peace be to this house!'
6	And if a son of peace is there, your peace shall rest upon him; but if not, it shall return to you.
7	And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages; do not go from house to house.
8	Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you;
9	heal the sick in it and say to them, `The kingdom of God has come near to you.'

St. Matthew, Apostle, Evangelist (Feast)

Nor heaven nor earth too high can raise

The great Apostles' glorious praise.

Matthew worked for the Romans as a tax collector. One day, while seated at his table of books and money, Jesus looked at Matthew and said two words: "Follow me." Enlightened and moved by divine grace, Matthew arose, leaving his pieces of silver to follow Christ. The first gospel that appears in the New Testament was written by St.Matthew, the Evangelist. The gospel of St.Matthew makes clear that Jesus is the fulfillment of everything said by the prophets in the Old Testament and is the only gospel that talks about the eight Beatitudes. St.Matthew also wrote about Jesus’ Incarnation and his Gospel makes clear that Jesus was true God and true man.

Matthew helps us to remember that it is our faith in Jesus that makes us truly rich, believing in and living as a follower of Christ. 

O God, who with untold mercy were pleased to choose as an Apostle Saint Matthew, the tax collector, grant that, sustained by his example and intercession, we may merit to hold firm in following you. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. AMEN.

Saturday, September 21, 2013
St. Matthew, Apostle, Evangelist (Feast)

Reading

Ephesians 4: 1 - 7, 11 - 13
1	I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called,
2	with all lowliness and meekness, with patience, forbearing one another in love,
3	eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4	There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call,
5	one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6	one God and Father of us all, who is above all and through all and in all.
7	But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.
11	And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers,
12	to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,
13	until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ;

Psalm

Psalms 19: 2 - 5
2	Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge.
3	There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard;
4	yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun,
5	which comes forth like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and like a strong man runs its course with joy.

Gospel

Matthew 9: 9 - 13
9	As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax office; and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed him.
10	And as he sat at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples.
11	And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"
12	But when he heard it, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.
13	Go and learn what this means, `I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."

Prayer to St. Matthew as your Patron Saint

Saint Matthew, whom I have chosen as my special patron, pray for me that I, too, may one day glorify the Blessed Trinity in heaven. Obtain for me your lively faith, that I may consider all persons, things, and events in the light of almighty God. Pray, that I may be generous in making sacrifices of temporal things to promote my eternal interests, as you so wisely did.

Set me on fire with a love for Jesus, that I may thirst for His sacraments and burn with zeal for the spread of His kingdom. By your powerful intercession, help me in the performance of my duties to God, myself and all the world. 

Win for me the virtue of purity and a great confidence in the Blessed Virgin. Protect me this day, and every day of my life. Keep me from mortal sin. Obtain for me the grace of a happy death. Amen