Readings: 1 Pet 5:5b-14; Mk 16:15-20
Jesus is the Saviour of all the world. Saint Mark, whose feast we celebrate today, proclaims this aspect in his Gospel for all people to believe. In the Gospel he narrates the Missionary Commission of Jesus. By the virtue of our Baptism we are also called to be Missionaries and Evangelists. The first reading points out certain criteria we must have to experience the strength and grace of Christ in our daily proclamation of the gospel. We are called to be humble, to cast all our anxieties on God, to be sober and watchful, to resist evil, and to take the sufferings of daily life in the name of Christ.
Today we are encouraged to transform and wrap ourselves with the qualities mentioned in the first reading to be effective missionaries. The Church presents to us three types of evangelization that will help us identify our role in the Mission.
They are Mission Ad Gentes- a mission to those who do not know Christ; Ordinary Pastoral Care- a mission to strengthen those who need pastoral guidance, and New Evangelization- A mission to those who have lost a living sense of faith and in need of re-evangelization. Let us be inspired by the person of Saint Mark to work towards our calling of proclaiming Christ through our life.