Feast of Mark, Evangelist (Tuesday of the Second Week of Gracetide)

MARK
Evangelist
Red Vestments

Prayer of the Day
Almighty God, you enlightened your Church through the inspired witness of your evangelist Mark. Grant that we, firmly grounded in the truth of the gospel, may be faithful to its teaching both in word and deed. We make our prayer through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

First Reading: Isaiah 52: 7-10
Psalm: 57
Second Reading: 2 Timothy 4: 6-11, 18
Gospel Reading: Mark 1: 1-15

Proper Preface
It is indeed right and salutary
that we should at all times and in all places
offer thanks and praise to you,
O Lord, holy Father, through Christ our Lord.

You established that the mystery of our salvation
should be made known through the holy scriptures,
the work of authors chosen and inspired
by the light of the Holy Spirit.

In this way, the words and deeds of the Savior,
written in the pages of the eternal Gospel,
have been entrusted to the Church to become a fertile seed
which bears the fruit of grace and glory forever.

We who have received this Gospel unite with Saint Mark,
whose memory we celebrate today,
and together with the angels
sing the unending hymn of praise.

Biography: The second Gospel was written by Mark, who, in the New Testament, is sometimes called John Mark. Both he and his mother, were highly esteemed in the early Church, and his mother's house in Jerusalem served as a meeting place for Christians there.

Mark was associated with both Paul and Barnabas (who was Mark's cousin) on their missionary journey through the island of Cyprus. Later he accompanied Barnabas alone. Avaliable evidence indicates that Mark settled in Egypt, becoming the Bishop of a small Christian community in Alexandria. There he died, having planted the seeds of what we today call the Coptic Orthodox Church.