💖 HOMILY - APRIL 25 💖

FEAST OF ST. MARK, EVANGELIST 

First Reading - 1 Peter 5:5-14

Gospel - Mark 16:15-20

Today, we celebrate a great feast of St. Mark, a missionary and an evangelist, who died for Christ. He proclaimed Christ through his writing and life. He stands out as an example of missionary zeal. The readings of today remind us of our task as missionaries in Christ. 

The gospel narrates the last missionary injunction of Jesus to his disciples:"Go out to the world world; proclaim the Good News to all creation." The last commissioning of Jesus is replete with the tone of obligation enjoined on his disciples to become his apostles. He also promises His Spirit as the one to accompany his disciples in their mission. The proof of the presence of His Spirit, as Jesus promises, will be manifested in extraordinary signs performed by the disciples. The extraordinary signs show the end of the dominion of evil. Therefore, the signs that Jesus promises are the manifest signs of the end of the dominion of evil and should not become a necessary condition for the faith of the people. Hence, people are to believe by seeing his disciples and listening to them. If people come to recognize Jesus as the Lord through the disciples, Jesus promises, they will receive new life of salvation in him, and those who resist will be condemned.

In the first reading, Peter cites two virtues to live a good Christian life; the virtue of humility and the virtue of faith. Firstly, Peter emphasizes that the virtue of humility is to be manifested in our relationship with one another; in our humble service to one another by ruling out pride. Peter further states that the virtue of humility is also to be seen in relation with God in our acceptance of God's sovereignty in our lives. Secondly, Peter emphasizes the virtue of faith as a powerful weapon to fight devil or Satan. 

Dear friends, the missionary injunction given by Jesus to his disciples is also directed to each believer as well. We are all, like the apostles and other disciples, are commissioned with the task of evangelization. The task of evangelization is universal and it includes everyone, irrespective of nationality and race. Many times, we think that only fathers, sisters or laymen who are away from homes to a far off places are the missionaries but it is not so. We all are the missionaries in our given places and situations. We are all sent ones in the name of Jesus to be his missionaries. Our everyday life is the manifestation of our missionary work. Our missionary work is among our own people to lead them to faith in Jesus. Jesus has promised us the Holy Spirit as our companion in our works. Besides the assurance of the Holy Spirit in our works, we also are to keep the two virtues always treasured in us as suggested by Peter; the virtue of humility and the virtue of faith. They are important tools for our daily life as missionaries. The virtue of humility will always remind us that we are to respect every person and accept God's will in our lives, whereas, the virtue of faith will always remind us that we have to rely on God for our every work. 

May God help us become good missionaries in our everyday life.