Grace and Space

Proclaim the Gospel: Before he is taken up to heaven, Jesus gives his last mandate to the eleven disciples. They are to go into the whole world and preach the gospel to every creature (v 15). Perhaps they are overwhelmed by the enormity of the task. Preach the gospel to the whole world? But there are only eleven of them! Today, we know that they succeeded despite problems, trials, persecution, crises. Christianity has spread far and wide because as the Lord promised, he is with us always until the end of the age (Mt 28:20).
Only a few scraps of information are available on Mark, whose feast is celebrated today. He was probably the John Mark of Jerusalem, whose mother hosted a Christian community at her place (Acts 12:12). He was a cousin of Barnabas, accompanying him and Paul on part of the first missionary journey. He was imprisoned with Paul (Phlm 24; 2 Tm 4:11), and he accompanied Peter (1 Pt 5:13) as his interpreter (this according to early second-century author Papias).
But he is honored for the masterpiece attributed to him—the gospel according to Mark—and for giving his life in the proclamation of that gospel.
The task of preaching is not limited to priests and religious. Every Christian is called to respond to the divine mandate. One need not be a scholar who is well versed in theology. Rather, one must live the gospel. One’s very life is an eloquent sermon on Jesus’ teaching.