Feast of Saint Mark, evangelist
4/25/2026 (Saturday) Today’s gospel reading: Mark 16:15-20
15 Jesus said to his disciples: “Go into the whole world and preach the gospel to every creature.
16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.
17 These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages.
18 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.”
19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God.
20 But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.
4/25/2026 (Saturday) Today’s gospel reading: Mark 16:15-20
The risen Jesus meets His disciples, commissions them to go into all the world and proclaim the good news, assures them that signs will accompany their mission, and then ascends to heaven while they go out in obedience, with God working through them.
This Gospel passage speaks first to the individual. Each person is entrusted with a mission that goes beyond comfort, routine, and self-interest. The call to “go” is not limited to a distant place. It begins where you are, in your daily life, relationships, and responsibilities. It is a call to live with purpose, to embody truth, and to share hope in a world that often feels uncertain. Many hesitate because they feel unqualified, afraid, or unsure of what difference they can make. Yet this message reminds us that the power does not come from human strength but from divine presence. When you step forward in faith, even in small ways, you become a channel through which grace, healing, and transformation can flow.
It also challenges us to examine how we respond to doubt and fear. The disciples themselves struggled, yet they were still chosen and sent. This means that weakness does not disqualify you; it becomes the very place where God’s strength is revealed. Your voice, your actions, and your compassion are all part of a greater mission. Whether it is offering encouragement, standing for truth, or simply living with integrity, your life becomes a testimony that points beyond yourself.
On a larger scale, this passage speaks powerfully to the world. It presents a vision of a global mission rooted in hope, unity, and transformation. The message is not meant to stay confined within a small group but is intended to reach every culture, nation, and generation. In a world marked by division, injustice, and despair, this call invites humanity to something greater, a shared story of redemption and renewal. It challenges systems that promote fear and isolation and replaces them with a vision of connection and purpose.
The promise that God works alongside those who step out in faith is especially significant for the world today. It reminds us that real change does not come merely from human effort but from a partnership between divine power and human willingness. When individuals live out this calling, communities are transformed. When communities embrace it, the world begins to shift toward compassion instead of indifference, toward truth instead of confusion, and toward hope instead of despair.
Ultimately, this passage is an invitation. It calls each person to step into a life of meaning and each society to move toward a future shaped by faith, action, and love. The mission continues, and every generation is given the opportunity to take part in it.
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