It is 25th April 2017. We celebrate the Feast of St Mark, the Evangelist. St. Mark was the companion and interpreter of St. Peter, the Apostle. He was martyred in Egypt and his tomb is seen today as St. Mark’ Cathedral in Venice. His Gospel is the earliest and shortest of the four. He is also an eye witness to the stories of death of Jesus. The readings are from 1Peter 5:5-14; and the Gospel from Mark 16:15-20. The first reading brings out the relationship of St. Peter with Mark. St. Mark was not the apostle but he is the disciple of St. Peter and a spiritual son of St. Peter. This feast encourages us all to go out for Jesus carrying His messages howsoever least we are as the follower. We can all make a difference just caring the things we ought to care for and look out for the opportunities to do good. There are enough selfish, evil and arrogant people around us; we do not need to add up to the number by being proud, and destructive. St. Mark left the first missionary journey (Acts.13:13) with St. Paul and he was rejected by Paul to accompany him in his second journey yet St. Barnabas and Peter offered St. Mark chance to change. Just like St. Mary Magdalen who saw the Risen Lord first, St. Mark is the first one to put in black and white all that he heard and witnessed about the Lord. We cannot just walk away from the mission and the works of the Lord. The Lord wants us to contribute to His mission in whatever way we are gifted but need to be always cautious with Satan who pulls our spirit down and fragmentize our efforts. The responsorial Psalm praises, “For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.” (Ps.89:2). The Gospel presents us with the mandate to take Jesus house after house and heart after heart. The challenges are there, but let us always be assured that the Lord is with us because we are working for the Lord. What a privilege to work for the Lord as a servant when so many would like to offer us with the so-called better earning power-skilled services to the humanity? May you have a day full of blessing.