Daily Gospel Reflection for April 25, 2017

Today's Gospel: Mark 16:15-20Feast of St. Mark, Evangelist

“Go into the whole world.” “Proclaim the Gospel.” “They went forth and preached.” This Gospel passage from Mark could not be any clearer. Jesus may have been speaking specifically to the eleven Apostles, but He is speaking to us, too. As Christians we have a responsibility to be evangelists, just like the Apostles, St. Paul, and, of course, St. Mark. So today as we celebrate the Feast of St. Mark the Evangelist and recognize the important role he played in bringing the Gospel to the Gentiles, I find myself wondering what being an evangelist means for me. As a stay at home mom with three young kids I am certainly not going out to preach everywhere. But is preaching on the street corner or something of the kind really what I am called to? Not necessarily. I may not be called to this, but there are others who are called to that sort of preaching and teaching to the masses. In some way, we are all called to bring the Gospel to others as our state in life allows.

In reflecting on this I started considering all the small things I can do to bring Christ’s presence to others. I teach my children about God’s love for them, I lend a helping hand to a stranger, I pray for friends and family and tell them that I will pray for them, I bring a meal to a family who is in need; even a simple smile can help brighten someone’s day. We all have an opportunity on a daily basis to be evangelists to those around us, no matter how small our actions may seem.

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Ponder:

How can I be an evangelist of the Good News to my family, friends, and all those I encounter on a daily basis?

Pray:

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of St. Mark’s example and may we all recognize our own abilities to spread Your Gospel to our family, friends, and all whom we encounter. Amen.

Kerri Baunach is a Catholic wife and mom to three amazing little boys and lives with her family in central Kentucky. She is also a Benedictine Oblate of St. Meinrad’s Archabbey. After 16 years as a music librarian, she left her job to stay home with her boys and start on a part-time homeschooling journey. Kerri is also a writer, editor, and main scheduler for CatholicSistas.com.