Roar Like A Lion !

Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in faith, knowing that your brothers and sisters throughout the world undergo the same sufferings.

Today is the feast of St. Mark, the Evangelist.  Mark was not one of the twelve apostles but he was good friends with Paul and Barnabas and accompanied them on the first missionary trip but he abandoned them in Cyprus, Mark, returned home.  It is said that he had grown homesick.  This caused Paul to question his suitability for being a missionary but the rift between them was soon healed.  Mark was referred to by Peter as "his son" so it appears that he was beloved by those early Christians.  He wrote the Gospel that bears his name and although he wasn't an apostle it is believed that he is the young man described as running away when Jesus was arrested. He died a martyr, he was put to death by being dragged through the city streets. 

There is something very human about Mark.  Some people in the Bible are the stuff that legends are made of.  Mark is portrayed as a young man who ran away in fear and who got homesick and quit his job a missionary and returned home.  In spite of these two remarkable "failures," he is the one that wrote the Gospel that preserved the story of Jesus for those who would believe in the future.  He must have been a good Christian because he was rewarded by being martyred for the faith

We can learn a lot from Mark.  We can be fully human, make mistakes, and return to the graces of God.  God knows we are not perfect creatures and He uses our imperfections to show His glory.  So, don't worry too much if you feel you are not perfect.  You were not meant to be.  You were meant to be "you" and God would have it no other way.  When darkness comes, know that the light is nearby, maybe just steps away and have the courage of a lion as you follow the path that God has planned out for you. 

On this day in 1991 Violet Spoula, my mother passed away at 7:11 P.M.  May I ask a special favor to all who may read these words that they pray for the repose of her soul.  The years have passed and I still miss the person that taught me that it was okay to fail as long as you learned from what went wrong and who taught me that no matter what I was to hold my head up high and be proud of who I am for God loves me just as I am.