Homily for Feast of Saint Mark, Evangelist, Martyr, on Tuesday of the Third Week of Eastertide, delivered in Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church, Gladstone, Qld.

"All wrap yourselves in humility to be servants of each other, because God refuses the proud and will always favour the humble. Bow down, then, before the power of God now, and he will raise you up... be calm but vigilant — in the knowledge that your brothers all over the world are suffering the same things. I write these few words to you through Silvanus, who is a brother I know I can trust, to encourage you never to let go this true grace of God to which I bear witness. Your sister in Babylon, who is with you among the chosen, sends you greetings; so does my son, Mark." (cf. 1 Pet 5:5).

"Jesus showed himself to the Eleven and said to them: ‘Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation. He who believes and is baptised will be saved...' And so the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven: there at the right hand of God he took his place, while they, going out, preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word by the signs that accompanied it." (cf. Mk 16).

Artwork: "St Mark's Body Brought to Venice" by Jacopo Tintoretto, (c. 1539 - 94).