The Beginning (Mark 1:1)

 

Friday, 21 November, 2025


Psalm 50

2 Kings 21:19-22:11

Mark 1:1-13



The Beginning (Mark 1:1)


The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.


Going back to the start of a Gospel is always a bit of a thrill. The Gospel of St Mark especially so; he has none of the preamble of St Matthew or St Luke, with all the background information about the Holy Family, angels singing to shepherds, or cattle lowing. Neither does he present any dense metaphysic like St John, with his philosophical poetry on the Word being God. No, our mate St Mark jumps right into things and lets us know right from the start where his gospel, and our relationship with Jesus, begins.


Yes, Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee – he was a man. And he was the Christ, the beloved and only Son of God the Father, anointed by God the Holy Spirit – he is God. And where do we begin, if we want to start out with Jesus with the right line of thinking? He was spoken of by the prophets, he being the Lord, John the Baptist being the one who prepared his way.


This is our beginning, then, with Jesus: a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. In this we join in with John the Baptist, preparing the way for the Lord. St Mark begins the good news of Jesus the Messiah with cleansing from and forgiveness for our sins.


What a wonderful way to start a relationship; what a wonderful way to renew our relationship each morning with the Lord. The beginning of the good news of our eternal life in the loving arms of our Creator is at the point at which Jesus cleanses and forgives us.


How is your Godly love-life at the moment? How might repentance and forgiveness re-ignite it?


Jesus, Son of God, our forgiveness made manifest: renew our love for you, that we may repent of our sins and make straight your pathway from heaven to our hearts.

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