The Kingdom of God
The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the Gospel.
Mark 1:15
The Twelve Apostles
He appointed the Twelve: To Simon, He gave the name Peter;
and to James the son of Zebedee and to his brother John, He gave the name “Boanerges” (that is, “Sons of Thunder”);
Andrew; Philip and Bartholomew; Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus; Simon the Zealot,
and Judas Iscariot who betrayed Him.
Mark 3:16-19
Feeding the 5000 Through Multiplication of the Loaves and Fish
As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them,
because they were like sheep without a shepherd;
and he began to teach them many things. When it grew late, his disciples came to him and said,
“This is a deserted place, and the hour is now very late; send them away so that they may go
into the surrounding country and villages and buy something for themselves to eat.”
But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.”
They said to him, “Are we to go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread, and give it to them to eat?”
And he said to them, “How many loaves have you? Go and see.”
When they had found out, they said, “Five loaves and two fish.”
Then he ordered them to get all the people to sit down in groups on the green grass.
So they sat down in groups of hundreds and of fifties.
Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves,
and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and he divided the two fish among them all.
And all ate and were filled; and they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish.
Those who had eaten the loaves numbered five thousand men.
Mark 6:34-44
Discipleship and Service
If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.
For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?
Mark 8:34-36
But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant,
and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all.
For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”
Mark 10:43-45
The End Times and the Second Coming
And Jesus began to say to them, “Take heed that no one leads you astray.
Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray.
And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places, there will be famines; this is but the beginning of the birth-pangs. But take heed to yourselves; for they will deliver you up to councils; and you will be beaten in synagogues; and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear testimony before them.
And the gospel must first be preached to all nations.
And when they bring you to trial and deliver you up, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say;
but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.
And brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.
But when you see the desolating sacrilege set up where it ought not to be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains; let him who is on the housetop not go down, nor enter his house, to take anything away; and let him who is in the field not turn back to take his mantle. And alas for those who are with child and for those who give suck in those days! Pray that it may not happen in winter. For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never will be. And if the Lord had not shortened the days, no human being would be saved; but for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days. And then if any one says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. False Christs and false prophets will arise and show signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. But take heed; I have told you all things beforehand. But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
And then they will see the Son of man coming in clouds with great power and glory.
And then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds,
from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.”
Mark 13:5-27
Jesus Prays During the Agony in the Garden
They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”
He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled.
“My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”
Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him.
“Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you.
Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep?
Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.
The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Mark 14:32-38
Author: Jesus Christ Savior
Our anonymous author is a physician and a Masters graduate in Theology and Christian Ministry from Franciscan University, Steubenville, Ohio. He teaches Sunday Bible Class at St. James Catholic Church and serves both Pastoral Care and the Medical Staff at St. Joseph’s Hospital.
