Fr. Mike Schmitz

If you remember way back in the day when we went through John's gospel, One of the things that happened was there was a lot of exposition. We have a lot of long teachings from Jesus. You know, that whole even high priestly prayer of Jesus at the Last Supper went on for chapters and chapters of simply Jesus just talking. The Gospel of Mark is the opposite. It's all action.

If you remember way back in the day when we went through John's gospel, One of the things that happened was there was a lot of exposition. We have a lot of long teachings from Jesus. You know, that whole even high priestly prayer of Jesus at the Last Supper went on for chapters and chapters of simply Jesus just talking. The Gospel of Mark is the opposite. It's all action.

It is an action movie with very little dialogue. I mean, there's dialogue, but it is an action movie. And one of the things you'll note is that Mark's favorite word is the word immediately. And he consistently says immediately when it's time to do this. Immediately he got up. Immediately Jesus went over. Immediately he reached out his arm.

It is an action movie with very little dialogue. I mean, there's dialogue, but it is an action movie. And one of the things you'll note is that Mark's favorite word is the word immediately. And he consistently says immediately when it's time to do this. Immediately he got up. Immediately Jesus went over. Immediately he reached out his arm.

It is an action movie with very little dialogue. I mean, there's dialogue, but it is an action movie. And one of the things you'll note is that Mark's favorite word is the word immediately. And he consistently says immediately when it's time to do this. Immediately he got up. Immediately Jesus went over. Immediately he reached out his arm.

That word immediately is a hallmark of Mark's gospel because what he's doing is he's bringing us into the reality, into the presence, into the immediacy, for lack of a better word. of what Jesus is doing and who Jesus is, the mission of the Messiah and the mission of Christ on this earth. So keep that in mind.

That word immediately is a hallmark of Mark's gospel because what he's doing is he's bringing us into the reality, into the presence, into the immediacy, for lack of a better word. of what Jesus is doing and who Jesus is, the mission of the Messiah and the mission of Christ on this earth. So keep that in mind.

That word immediately is a hallmark of Mark's gospel because what he's doing is he's bringing us into the reality, into the presence, into the immediacy, for lack of a better word. of what Jesus is doing and who Jesus is, the mission of the Messiah and the mission of Christ on this earth. So keep that in mind.

As we're reading through Mark's gospel, the whole thing, chapters 1 through chapter 16, keep your eyes open, or sorry, your ears open for that quickness. In fact, Mark even, last note before we start reading, Mark also goes back and forth between past tense and present tense on a regular basis. In fact, he kind of does it in the same sentences even.

As we're reading through Mark's gospel, the whole thing, chapters 1 through chapter 16, keep your eyes open, or sorry, your ears open for that quickness. In fact, Mark even, last note before we start reading, Mark also goes back and forth between past tense and present tense on a regular basis. In fact, he kind of does it in the same sentences even.

As we're reading through Mark's gospel, the whole thing, chapters 1 through chapter 16, keep your eyes open, or sorry, your ears open for that quickness. In fact, Mark even, last note before we start reading, Mark also goes back and forth between past tense and present tense on a regular basis. In fact, he kind of does it in the same sentences even.

I was reading in a commentary from Mark chapter 1 verse 40 to 44, we're going to hear that today, where the literal translation of Mark's gospel would read like this. It says, a leper comes to him and kneeling down begs him and says, if you wish, you can make me clean. Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and he says to him, I do will it be made clean.

I was reading in a commentary from Mark chapter 1 verse 40 to 44, we're going to hear that today, where the literal translation of Mark's gospel would read like this. It says, a leper comes to him and kneeling down begs him and says, if you wish, you can make me clean. Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and he says to him, I do will it be made clean.

I was reading in a commentary from Mark chapter 1 verse 40 to 44, we're going to hear that today, where the literal translation of Mark's gospel would read like this. It says, a leper comes to him and kneeling down begs him and says, if you wish, you can make me clean. Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and he says to him, I do will it be made clean.

Now you can see how back and forth Mark is writing the gospel from past tense to present tense. And I think he does this in many ways to simply capture the fact that this is a gospel that is happening now. Yes, this happened in the past. So he keeps mentioning the past tense. But what he's saying is, and then Jesus says to him such and such. And he's reminding us of the fact that,

Now you can see how back and forth Mark is writing the gospel from past tense to present tense. And I think he does this in many ways to simply capture the fact that this is a gospel that is happening now. Yes, this happened in the past. So he keeps mentioning the past tense. But what he's saying is, and then Jesus says to him such and such. And he's reminding us of the fact that,

Now you can see how back and forth Mark is writing the gospel from past tense to present tense. And I think he does this in many ways to simply capture the fact that this is a gospel that is happening now. Yes, this happened in the past. So he keeps mentioning the past tense. But what he's saying is, and then Jesus says to him such and such. And he's reminding us of the fact that,

while Jesus, yes, lived in the past and he acted like this in the past, Jesus lives now and forever and he acts in the present as well. And so as we are reading through the gospel, the modern translations have made it all consistent, right? So it's not alternating between past and present. It's just all going to be in the same tense, basically, as we begin.

while Jesus, yes, lived in the past and he acted like this in the past, Jesus lives now and forever and he acts in the present as well. And so as we are reading through the gospel, the modern translations have made it all consistent, right? So it's not alternating between past and present. It's just all going to be in the same tense, basically, as we begin.

while Jesus, yes, lived in the past and he acted like this in the past, Jesus lives now and forever and he acts in the present as well. And so as we are reading through the gospel, the modern translations have made it all consistent, right? So it's not alternating between past and present. It's just all going to be in the same tense, basically, as we begin.