He came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him. When he reached the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not come into the time of trial.” Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, “Father, if you...

Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where the body was laid. We began our devotions on the Passion of our Lord by noticing the dramatic note on which Mark begins his story, comparing it to the classic scary-story opening: “It was a dark and stormy night….” On this end of the...

But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas for them instead. Pilate spoke to them again, “Then what do you wish me to do with the man you call the King of the Jews?” They shouted back, “Crucify him!” One may well wonder while reading this portion of...

You’re probably familiar with the original “scary story” beginning: “It was a dark and stormy night…” Mark doesn’t begin his story of Jesus’ Passion with those exact words, but he nevertheless strikes the same ominous, foreboding note: It was two days before the Passover and...

As fast-paced as it is brief, the Gospel According to Mark feels a little more like the evening news than it does a biography. Indeed, Mark’s story comes across as a crash course in the essentials about what it is to be a follower of Jesus. And what a course! Read through the gospel...