How difficult it is sometimes for us to appreciate the full depth of the Word of God without a wise pastor and guide. One of these wise mentors is the hieromartyr-confessor, true ascetic, Bishop Vasily of Kineshma (in the world Veniamin Sergeevich Preobrazhensky, 1876-1945). His main archpastoral task was Orthodox education. Having comprehensively and deeply studied the Holy Scriptures, he chose the Gospel of Mark as the subject of his reflections. The Hieromartyr Basil of Kineshma considers it as the spiritual and moral basis of the existence of the human personality. Therefore, this book turned out to be a kind of textbook of the spiritual life of a Christian.

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Bishop Basil of Kineshma. Conversations on the Gospel of Mark

Chapter I, pp. 1-13

Gospel is a Greek word. Translated into Russian, it means "good news".

Good news! How to assess this?

Somewhere far, far away in a cold, inhospitable foreign land, perhaps in the harsh captivity of the enemy, a dear person is languishing. You don't know anything about him. If he disappeared, he sank into the water. Where is he? What's wrong with him? Is he alive? Healthy? Perhaps he is impoverished, in need of everything... And there are cold, indifferent strangers all around... Nothing is known. The heart is languishing, yearning. At least one word: alive or not? No one knows, no one will say. Oh, what a melancholy! Lord, send a message!

And then one day they knocked on the door. Who's there? The postman has brought a letter! From whom? Good god... Is it? Yes, yes... On the back of the letter is a familiar cute handwriting: incorrect large letters, his handwriting. News from him. What does he write? You hurriedly tear open the envelope and read with bated breath. Thank God! Everything is fine: he is alive, healthy, provided with everything, he is going to come to! Homeland... The heart is filled with grateful joy. God! How merciful Thou art Thou hast not forgotten, Thou hast not forsaken, Thou hast not rejected wretched prayer! How can we thank You, Creator?

That is the impression of the good news. But in personal life, this looks relatively weak.

Why is the Gospel called the Gospel? Why is it good news?

This is a message from the other world to a sinful earth. A message from God to a suffering man languishing in sin; the news of the possibility of rebirth to a new, pure life; the news of the bright happiness and joy of the future; the news that everything has already been done for this, that the Lord gave His Son for us. Man had waited so long, so passionately, so drearily for this news.