INTRODUCTION [1]

We begin a series of talks on the Gospel of Mark [2]. One can ask why I chose this particular Gospel. I chose it for a very personal reason. I became a believer by encountering this Gospel; And this is no coincidence. If I had read the Gospel of Matthew, which was addressed to the Jews, the believing Jews of that time, or the Gospel of John, which is very deeply immersed in both philosophical and theological thought, I probably would not have understood them when I was fourteen years old. The Gospel of Mark was written by a disciple of the Apostle Peter precisely for such young people, young savages as I was at that time, written in order to give an idea of the teaching of Christ and His person to those young people who needed it most. And that's why I've chosen this Gospel now. It is written short, strong, and I hope it will reach the souls of other people, just as it turned my soul upside down and transformed my life.

Before proceeding to the Gospel itself, I want, first, to say something about the Evangelist Mark, because before conversing with a living person, of course, one wants to know who he is, what he says, why he is listened to; and secondly, to tell how to read the Gospel and how to study it together.

The Gospel of Mark is, as far as is known, the earliest of the four Gospels, and was probably written in Rome about 70 A.D. From the Epistles (Colossians 4:10 and Philemon 1:24) we know that Mark wrote it for Gentile Christians. This is evident from the fact that there are few references to Jewish law and the Old Testament, but explanations are given about the meaning of Hebrew words and customs. The style of the Evangelist Mark is remarkably lively and expressive. For example, he often uses the expression "immediately" or "immediately". It is interesting to notice the mass of small details reported by this evangelist. This clearly shows that Mark received first-hand information from an eyewitness, most likely from the apostle Peter. It is difficult to admit that it is possible to compose such a detailed, sober, sincere story; it bears the stamp of truthfulness, of which you become more and more convinced as you study it.

I would also like to say a few words about how to read the Gospel. It is very important, when starting a business, to know as well as possible how to do this task. I will first point out how to read it, if possible, alone, on your own, and then try to point out a way to discuss and study the gospel in a group. Of course, I will also take into account the fact that many people do not have the Gospel in their hands, and therefore, before giving any comment, I will read the corresponding passage from the Gospel.

The first condition for deriving real benefit from the consistent reading of the Gospel is, of course, an honest attitude to the matter; that is, it must be approached with the same honesty and conscientiousness with which a person begins to study any science; without preconceived views, trying to understand what is being said, what is being said here, and only then respond to what has been heard or read. Therefore, it is necessary to begin reading the Gospel impartially, with the sole desire to discover the truth, to understand what is said there. And secondly, to treat this occupation as seriously and conscientiously as any scientific work should be treated.

Reading the Gospel in this way, with honesty, with openness, without preconceived views, we inevitably stumble upon various passages that resonate differently in our souls. Some passages remain incomprehensible, alien — we can take note of them and pass them by, read on, waiting for the moment when we grow up to understand them better. Other places can cause a refusal: "I don't agree with this, I can't accept this"... We must take this into account: it means that the Gospel and I are not consonant in some respect. And finally, there will be places that I can respond to with all my heart, with all my soul, that will stir my whole being, places that seem to me so beautiful, so significant, about which I want to say: "God, how good it is.." Know that such a place says that you and God are of one accord, that by reading this passage, you have read into the depths of God, you know God as He is, you know what His thoughts are, what His feelings are, what His attitude is. But at the same time, you discovered some depth in yourself that you had no idea about. This is the depth in which we and God are at one [3], we understand each other, we love each other, we are in tune with each other. At the same time, we have discovered ourselves in a new way, and we are beginning to know and understand God. This is the first condition for reading the Gospel: the readiness to respond honestly, openly, without fear to anything that comes to our consciousness, that will ignite our soul with joy, delight, and will prompt us not only to contemplate beauty, but to realize what we have discovered in ourselves, in God through the Gospel.

Further, in order to get some benefit from reading the Gospel, endurance and consistency are needed. Whoever reads the passage and decides: this passage did not tell me anything, it did not reach me, is it worth reading at all? — will never reach any place where the words will sound from the heart of God into his own heart.

We must be prepared, as I said at the beginning, for the fact that some places will turn out to be alien to us, some will hurt us in some way, and only a few will reach us deeply. But by reading the Gospel, pondering over what we have heard, no matter how we react to it, we gradually plow our souls, prepare them for a new understanding. There is a passage in the Gospel where it is said that when a sower throws seed on the ground, some fall on the roadside, another on the bushes by the roadside, and some on stone soil, and finally, some on good soil that can bear fruit. Each of us is every day either one or the other, either a stone road or a soil that can receive the gospel. And therefore, if nothing came of reading today, if everything passed by, if there was absent-mindedness, if there was an inability to read deeply – read it tomorrow, read it the day after tomorrow: at some point it will suddenly turn out that the seed has actually fallen, but it has fallen to such a depth that it does not yet allow you to notice how a blade of grass is sprouting up. Only after some time will you see that what seemed alien and incomprehensible to you suddenly begins to sprout; The meadow is green, the harvest begins to rise. This is the first thing.

Second: you need to delve into the meaning of the Gospel, that is, make sure that when you read it, you understand what is said. If something is not clear, if, for example, the words are alien, outdated, you need to think about it yourself, or look in the dictionary, or ask someone, if only to establish the exact meaning of these words, because the depth you get to the word, it reaches you deeply or remains superficial.

It is necessary to read the Gospel regularly. It is best to read it in the morning, when thoughts are not yet scattered. But you should not just start reading the Gospel by taking a book, sitting down and expecting that you will immediately open up to it. We must stand before God and say: "Lord, I am now going to read the Gospel, which tells about the life of our Lord, the Savior Jesus Christ. Each of his words is a word from eternity, this is God's word to me personally. Bless me, help me to open my mind, my heart to be sensitive, and help me to be fearless. Because I will certainly come across such places that will require a change in my life, a change in my attitude to people, to myself, and I will be afraid of this change. Help me to become courageous, bold, but also wise..."

And finally, the Gospel must, of course, be read without haste. And you read a good book slowly, and you listen to your friend attentively, without waiting for him to finish speaking and leave. This is how we should treat the Savior Christ, Who now stands before you and speaks to you personally, shares His thoughts and feelings with you. He calls you to a new life, which He knows from experience and which is eternal life even now, in time and on earth. You need to read slowly; It doesn't matter if you read a passage large or small, whether it takes a long time or a little. When we read, for example, poems or a book that captivates us, how we slowly walk through it, how we listen to every word, how we hear the rhythm and sonority of poems! This is how the Gospel should be read. God speaks; shall we say to Him, "Speak quickly, for I have other things to do"? No, stay with God.

And before you go away, before you go back to your usual business, stop, don't read anymore, don't think about anything else, but sit down and be silent. Be silent for at least five minutes, be silent in silence, listen to the silence that fills your room, which is already filling, perhaps, your mind and soul, listen, and then stand up and say: "Lord, bless me to enter into a new day that has never existed before, which, like a snow-white plain, lies before me. Let me enter this plain and make a trail that is not crooked and unworthy of me or You. Bless me; At night I slept as if I were dead, and now I feel as if I have risen and am entering a new life..."

And having said this, go into life.