Feast of St. Mark, who rooted the authority of Jesus' message in his paradoxical identity as the suffering and crucified Messiah. That message could only be understood in light of his completed ministry--which Mark believed was best communicated in the form of a story.
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The turning point is Peter's reply to Jesus' question: "Who do you say I am?" In predicting his own suffering and death, Jesus challenges Peter's understanding of what it means to be the Christ, but also lays out the cost of discipleship.
Mark's gospel ends on an open note: an empty tomb and an angel's instruction to meet the risen Lord in Galilee. Jesus is no longer in the past nor confined to the story. Readers must write their own conclusion, taking up the cross of discipleship and meeting him for themselves.
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