Mission Statement:
"St. Mark's seeks to spread the Gospel and to reflect God's love by our words and actions in service to all.":
"St. Mark's seeks to spread the Gospel and to reflect God's love by our words and actions in service to all.":
Our Clergy
- The Reverend Battle A. Beasley, Rector -
- ([email protected] or [email protected])
- The Reverend Felicity C. Peck, Deacon
- The Reverend Donna R. Floyd, Deacon
From Reverend Battle A. Beasley
Dear People of God,
Rabbi Yochanan said to his disciples, “Go out and see which is the wrong path for a person to follow.” Rabbi Eliezer said, “Blind the eye to Reality.” Rabbi Joshua, “Be a bad friend.” Rabbi Jose, “Be a bad neighbor.” Rabbi Shimon, “Borrow without repaying.” Rabbi Elazar, “Inure the heart to compassion.” Rabbi Gamliel said, “When you are filled with compassion, there is no self to oppose another and no other to stand against oneself.” (Wisdom of the Sages; Rabbi Rami M. Shapiro, pp. 25 & 35)
We begin the season of Pentecost having heard Jesus promising the Disciples that the Holy Spirit would be given to them: The Spirit that leads us into the pathways of God. The Spirit that reminds us of Jesus’ commandment that we should love each other. The love Jesus speaks of is not some fleeting or mercurial emotion. The love He calls us to is self-sacrificing; it is a love which shows itself in servanthood. It is a love grounded in compassion. It is when we are truly filled with compassion that we are able to love and serve others as they are where they are. When we are filled with compassion, we are not waiting for others to become followers of Jesus; we are not waiting for them to acknowledge their sinfulness. We are standing with them understanding why they have done and are doing the things they do. When we are filled with compassion, we share in their sufferings; we bear their wrong doings with the Love of Christ’s forgiveness overriding all else in our response to them. We are called to bear witness to God's love in Christ Jesus, and the way to bear that witness is rooted in our willingness to be compassionate, to be understanding of others, and to show them by word and deed God's great love for them. May the Spirit give us the grace to be filled with compassion.
God's peace,
Fr. Battle +
Rabbi Yochanan said to his disciples, “Go out and see which is the wrong path for a person to follow.” Rabbi Eliezer said, “Blind the eye to Reality.” Rabbi Joshua, “Be a bad friend.” Rabbi Jose, “Be a bad neighbor.” Rabbi Shimon, “Borrow without repaying.” Rabbi Elazar, “Inure the heart to compassion.” Rabbi Gamliel said, “When you are filled with compassion, there is no self to oppose another and no other to stand against oneself.” (Wisdom of the Sages; Rabbi Rami M. Shapiro, pp. 25 & 35)
We begin the season of Pentecost having heard Jesus promising the Disciples that the Holy Spirit would be given to them: The Spirit that leads us into the pathways of God. The Spirit that reminds us of Jesus’ commandment that we should love each other. The love Jesus speaks of is not some fleeting or mercurial emotion. The love He calls us to is self-sacrificing; it is a love which shows itself in servanthood. It is a love grounded in compassion. It is when we are truly filled with compassion that we are able to love and serve others as they are where they are. When we are filled with compassion, we are not waiting for others to become followers of Jesus; we are not waiting for them to acknowledge their sinfulness. We are standing with them understanding why they have done and are doing the things they do. When we are filled with compassion, we share in their sufferings; we bear their wrong doings with the Love of Christ’s forgiveness overriding all else in our response to them. We are called to bear witness to God's love in Christ Jesus, and the way to bear that witness is rooted in our willingness to be compassionate, to be understanding of others, and to show them by word and deed God's great love for them. May the Spirit give us the grace to be filled with compassion.
God's peace,
Fr. Battle +