My Family Prayer Book

Background on the Four Gospels MARK's Gospel  was written in Greek and is the only one with Aramaic expressions [Talitha cumi (Mk 5:35-43), Ephphatha (Mk 7:31-37), Abba (Mk 14:36) and Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani (Mk 15:34) - the preservation of the Aramaic words that came from Jesus’ mouth during those hours of his deepest sympathy and suffering]. Mark’s Gospel was probably written around 65-70 AD for a traveling evangelizer meant for a Gentile audience unfamiliar with Jewish scriptures and customs. Shortest of all four, it has only 16 chapters in all. Being the first it served as a model for both Matthew and Luke; so sometimes Mark is referred to as the ‘Essential Gospel’ or ‘Gospel of the Cross’. The Gospel of Mark is different, because unlike Luke and Matthew, it begins with Jesus as an adult. Scripture scholars say Mark was the secretary of St. Peter therefore includes the essential teaching of Peter, who did not write himself. Mark’s name also appears in the Letter of St Paul...

  September 21: Feast of St Matthew the Apostle St. Matthew the apostle, was the son of Alpheus, most likely born a Levite. He worked in Capernaum as a tax collector for Herod Antipas, collecting taxes from his fellow Jews. Many tax collectors cheated the people by charging more taxes than required and keeping the extra money for themselves. The Jews therefore considered tax collectors to be traitors and ostracised them as sinners. Jesus however knew in his heart that Matthew was not a sinner or a cheat, so when Jesus said to him "Follow me", Matthew left all immediately to become an apostle.  Jesus went to dine at the house of Matthew. The Pharisees and Scribes were shocked that Jesus was dining with tax collectors and sinners. Jesus offered a very good answer and said, “ Those who are well, do not need a physician, but the sick do . Go and learn the meaning of the words, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ I did not come to call the righteous but sinners .”  (Matthew 9:9–1...