Each Gospel and every Gospel passage which we read at Mass is both proclamation and teaching. Each Gospel proclaims what God has done in Jesus to bring about his Kingdom on earth and to make his merciful love and forgiveness apparent and available to us on earth.

Part of Jesus’ ministry was devoted to teaching and forming his apostles and disciples for their future mission in the world after his ascension into heaven and the coming of the Holy Spirit. The Gospels are an instrument of that teaching and formation, provided for us by the early Church under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Today's passage from Mark is a good example of the proclamation and teaching functions of the Gospels. Mark records one of Jesus’ parables, which proclaim the Kingdom of God. He then provides an explanation of the meaning of the parable, thus teaching us to take Jesus' teaching to heart and so to be formed to understand, appreciate and assimilate the teaching which Jesus gives through all the parables.