Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Mark, the evangelist. One of the key themes of Mark's Gospel is that a sign of a true disciple of Jesus is trust. Mark challenges us to a radical trust in the Risen Lord. It is this trust in Jesus that inspires the early Christians to "go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature." The missionaries have nothing to fear because the Lord was with them and would confirm their message with special signs of his protection and power.

In the first reading, we are also reminded about trusting God. Unlike the pagan gods, the God of Jesus is truly powerful and faithful. We can trust in God with great confidence because "God cares for you." No adversary can withstand our God - not sin, death nor Satan. The "God of all grace" wants us to be happy and He will vindicate us from suffering, just as He raised up His son, Jesus. Our God is powerful, trustworthy and faithful.

This message has an important significance for us these days, especially when we are anxious about what is happening around us. We are facing challenging times, whether it is in the area of politics, society, culture, religion and even economics. At the beginning of this month, the Government Service Tax (GST) was implemented in our country. We are concerned about its effect on our lives. Today, we are reminded not to be fearful because our God is faithful. He will provide for us and protect us. We can trust Him!