Starting the second half of 2026 studying the Gospel of Mark. It's the shortest of the four and the least impressionable to me. I don't remember lingering in it so much since I started reading the Bible in 2021. But that very reason intrigues me—I want to see the wonder that I'm missing out on.

In my bold act of faith (as a friend called it), I set out to invite neighbors to a Bible Study.

This is something I've been meaning to do for a year now since my husband and I moved into our condo after getting married. It's because this time last year we were so blessed to catch the start of a Bible study at church held every Thursday. It made such a big impact that I thought it would be a good idea to do the same in our neighborhood.

I sent the pubmat to our public group chat that said, "Let's read through the Gospel of Mark together and get to know the colorful life Jesus led by example" in a fun, not so serious layout. The first Thursday finally rolled in. No one came.

Just the same, I felt maybe this was how God really intended it to be. Just me and my husband. and Him.

I told another friend about it as she asked if I had any prayer intention she could include in her church's prayer and fasting week. I told this friend that my only prayer for this initiative is that God's word reaches the people He wants to reach the most at this time. Sitting there with my husband, on a windy, quiet, empty roof deck, tells me God just did.

In my hasty bid for ministry, God showed me how even Jesus prepared. The sole perfect, sinless human to walk this earth prepared before beginning his ministry. And God made me realize in my first Bible study attempt that I should too. So here's what I learned reading through Mark 1:1-13:

1. Repentance. A dear priest once told me during confession that I have to be set free first before I can set others free. This was during the time that God was tending to my spiritual wounds that led me to a dark path. I think about this conversation from time to time and I know there's wisdom in this. That despite of my good intentions to help other people be pointed back to Christ, I cannot be complicit in my stagnant unrepentant self. I do not think God is asking me to be perfect or sinless. But at least He calls me to strive for holiness. This is very important especially after redeeming me and making me a new creation. Mark 2:22 says "No one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost as well as the wineskins. But new wine must be put into new wineskins.”
2. Preparing the way. This one I admit I have not really fully wrapped my head around what this means for me. In the lens of John the Baptist I see it; that his ministry needed to come to pass just as God intended it to as written by the prophet Isaiah. But what does it mean to prepare the way for Lord? The New Living Translation (Mark 1:3) puts it this way, "'Prepare the way for the LORD’s coming! Clear the road for him!’” Still related to repentance, I think it calls me to remove any stronghold, distraction, or boulder separating me and the Lord. It may also be a call for us fixing our eyes on Jesus, that means not making detours but going straight to Him. The more majestic interpretation for me also paints a picture of the return of Jesus. When He comes back to us, I personally want Him to get the grandest red carpet of all the red carpets that we can give Him. I know he's not petty or superficial like that, but it's the closest I could think of. But preparing the way can also simply mean letting Jesus know that we welcome Him.
3. Baptism. For us Catholics, most of us are blessed to have been baptized with water as a wee newborn to cleanse us of our original sin. CCC 1213 states "Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit, and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission. John the Baptist says in Good News translation (Mark 1:11), "I baptize you with water to show that you have repented, but the one who will come after me will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." When we repent and confess our sins, God immediately washes us clean.
4. Fasting. Self-control is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit (Genesis 5:22). In the Gospel of Mark, after Jesus was baptized, He was immediately led into the wilderness to fast and stay close to God in the process. In total isolation He set himself separated from everyone else and vulnerable to be preyed upon by beasts. For 40 days. Here Jesus modeled what it means to have a strong interior life. That even in the weakness of our flesh (He fasted with no food and water), His resolve remains, even at the face of the devil. Up until today, I always thought this chapter in the Bible just wanted to flex the supernatural strength of Jesus. But I am encouraged to regularly fast to have a stronger interior life.

Jesus prepares. He prepared for 30 years before beginning his public ministry. I should, too, however my ministry turns out to be as God wills it.

Until next Thursday.