St. Mark's House
Emblem: Lion
Color: Red
AKA: St. Mark’s
Dangerous, wild, direct, clear, aggressive, Mark’s gospel leaps into action like a lion hunting for prey. No birth narratives, no elaborate staging or history lessons, no prophetic preambles, Mark opens his gospel with the voice of John the Baptist shouting in the wilderness, preparing the way for Jesus’ imminent arrival. His transitions are abrupt and he is impatient with unnecessary description or explanation, preferring to conjure the immediate demands Christ, the lion of Judah, makes on those He calls–today is the day of salvation! In Mark’s gospel Jesus is on the move like Lewis’ Aslan, and, like Aslan, Jesus is not safe, but He is good. He can be trusted, but He will turn your whole life upside down and not apologize for it. He is the wild, table-flipping, demon-throwing, hypocrisy-exposing, sickness-destroying, sin-slaying Son of God. He will have all of you or you will have no part of Him.
Patronage:
St. Mark is the patron saint of prisoners.
Death:
St. Mark was martyred in the city of Alexandria on Easter day, 68 AD. City officials, enraged at St. Mark’s preaching against the traditional gods, arrested him, tied a rope around his neck, and dragged him through the city until he was dead.
Feel/Flavor:
Wild, fierce, the wilderness, prophetic, unkempt, sharp, strong, resilient, quick, hungry, aggressive, powerful, authoritative, demanding, terrifying, good. Claws, teeth, matted fur, the hunter, the warrior God, the rebel King, the rescuer.
Chief Virtues:
Faith + Courage