Father, we thank you for the good news announced in these gospel readings.  Thank you for the gospel writers like Mark whose record of the events in your life on earth are preserved in these sacred texts, explaining so plainly the good news wrought by your work among our race of fallen men and women.  Thank you for the magnificent and captivating stories in your gospel, describing the signs, wonders, marvels, and  the teaching that your work accomplished during your travels in those ancient times.  We’re thankful that because of the gospel writers’ faithful record, now more than two-thousand years later, we have these compelling, eye-witness testimonies to your life and teaching, testimonies that give us encouragement  and  every reason to embrace and profess our faith, as your written word assures us.  Give us, then, hearts that respond to reading the gospels as our call to follow you, looking as examples to the disciples who laid down their agendas to follow your footsteps.  May our lives serve your glory and bear witness to your good news before others as we give thanks, rejoicing!  Amen.