Today (April 25th) is the feast of St. Mark, disciple of St. Peter and author of the Gospel which bears his name. Tradition states that his Gospel – the shortest of the four – was based on the preaching of St. Peter. Although the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) have many similarities, the reader can also discern important differences among them. One story in particular stands out in Mark’s Gospel. When Jesus is arrested, Mark adds this seemingly random detail:
And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body; and they seized him, but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked (Mark 14:51-52).
Why did Mark include this story? Most believe it was because he was the naked boy. Perhaps, in humility, he included the story to remind himself of his human weakness.
