You've heard it before, you'll hear it again, "context, context, context... context is king." 

 

The point of starting with that sentence is by no means meant to relativize the shock, sadness, depth, or sincerety of our grief.  Neither is the point meant to imply that we could have or should have seen this coming; as though this page in Mark's story was "foreshadowed" in the context of Mark's life.

 

The point of the opening sentence is to make us aware, again, that we never live isolated and alone, we are not individual islands of our own making, but that we live with and by other people, they influence us, we influence them-- these are our "contexts".   We all live within social contexts, medical contexts, and theological contexts. 

 

I am not a sociologist or a physician, but let me write for a moment on the theological context of Mark's death. 

 

By speaking of a theological context I am drawing from the metaphor that our life is chronicled in a story, a book.  We often times speak like this, we say things like, "During this chapter of my life..." or, "I turned the page on that kind of life..."  Using this metaphor provides comfort for me for at least a couple of reasons.

 

Using this metaphor is not to imply that we should have seen this coming- that idea is somewhat repulsive.  The theological context of Mark's life provides comfort for me because his story/his life is authored by our God; it's His story.  And our God, our God-in-Christ, is a gracious, merciful God watching over His saints as only The Good Shepherd can.

 

The other point of great comfort using this metaphor of context and story authored by our God, which includes Mark!, is that we are sure this page is not the last page of the last chapter in Mark's story.   It is not the last page that we read!  Indeed, for us, the end of Mark's story is beautifully foreshadowed! 

 

The gospel reading which we read on the Sunday after Mark's death makes this clear.  Jesus says, "Let not your hearts be troubled.  Believe in God; believe also in me.  In my Father's house are many rooms.  If it wre not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also."  Near the end of this story, Mark will live again, as will all the saints, with our God.  He will come to gather us all to Himself.

 

This is more than just foreshadow; this is our faith's foundation.  That Jesus who once was dead, now is alive again; and so it will be for all His saints whom he calls his own, Mark included!- now dead, will live again.