The production, "a sung prayer," combined musical talents of St. Hubert Catholic Church in Chanhassen, MN, and the St. Victoria Catholic Church in Victoria, MN.  Song of Mark, written by Marty Haugen, was performed at the spacious St. Hubert's Church on February 28th and March 2nd.  A few of the highlights are recorded here ...

Jesus [played by Jamie Moore] came into Galilee, proclaiming the Good News of God and saying, "The time is fulfilled, the Reign is at hand.  Repent and believe in the Good News."  There on the shores of Galilee, James and Andrew and John and Peter were fishing. Jesus called out to them to give up their nets and their boats and follow him.

"He was telling stories along the sea.  All the people came to the shores of Galilee.  Jesus was a teacher.  People heard the song of God, singing in their souls."

"I have touched you," said the woman [played by Meg Smith].  "I believe that you could give me healing for my body and my broken heart.  You healed my heart, you healed my body."

"If anyone has ears, come and listen to this story.  The one who truly hears finds a lesson of great worth.  The Reign of God appears when these words take root within your heart."

"Some seed fell among the thorns where the evil seed was found.  Some seed fell among the thorns and they sprang up all around.  When the tiny plant began to grow, they choked it at the root, and the seed that falls on the evil thorns will never bring forth fruit."

The apostles (George Hidding, Patrick McNallan, and Bret Hagen) listen to the story of Jesus:  "Some seed fell along the path and it found no welcome there, for the birds flew down and ate that seed, before it sent up shoots, and the seed that falls on the barren path will never bring forth fruit."

"Some seed fell on fertile ground where the earth is rich and deep.  Some seed fell on fertile ground and it sprang up from its sleep.  From that tiny seed at harvest time a hundred fold was found, and the seed that falls on the fertile ground will spread new seed around."

"Rabbi, please, I beg you of you, come heal my child," said the woman [played by Midge Burzinski].  "Come make my daughter whole once more.  I believe God has sent you to help me so I look to you that might answer my prayer for love that I bear."

"Ah, Jesus, it's getting pretty late, and we haven't yet been fed," said Peter [played by George Hidding].  "The crowd is getting hungry, and they're asking us for bread, and out here in the sticks we'll never find a meal or bed.  Let's send them off to dinner."

"Unless you learn to see as a little child, you will never see the Reign of God.  Let your eyes be opened to the holiness in the simple and the small.  Come and learn from these little ones, learn to see with the eyes of faith.  And you may see the Reign of God in the simplest things of all."

Jesus sat at table with His friends; He would share this final feast before the end.  He gathered them around Him and said, "Take and eat this, all of you; this is my body given up for you.  Take and drink this all of you; this is the cup of my blood, given up for you.  When you break the bread, when you share the cup, remember me, remember me."

"It was in the morning," sang the woman [played by Rosanna Svobodny], "when we nailed Him to the tree, stripped Him bare and raised Him high.  Once we had promised to be faithful to the end; now we stand back and watch Him die."

"It was in the noontime when a darkness filled the land, hid the daylight from our eyes.  Once we had promised to be faithful to the end; now we refuse to hear His cries.  'O, God, why have You abandoned me, abandoned me? … It was in the afternoon when He finally breathed His last."

Father Bob White (left) of St. Victoria and Father Steve Ulrich of St. Hubert's spread thank you's after the performance of Song of Mark.

Thank you, choir members, musicians, choreographer, and other people behind the scenes.

Thank you, children.  Thank you, Dan Westmoreland, music director [in black] at St. Hubert's.  Thank you, Jamie Moore, music director [in white] at St. Victoria.