+ St. Barnabas was (of course) a Jewish convert, coming
to the faith soon after Pentecost, taking the name Barnabas (he was born in
Cyprus and given the name Joseph). Though not one of the chosen Twelve
Apostles, Barnabas is mentioned frequently in the Acts of the Apostles and is included among the prophets and doctors
at Antioch, and is considered an Apostle. We
know him as the companion of St. Paul who introduced him to the Twelve.
Like Paul, Barnabas believed in the Church’s mission to the Gentiles, and
worked with him in Cyprus and Asia, but split with him over a non-theological
matter. He evangelized in Cyprus with St. Mark and founded the Church in
Antioch. He was martyred in 61 at Salamis; and at the time of his death he was
carrying a copy of the Gospel of St. Matthew that he had copied by hand. His
name, Barnabas means, son of
encouragement and consolation, because he was always cheerful and had a
gentle and sunny disposition!
Our first reading from the Acts of the Apostles situates Barnabas
at the Church in Antioch; it also describes how during a worship service the
Holy Spirit instructed the congregation to set aside for him Saul and Barnabas
for the work to which they have been called. After completing the prayer and fasting, the community laid their hands
on them and sent them off!
The gospel passage gives us in
outline form the traveling instructions for apostles: taking nothing with you, as the laborer is worth his keep, cure the
sick, raise the dead and proclaim as present in the midst of the people the
very Kingdom of heaven: use the offering of peace as the litmus test for
reception: if the household or town accepts your greeting of peace, stay there
and encourage them with truth and the gospel; if they refuse your peace and
ridicule and insult you, leave them and take God’s blessing with you: at a
later time they shall be held accountable at the very throne of God himself!
Of course the object of all
this evangelizing and peace making is to ensure that what the Lord had said
would be true: “I am with you always, until the end of the world.” He is with
us when brave disciples speak his word and do what he did! LOVE! May we be
brave and courageous disciples today!
The
Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
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