THE WORD AND THE SAINT
June 11, 2019 - Remembering St. Barnabas
Acts 11:21b-26, 13:1-3; Matthew 10: 7-13
Acts 11:21b-26, 13:1-3; Matthew 10: 7-13
Barnabas, is a great personality we find in the beginnings of the Apostolic Communities. Three things that strike us from this person are:
His total dedication to the Lord: He is one of the first ones mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles as having had sold his properties and brought them to the feet of the Apostles (Acts 4:37). We find him as fearless as Paul in the ministry that they would for a long time do together as companions on the move. And a tradition holds that he was dragged out of the synagogue as he was disputing on the Word with the Jews and stoned to death! He spared not even his life for the sake of the Word.
His undisputed priority for God: Barnabas gave an undisputed first place to God and God's Word. Nothing else came before that... the greatest enemy that vies for the place of God in our life is our SELF, our Ego and Barnabas kept it far away from prominence. As we see in the first reading today, though he himself was a famous man, a man loved by all, when he brought Paul to the limelight, he took a secondary place and never vied for name or fame! He was actually Joseph but was called 'the son of encouragement' that is, Barnabas, by the apostles! He encouraged the apostles and the people in their radical living of their vocation as God's people. Leaving our ego aside, is such an important task within the mission of following the Lord. If only this happens in our families, in our faith communities, in religious communities and every type of relationship, how concrete and challenging our witness would become!
His uncompromising self identity that gave rise to strong convictions: It is true that it was Barnabas who brought Paul, the newly converted Jew to the apostles and it was Barnabas, and Barnabas alone who could give a leaning shoulder to Paul, true to his name which meant also 'Son of Consolation'. Not just that, when he had to disagree with the same Paul, he dared do so and parted ways! Strong personalities, with personal freedom and mutual respect - but with one single FIRE within - the fire to proclaim the Good News about Christ - to heal the sick, to raise the dead, cast the demons out, to give and give without any expectation.
Every occasion of celebrating an apostle is reminder of how they were able to go about with nothing in their hand or in their purse for the sake of the Reign of God, with nothing to gain for themselves, but ready to give everything to others! They were making Christ present, and they were called 'Christians'... May St. Barnabas inspire us to really deserve that name 'Christians'.
His total dedication to the Lord: He is one of the first ones mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles as having had sold his properties and brought them to the feet of the Apostles (Acts 4:37). We find him as fearless as Paul in the ministry that they would for a long time do together as companions on the move. And a tradition holds that he was dragged out of the synagogue as he was disputing on the Word with the Jews and stoned to death! He spared not even his life for the sake of the Word.
His undisputed priority for God: Barnabas gave an undisputed first place to God and God's Word. Nothing else came before that... the greatest enemy that vies for the place of God in our life is our SELF, our Ego and Barnabas kept it far away from prominence. As we see in the first reading today, though he himself was a famous man, a man loved by all, when he brought Paul to the limelight, he took a secondary place and never vied for name or fame! He was actually Joseph but was called 'the son of encouragement' that is, Barnabas, by the apostles! He encouraged the apostles and the people in their radical living of their vocation as God's people. Leaving our ego aside, is such an important task within the mission of following the Lord. If only this happens in our families, in our faith communities, in religious communities and every type of relationship, how concrete and challenging our witness would become!
His uncompromising self identity that gave rise to strong convictions: It is true that it was Barnabas who brought Paul, the newly converted Jew to the apostles and it was Barnabas, and Barnabas alone who could give a leaning shoulder to Paul, true to his name which meant also 'Son of Consolation'. Not just that, when he had to disagree with the same Paul, he dared do so and parted ways! Strong personalities, with personal freedom and mutual respect - but with one single FIRE within - the fire to proclaim the Good News about Christ - to heal the sick, to raise the dead, cast the demons out, to give and give without any expectation.
Every occasion of celebrating an apostle is reminder of how they were able to go about with nothing in their hand or in their purse for the sake of the Reign of God, with nothing to gain for themselves, but ready to give everything to others! They were making Christ present, and they were called 'Christians'... May St. Barnabas inspire us to really deserve that name 'Christians'.