Tuesday, May 13, 2014


Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter

(Acts 11:19-26; John 10:22-30)

Fr. Cornelius would sit at the back of church before masses in which young Dominican friars were ordained. He knew that some of the people attending the mass would need the Sacrament of Reconciliation and wanted to make himself available.  He was a good man in the style of Barnabas of the first reading today.

There really is no need for the reading to say that Barnabas is a "good man" since Acts has already spelled out how he had sold his property and gave the proceeds to the community of disciples in Jerusalem.  Here he recognizes the good of foreigners (that is, non-Jews) accepting faith in Jesus as Lord.  He will go on to preach to the Gentiles along with Paul.

We hope that others say of us that we are good men and women.  A sure sign of goodness is openness to different kinds of people.  We should not judge others before getting to know them.  Indeed, we want to extend a hand of friendship to the strangers that we meet.

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