Memorial of Saint
Barnabas, apostle
(Acts 11:21b-26.13:1-3; Matthew 5:1-12)
St. Barnabas is mentioned a number of times in Acts and
the letters of St. Paul. From all that
is said, he is an exemplary Christian disciple.
He donates the proceeds from the sale of his land to the community of
disciples (Acts 4:36-37). He is sent to
Antioch as a representative of the Church to investigate the new Christian
community there. One may find in him the
gifts of patience and mercy in an incident that occurred while preaching with
Paul. Barnabas’ desire to allow John
Mark to rejoin the preaching team after previously abandoning the effort contrasts
with Paul’s demand that he stay behind (Acts 15:39).
Today’s reading from Acts even testifies to his virtue
calling him “a good man full of the Holy Spirit and of faith” (Acts
11:24). The same Spirit asks that he and
Paul be set aside for missionary work (Acts 13:2). It further indicates his ability by naming Barnabas the
first of the prophets and teachers at Antioch.
We might strive to imitate Barnabas. We certainly can be generous with what we
own. We can also be of faith and ready
to forgive others. We should also be
willing to speak up in favor of Jesus and the Church. Jesus’ teachings of self-sacrificial love may
be ridiculed by some. The Church has no
shortage of detractors for its stand in favor of the integrity of marriage between
a man and a woman and also the dignity of life.
