Author: admin

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Acts: 11: 21-26, 13: 1-3

In those days a great number who believed turned to the Lord.
The news about them reached the ears of the Church in Jerusalem,
and they sent Barnabas to go to Antioch.
When he arrived and saw the grace of God,
he rejoiced and encouraged them all
to remain faithful to the Lord in firmness of heart,
for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith.
And a large number of people was added to the Lord.
Then he went to Tarsus to look for Saul,
and when he had found him he brought him to Antioch.
For a whole year they met with the Church
and taught a large number of people,
and it was in Antioch that the disciples
were first called Christians.Now there were in the Church at Antioch prophets and teachers:
Barnabas, Symeon who was called Niger,
Lucius of Cyrene,
Manaen who was a close friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said,
“Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul
for the work to which I have called them.”
Then, completing their fasting and prayer,
they laid hands on them and sent them off.

The Word of the Lord.

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Today we celebrate the Feast of Saint Barnabas, who was like, “the salt of the earth, the light of the world.”

Interestingly, Barnabas wasn’t his real name. It was Joseph. Joseph received his “new” name from the Apostles after proving himself to be a man of deep faith and sturdy character. His name, Barnabas, means, son of encouragement.

We first encounter Barnabas in chapter 4 of the Acts of the Apostles after he sells a large field, laying the proceeds at the feet of the Apostles. 

But his greatest contribution to the Church was playing the role of bridge builder – vouching for one man, in particular, Saint Paul.

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Saint Paul was once a vicious man who “breathed murderous threats” against the Church, imprisoning and harming Christians before the Lord appeared to him, changing his heart. 

After Paul’s conversion, the Holy Spirit sent Barnabas to speak to Paul, who brought him up to Jerusalem, introducing him to the Church authorities. Paul was only received into the Church after Barnabas vouched for him.

Paul and Barnabas then became partners in ministry, travelling 1,400 miles across Greece and Turkey, risking their lives to preach the Gospel together.

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Paul would go on to travel nearly 10,000 miles on foot before his missionary days were complete. Even today, he’s recognized as the greatest missionary of his time, if not in history. But it also begs the question, “What if Paul never met Barnabas?”

While Paul receives a lion’s share of credit for spreading the Gospel throughout the Mediterranean, Barnabas was the open door, first allowing him to enter into the Church.

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Perhaps there’s a word in that for us.

While there are some towering figures in the Church – popes, Saints, missionaries, and martyrs – often the Lord uses ordinary people like us to play smaller roles.

Like Barnabas, we may contribute financially to the Church; offer a word of encouragement; serve as an open door; or a mediator of grace.

Smaller gestures, which when added together, move the mission of the Church forward, sometimes in significant ways.

Saint Barnabas, pray for us.

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Image credits: (1) Speak With People (2) Christian Publishing House Blog (3) zencontrol

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Gospel: Matthew 5: 1-12

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,
and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. 
He began to teach them, saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be great in heaven.
Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Last year, around this time, a parishioner texted me: 

“Father, please keep my friend and her husband in your prayers. They had a house fire and are now homeless. They are very faithful people. After losing everything, she texted me the lyrics to the song, ‘Goodness of God.’ You should listen to it.”

“I love you, Lord,” the lyrics go, “for your mercy never fails me. All my days, I’ve been held in your hands. From the moment that I wake up until I lay my head, I will sing of the goodness of God… You have led me through the fire. In the darkest night, You are close like no other.”

“Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God.”

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How can someone lose everything in a house fire and still sing of the “goodness of God”?

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They are the type of person who’s blessed in today’s Gospel. 

This word, blessed – in Greek, markarios – describes a joy that is self-contained; untouchable. It is completely independent of the joys and sorrows of life. It can neither be taken away nor destroyed.

It’s the type of stillness, inner peace, which Jesus promises to his followers. “No one will take your joy from you,” he says in John’s Gospel.

A change in weather, a change in fortune, a collapse in health, or a fire that consumes your home can steal the “happiness” the world offers. But nothing can take Christian joy away because it’s rooted in Christ.

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Imagine that type of joy. 

Regardless of what each day brings, there’s a stillness within; a feeling that all will be well; a comfort knowing Christ is with you and will never let you be tried beyond your strength.

We invite the Holy Spirit into our hearts now, asking for that type of joy – a peace – which Christ alone gives and no one can take away.

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Image credits: (1) Dreamstime.com (2) American Psychological Association (3) YouVersion Bible App, X.com

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Gospel: John 19: 31-37

Since it was preparation day,
in order that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath,
for the sabbath day of that week was a solemn one, 
the Jews asked Pilate that their legs be broken 
and they be taken down.
So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first 
and then of the other one who was crucified with Jesus.
But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, 
they did not break his legs, 
but one soldier thrust his lance into his side, 
and immediately blood and water flowed out.
An eyewitness has testified, and his testimony is true; 
he knows that he is speaking the truth, 
so that you also may come to believe.
For this happened so that the Scripture passage might be fulfilled:
Not a bone of it will be broken.
And again another passage says:
They will look upon him whom they have pierced.

The Gospel of the Lord.

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The crucifixion of Jesus Christ creates a scene of both gore and glory. It encompasses two mysterious truths: the mystery of human suffering and the even greater mystery of divine love.

Crucifixion was the most brutal form of execution in the ancient world. Those who were crucified did not die because of blood loss caused by the nails driven into their flesh; they died by suffocation.

A man would hang upon the cross for as long he could push himself up with his legs, lifting his chest for a desperate draw of air. Once a person became too exhausted to push anymore, he’d suffocate under his own weight, arms spread open in surrender. 

This is why the Roman soldiers broke the legs of the two men hanging next to Jesus; the Jewish feast of Passover was near and they needed to move on. Those criminals would’ve died within a matter of minutes.

The Lord, however, had already passed from this world. A soldier pierced his side to confirm, “it is finished.”

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Here we find the source of the Sacraments, the love of God literally poured out as blood and water.

From the earliest days of the Church – and certainly in John’s Gospel – Christians understood the water flowing from Christ’s side to be the font of baptism. The blood, the font of Eucharist. 

“Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him and I shall raise him on the last day,” the Lord promises.

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But the Lord’s death on Calvary was also seen in the context of marriage.

In the 4^th century, Saint Augustine noted that the flow of blood and water recalls the union between a bride and her groom on their wedding night. Thus, the Cross becomes the fullest expression of Christ’s love for his bride, the Church.

There he gives himself away – arms spread open, embracing all of humanity, washing us clean. 

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On this Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we recall that most sacred moment when the Lord, “loved us and gave himself for us.”

What else are we to do, but, “give thanks to the Lord for he is good, for his love endures forever.”

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Image credits: (1) Michael Corsini, Catholic Artist (2) Christ Crucified, Diego Velazquez (3) Christian Pictures Blog