ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER! ~ CookingFood.Org

“HONEY FROM THE ROCK”

Saturday, 11th June 2016,

Tenth Week of Ordinary Time

Memorial of St. Barnabas, Apostle.

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

Ps 97: 1-6;

Mt 10: 7-13

ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER!

Barnabas was an important figure in the early church, and so although not one of the original Twelve around Jesus at the Last Supper, he merits the title ‘apostle’. His presence is significant in the first fifteen chapters of Acts. He sold his property and brought the proceeds to the apostles (Acts 4: 37). He was known as Joseph from Cyprus, but the apostles gave him the name Barnabas (which means ‘son of encouragement’). True to this name, he is the one who encourages the Christians of Jerusalem to accept Saul of Tarsus because he was no longer a persecutor after his conversion (Acts 9: 27). When an unexpected number of Gentiles begins to join the Christian community up in Antioch of Syria, the Jerusalem authorities send Barnabas up to check out the situation. Barnabas knows the grace of God when he sees it and encourages this new development (Acts 11: 19-26). The Antioch community selects Paul and Barnabas for the first missionary journey, from among their “prophets and teachers” to do the Holy Spirit’s work (Acts 13 and 14). In the mission that ensues Barnabas is Paul’s right-hand man. However later there is some friction among the two. They eventually parted company when Barnabas insisted on taking his cousin John Mark while revisiting the communities they had founded. So from these references what emerges is a portrait of a man like us with strengths and weakness. If we invest ourselves in the work of the Lord, the Holy Spirit will use us to the fullness of our strengths and despite our weaknesses.

Prayer: Help me Lord, to encourage and support others in building up the Church. Amen.