Wednesday – Saint Barnabas, apostle

Leader of early Christianity from Cyprus.
He sold his field and gave the proceeds to the apostles of Jerusalem.

Invitation

May I hereby draw your attention to
the daily reading of the Gospel?

This invitation wants to share with You the joy
of the Gospel. Everyone, no one excepted,
can experience that joy by opening their hearts
to the healing power of God’s word.

Available every day.

Consideration

Today’s Gospel reading paints the picture of the proclaimer of faith. Who sees God’s grace actively present in the community he visits. We hear that disciples serving the Lord and working for his Church need to be provided with shelter and food by others. In a world where performance, profit, strategy and marketing score highest on the prosperity scale, today’s message sounds strange, almost incomprehensible, and in any case difficult to apply. St Barnabas invites us to be generous and not give up too quickly.

FIRST READING            Acts 11, 21b-26 ; 13, 1-3
He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith.

From the Acts of the Apostles

In those days
very many came to faith
and converted to the Lord.
The rumour concerning the appearance of the Lord’s followers
also came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem
and they sent Barnabas off to Antioch.
When this one arrived there
and saw God’s grace,
he rejoiced
and exhorted all to remain faithful to the Lord with heart and soul.
He was a good man,
full of the Holy Spirit and faith.

Many people were won to the Lord.

Thereupon he left for Tarsus
to go and find Saul.
When he had found him
he brought him to Antioch.
For a full year they took part in the meetings in that church
and taught a large crowd.
It was in Antioch
that the disciples were first called Christians.

There were prophets and teachers there in the congregation :
Barnabas, who was called Simon who was called Niger,
Lucius from Cyrene,
Manaën, youthful friend of the quadriplegic Herod, and Saul.
As they once performed holy service before the Lord
and fasted ,
the Holy Spirit spoke :
“Separate Me Barnabas and Saul for the work
to which I have called them.”
After fasting and prayer, they then laid hands on them
and allowed them to depart.

INTERLUDIUM             Ps. 98(97), 1, 2-3ab, 3c-4, 5-6

The Lord made the nations know his righteousness.

Sing to the Lord a new song
because He did wonders.
His hand asserted itself powerfully,
the power of his holy arm.

His benefits He made known to us,
the peoples His justice.
Once again His goodness and faithfulness proved
in favour of Israel’s house.

All the earth beheld
what our God did for us.
Glorify the Lord, all nations,
be glad, rejoice and sing.

Sing to the Lord by the zither,
with zither and psalters.
Let trumpet and trumpet sound
and dance before the Lord, your king.

ALLELUIA           Mt 28, 19a and 20b

Alleluia.
Go and make all nations my disciples;
Behold, I am with you all the days,
until the consummation of the world.
Alleluia.

GOSPEL                Mt 10:7-13
Proclaim on your journey : The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

From the holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew

At that time, Jesus said to the 12 :
” Proclaim on your journey :
The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
“Heal the sick, raise the dead,
cleanse lepers and cast out devils.
“For nothing ye have received, for nothing ye must give.
“So do not seek to acquire gold, silver or copper
to fill your belts with them.
“Nor furnish thee with a travelling bag for the road,
no second undergarment, no footwear or cane,
for the labourer is worth his keep.
“When thou comest into a town or village, examine
who is worthy to receive thee,
and stay there until thou depart again.
“When ye enter that house
bring it thy greeting of peace;
and when it is worthy
may thy peace come upon that house,
but when it is not worthy of it,
then return thy peace unto thee.”
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