The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today offer insight into the attitude and action of followers of Christ as they renew the face of the earth.
The reading from the Acts of the Apostles examines how Barnabas and Saul are commissioned.
* [11:19–26] The Jewish Christian antipathy to the mixed community was reflected by the early missionaries generally. The few among them who entertained a different view succeeded in introducing Gentiles into the community at Antioch (in Syria). When the disconcerted Jerusalem community sent Barnabas to investigate, he was so favorably impressed by what he observed that he persuaded his friend Saul to participate in the Antioch mission. (Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 11, n.d.)
* [13:1–3] The impulse for the first missionary effort in Asia Minor is ascribed to the prophets of the Antiochene community, under the inspiration of the holy Spirit. Just as the Jerusalem community had earlier been the center of missionary activity, so too Antioch becomes the center from which the missionaries Barnabas and Saul are sent out. (Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 13, n.d.)
Psalm 98 praises the Judge of the World.
* [Psalm 98] A hymn, similar to Ps 96, extolling God for Israel’s victory (Ps 98:1–3). All nations (Ps 98:4–6) and even inanimate nature (Ps 98:7–8) are summoned to welcome God’s coming to rule over the world (Ps 98:9). (Psalms, PSALM 98, n.d.)
In the Sermon on the Mount from the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus teaches concerning the use of oaths.
* [5:37] Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No’: literally, “let your speech be ‘Yes, yes,’ ‘No, no.’” Some have understood this as a milder form of oath, permitted by Jesus. In view of Mt 5:34, “Do not swear at all,” that is unlikely. From the evil one: i.e., from the devil. Oath-taking presupposes a sinful weakness of the human race, namely, the tendency to lie. Jesus demands of his disciples a truthfulness that makes oaths unnecessary. (Matthew, CHAPTER 5, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Matthew, chosen for the Memorial of St. Barnabas, Jesus presides at the Commissioning of the Twelve.
* [10:8–11] The Twelve have received their own call and mission through God’s gift, and the benefits they confer are likewise to be given freely. They are not to take with them money, provisions, or unnecessary clothing; their lodging and food will be provided by those who receive them. (Matthew Chapter 10, n.d.)
Ed Morse comments that it takes all kinds of gifts for the Church to fulfill its mission. Sometimes we need a voice of no and stop; at other times the voice of yes and keep going.
Lord, when we are weary, send Barnabas the encourager to help us along. Help us to embrace his encouragement and to keep going in our life journeys, not giving up. Like Barnabas, help us also to see the potential in others, even when they might fail us. And like Paul, let us find a way to make peace with those who disagree with us. And when we hear hard truths that may prove difficult for us to follow, let us not reject the messenger. Instead, let us train our ears to hear your love calling out to us in the midst of that truth. Thanks be to God. (Creighton U. Daily Reflection, n.d.)
Don Schwager quotes “The Light of Truth,” by Chromatius (died 406 AD).
"By the grace of gospel teaching, the law given by Moses acquired an advantage. The law prescribes that one must not swear falsely; but according to the gospel one must not swear at all. The Holy Spirit had seen fit to order this through Solomon when he said, 'Do not accustom your mouth to oaths' (Sirach 23:9). And again: 'Even as a well-chastised servant is not deterred from envy, whoever swears and does business will not be purged from sin' (Sirach 23:11). Therefore it is absolutely inappropriate for us to swear. What need is there for us to swear when we are not allowed to lie at all and our words must always be true and trustworthy, so much so that they may be taken as an oath? On this, the Lord not only forbids us to swear falsely but even to swear, lest we appear to tell the truth only when we swear and lest (while we should be truthful in our every word) we think it is all right to lie when we do not take an oath. For this is the purpose of an oath: Everyone who swears, swears to the fact what he is saying is true. Therefore the Lord does not want a gap between our oath and our ordinary speech. Even as there must be no faithlessness in an oath, in our words there must be no lie. For both false swearing and lying are punished with divine judgment, as the Scripture says: 'The mouth that lies kills the soul' (Wisdom 1:11). So whoever speaks the truth swears, for it is written: 'A faithful witness will not lie' (Proverbs 14:5). (excerpt from TRACTATE ON MATTHEW 24.2.2-4) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Acts 11:21-26; 13:1-3 comments that building the kingdom of God took more than just a desire to do good and to work hard. Barnabas needed the power of the Spirit, and he needed to learn how to be led by the Spirit.
We can use these three steps to learn how to cooperate with the Holy Spirit. Start with prayer, and ask him to guide you throughout your day. If you have a particular concern, ask him what to do. Next, listen. The Spirit will speak to you as you pray. Pay attention to any inspiration, especially something that you wouldn’t have thought of yourself. Then let the Holy Spirit move you to act on what you have heard. Like Barnabas, you can deepen your relationship with the Holy Spirit and build the kingdom of God. “St. Barnabas, pray for us!” (Meditation on Acts 11:21-26; 13:1-3, n.d.)
Rev. Frank Logue notes that Piety Study and Action form the basis of questions created for a Cursillo Reunion Group. Cursillo is a three-day retreat held in the Episcopal and Catholic churches. It is like Walk to Emmaus in the Methodist church and Tres Dias in other denominations, including pentecostal churches. Cursillo means "short course" and it is intended to be a short course in Christianity. The talks are given mostly by lay people about how they live out their faith day to day.
Piety Have I maintained my commitments in my Rule of Life?
With what other spiritual aids have I nourished my union with Christ?
What moment did I feel closest to Christ?
Study What have I studied that has increased my understanding of my relationship with God?
Action Apostolic Successes and disappointments—in my family, in my work, in my environment
How did my previous plans work out?
News of the Christian community?
What are my plans for the coming week?
Thanksgivings and intercessions.
(Piety, Study and Action, 2009)
Franciscan Media comments that Barnabas, a Jew of Cyprus, comes as close as anyone outside the Twelve to being a full-fledged apostle.
Barnabas is spoken of simply as one who dedicated his life to the Lord. He was a man “filled with the Holy Spirit and faith. Thereby, large numbers were added to the Lord.” Even when he and Paul were expelled from Antioch in Pisidia—modern-day Turkey—they were “filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.” (Saint Barnabas, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments on the call of Barnabas to work with Paul in Antioch where the followers of Jesus were first known as Christians. The Hebrew formula for oaths “As Yahweh lives, this is true,” is potentially problematic in connecting falsehood to the death of Yahweh. Friar Jude reminds us to say “yes” or “no” and mean it.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, composed this prayer litany of the Holy Spirit, imagining the Spirit’s many descriptive names.
Pure Gift of God
Indwelling Presence
Promise of the Father
Life of Jesus
Pledge and Guarantee
Defense Attorney
Inner Anointing
Homing Device
Stable Witness
Peacemaker
Always Already Awareness
Compassionate Observer
God Compass
Inner Breath
Mutual Yearning Place
Hidden Love of God
Implanted Hope
Seething Desire
Fire of Life and Love
Truth Speaker
Flowing Stream
Wind of Change
Descending Dove
Cloud of Unknowing
Uncreated Grace
Filled Emptiness
Deepest Level of Our Longing
Sacred Wounding
Holy Healing
Will of God
Great Compassion
Inherent Victory You who pray in us, through us, with us, for us, and in spite of us.
Amen, Alleluia! (Rohr, 2022)
References
Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 11. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved June 11, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/11?19#52011019
Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 13. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved June 11, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/13
Creighton U. Daily Reflection. (n.d.). Online Ministries. Retrieved June 11, 2022, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/061122.html
Matthew, CHAPTER 5. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved June 11, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/5?33
Matthew Chapter 10. (n.d.). USCCB Daily Bible Readings. Retrieved June 11, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mt/10?8#48010008
Meditation on Acts 11:21-26; 13:1-3. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved June 11, 2022, from https://wau.org/meditations/2022/06/11/408794/
Piety, Study and Action. (2009, June 12). Irenic Thoughts. Retrieved June 11, 2022, from http://kingofpeace.blogspot.com/2009/06/piety-study-and-action.html
Psalms, PSALM 98. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved June 11, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/98?1
Rohr, R. (2022, June 11). The Holy Spirit: Weekly Summary — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved June 11, 2022, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-holy-spirit-weekly-summary-2022-06-11/
Saint Barnabas. (n.d.). Franciscan Media. Retrieved June 11, 2022, from https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-barnabas
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved June 11, 2022, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2022&date=jun11
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