Good News of Generous Care.

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today, Memorial of Saint Barnabas, Apostle, challenge us to be open, in a world of abundance, to sharing the Good News, in fellowship with all the people encountered in our vineyard.

Abundance and Action

In the Reading from the Acts of the Apostles the Church at Antioch is recognized as “Christian”.

* [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.

* [11:26] Christians: “Christians” is first applied to the members of the community at Antioch because the Gentile members of the community enable it to stand out clearly from Judaism.(Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 11 | USCCB, 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 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 98 extolls God for Israel’s victory.

* [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 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of Matthew presents 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.

* [10:13] The greeting of peace is conceived of not merely as a salutation but as an effective word. If it finds no worthy recipient, it will return to the speaker. (Matthew, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB, n.d.)

Michele Bogard comments Barnabas advocated for Paul post his conversion. His name means “son of encouragement” and he’s the patron Saint of Cyprus, Antioch, and peacekeeping missions. Forgive and forget.  It’s an easy enough phrase but so difficult to live.

I have worked hard in my life to forgive - one relationship in particular.  But forgetting?  That is something entirely different.  Trust broken is so hard to rebuild.  I can’t say that those two concepts go hand in hand for me easily. 

But isn’t that what Jesus is asking of us?  Forgiving without holding grudges/forgetting isn’t really forgiving. 

Today, if you pray the Examen, try to recount those relationships that you haven’t forgotten the wrongs.  Let us take stock of the grudges we have and ask St. Barnabas’s intercession to encourage our hearts to truly heal so that we can be fully in communion with God. (Bogard, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Taming the Tongue,” by Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD)

"What are we to do? Whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be liable to the hell of fire. But no human being can tame the tongue. Will everyone therefore go to the hell of fire? By no means. Lord, you have become our refuge from generation to generation (Psalm 90:1). Your wrath is just. You send no one to hell unjustly. Where shall I go from your spirit? or where shall I flee from your presence (Psalm 139:7), unless to you? Thus let us understand, my dearly beloved, that if no human being can tame the tongue, we must take refuge in God, who will tame it. Does your own human nature prevent you from taming your tongue? No human being can tame the tongue (James 3:8). Consider this analogy from the animals that we tame. A horse does not tame itself; a camel does not tame itself; an elephant does not tame itself; a snake does not tame itself; a lion does not tame itself. So too a man does not tame himself. In order to tame a horse, an ox, a camel, an elephant, a lion and a snake, a human being is required. Therefore God should be required in order for a human being to be tamed. (excerpt from Sermon 55:2) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Acts 11:21-26; 13:1-3 comments that today the Church honors Barnabas, not just as a great hero of the faith, but also as a model for us to follow. We can all become like Barnabas because every one of us who has been baptized has received the same Holy Spirit that he did. Like Barnabas, each of us can invite the Spirit to take our natural gifts and fill them with his grace and power.

It’s good to remind yourself every now and then that you are “filled with the Holy Spirit and faith.” Whether you are working, studying, or parenting, he is with you to increase your patience and your faithfulness to your calling. When you are in the midst of a difficult conversation with someone, he is with you to help you choose your words wisely and to give you his compassion and peace. The Spirit is always ready to fill you and empower you to share your gifts with everyone around you.

“Lord, help me to remain open to your Spirit today.” (Meditation on Acts 11:21-26; 13:1-3, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that the passage from Acts 11 and Acts 13 speaks about Barnabas who was an evangelizer in Antioch. He and Saul, Hebrew Aramaic for Paul, go to Antioch where the “Christian” name is established among Gentile converts. Paul and Barnabas are set aside with laying on hands for missionary work. In the Sermon on the Mount, from the Gospel of Matthew, righteousness as understood by the Pharisee as following the Laws to the letter and therefore taken to the widest scrupulous interpretation is replaced by Jesus with the spirit to extend the Law to any form of hurting. We are called to reconcile before going to the altar. Friar Jude notes that the handshake of peace before the Eucharist is intended to become a sign of reconciliation for those participating in the Eucharist as brothers and sisters.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Cynthia Bourgeault who explores the parable of the laborers in the vineyard. The bottom line is that everybody has enough. The ones that came in early thought the usual daily wage was fair. That’s taken care of. The real fruit being generated, just like grapes turn into wine, was the work together. In these circumstances, it’s fermented and transformed into some fragrance of human interactivity and abundance that doesn’t exist otherwise.

Reading this parable against the backdrop of a relational field rather than individual competition, entirely different elements jump out. Without that relational field, you simply can’t see where Jesus is going. Trying to understand it with your mind, you’ll never get it because your mind will keep coming back to “more and less” and “it’s not fair.” It’s not until you begin from the fullness of love, and the order and coherence that arise from it, that you can recognize what’s being said and how radical it is.

We get the invitation to go into the vineyard, but it’s only in stepping up, saying yes, and trusting the relational field that we’re going to actually be participants in the kingdom of God. (Rohr, n.d.)

We implore the Spirit to guide our pursuit of a relationship with Christ that avoids scrupulous attention to particular faults and rules and presents our extension of Love, Compassion, and Hope to all the people we encounter.

References

Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 11 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 11, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/11? 

Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 13 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings, Audio and Video Every Morning | USCCB. Retrieved June 11, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/13 

Bogard, M. (n.d.). Daily Reflection. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved June 11, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-june-11-2026 

Matthew, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 11, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/10 

Meditation on Acts 11:21-26; 13:1-3. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved June 11, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/06/11/1589802/ 

Psalms, PSALM 98 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 11, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/98?1 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). The Laborers in the Vineyard. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved June 11, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-laborers-in-the-vineyard/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Be Reconciled to Your Brother. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved June 11, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/ 

Peace Over Chaos

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today inspire us to work with religious leaders to bring “Shalom” to our environment nearby and in our world living in chaos.

Our Response to Chaos

The Reading from the Acts of the Apostles describes the End of the First Mission of Paul and Barnabas.

* [14:23] They appointed presbyters: the communities are given their own religious leaders by the traveling missionaries. The structure in these churches is patterned on the model of the Jerusalem community (Acts 11:30; 15:2, 5, 22; 21:18). (Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 14 | USCCB, n.d.) (Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 14 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 145 declares the “works of God” make God present and invite human praise.

* [Psalm 145] A hymn in acrostic form; every verse begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Acrostic poems usually do not develop ideas but consist rather of loosely connected statements. The singer invites all to praise God (Ps 145:1–3, 21). The “works of God” make God present and invite human praise (Ps 145:4–7); they climax in a confession (Ps 145:8–9). God’s mighty acts show forth divine kingship (Ps 145:10–20), a major theme in the literature of early Judaism and in Christianity. (Psalms, PSALM 145 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of John presents Jesus’ departure and return dialogue.

* [14:1–31] Jesus’ departure and return. This section is a dialogue marked off by a literary inclusion in Jn 14:1, 27: “Do not let your hearts be troubled.”

* [14:27] Peace: the traditional Hebrew salutation šālôm; but Jesus’ “Shalom” is a gift of salvation, connoting the bounty of messianic blessing.

* [14:28] The Father is greater than I: because he sent, gave, etc., and Jesus is “a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God” (Jn 8:40).

* [14:30] The ruler of the world: Satan; cf. Jn 12:31; 16:11. (John, CHAPTER 14 | USCCB, n.d.)

Mike Cherney comments that today is Cinco de Mayo, a day that recalls a spirit of resistance against overwhelming odds.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.” Recalling His promise of the Spirit, I see this peace not as a serene, tranquil absence of conflict, but the support of the Spirit in the middle of the storm. It is the strength to stand up, like Paul, and declare that the power of evil cannot dominate, because there is the Spirit within.

Cinco de Mayo becomes more than a historical remembrance; it serves as a spiritual metaphor. In my trials, I am not abandoned. I have the Advocate. This Spirit can embolden one with a fire in the heart to stand firm in the face of tribulation and can offer a joy that is courageous, persevering, and profoundly hopeful.

My prayer today centers on finding my place within this reality.

Dear Lord, I live in a world that often feels chaotic and uncertain. 

Too often, I see decisions driven by self-interest rather than the common good.

 I carry concerns and fears about what lies ahead. 

Yet I trust that Your Spirit is still at work. 

Guide me in my mission, strengthen my resolve,

 and help me recognize the gifts that You provide each day. (Cherney, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “The Following of Christ,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"Come, follow Me, says the Lord. Do you love? He has hastened on, He has flown on ahead. Look and see where. O Christian, don't you know where your Lord has gone? I ask you: Don't you wish to follow Him there? Through trials, insults, the cross, and death. Why do you hesitate? Look, the way has been shown you." (excerpt from Sermon 345,6) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on John 14:21-26 comments that since the world isn’t the source of our peace, the world doesn’t have the power to take it away—even if we feel some agitation from time to time! Peace is not political, so political unrest doesn’t have to overwhelm us. It’s not economic, so we can find Jesus’ peace even in the face of inflation or job loss. His peace is not tied to our ability to control any of our circumstances, so as we trust the Lord, we will find a peace that, as St. Paul says, “surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).

Let that truth sink in: the peace that will bring true rest to your heart is something you cannot accomplish with your own efforts. It comes from God, and he wants to give it to you! Just look at the first thing Jesus says to his disciples after the resurrection: “Peace be with you” (John 20:19).

You can always trust in Jesus, whether or not you feel in control of your life, whether or not you have amassed enough material treasure—no matter what challenges come your way. Because lasting peace comes directly from Jesus.

“Jesus, help me open my heart to the peace that only you can give me!” (Meditation on John 14:21-26, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments the reading from Acts presents when Paul and Barnabas are thrown out of the city and travel with great success in the Asia Minor. They appoint presbyters, who were elders rather than priests. In the Gospel of John, we learn that Jesus is going to give a different peace. The Peace that Jesus gives is doing the Will of the Father. This is the joy and peace of being where we belong. It is not dependent on happiness. The Peace of God brings comfort that dispels anxiety. Friar Jude reminds us that however a situation turns out, God will be there with us.

Father Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces James Finley who lived in a Cistercian monastery with Thomas Merton, where he was steeped in this union and love mysticism,  reflects on the teachings of the twelfth-century mystic and monastic reformer Bernard of Clairvaux, one of the most prolific commentators on the Song of Songs. He comments on the opening lines of the Song of Songs.

Let Him kiss me with the kiss of His mouth (1:1). Who speaks? The bride. Who is she? The soul thirsting for God…. If one is a servant he is in dread of his lord’s face. If one is a hireling he hopes for pay from his lord’s hand. If one is a disciple he gives ear to his teacher. If one is a son he honors his father. But the soul who begs a kiss, is in love. Among the gifts of nature this affection of love holds first place, especially when it makes haste to return to its Origin, which is God. Words cannot be found so sweet as to express the sweet affections of the Word and the soul for each other, except bride and Bridegroom. [2]

We seek the Wisdom of the Spirit as we ponder the tension, particularly relevant today between the greed and imperialism of the time of Cinco de Mayo, that continues to resonate today and the Peace beyond understanding that Jesus invites us to present to the world.

References

Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 14 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved May 5, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/14?19 

Cherney, M. (n.d.). Daily Reflection. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved May 5, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-may-5-2026 

John, CHAPTER 14 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved May 5, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/14?27 

Meditation on John 14:21-26. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved May 5, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/05/04/1557172/ 

Psalms, PSALM 145 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved May 5, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/145? 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). My Peace I Give to You. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved May 5, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

Where is Our Divine Connection

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to examine how we understand our connection to God.

God with Us

The Reading from the Acts of the Apostles describes Paul and Barnabas experience at Lystra.

* [14:8–18] In an effort to convince his hearers that the divine power works through his word, Paul cures the cripple. However, the pagan tradition of the occasional appearance of gods among human beings leads the people astray in interpreting the miracle. The incident reveals the cultural difficulties with which the church had to cope. Note the similarity of the miracle worked here by Paul to the one performed by Peter in Acts 3:2–10.

* [14:12] Zeus…Hermes: in Greek religion, Zeus was the chief of the Olympian gods, the “father of gods and men”; Hermes was a son of Zeus and was usually identified as the herald and messenger of the gods.

* [14:14] Tore their garments: a gesture of protest. (Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 14 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 115 asks us “Where is your God?”

* [Psalm 115] A response to the enemy taunt, “Where is your God?” This hymn to the glory of Israel’s God (Ps 115:1–3) ridicules the lifeless idols of the nations (Ps 115:4–8), expresses in a litany the trust of the various classes of the people in God (Ps 115:9–11), invokes God’s blessing on them as they invoke the divine name (Ps 115:12–15), and concludes as it began with praise of God. Ps 135:15–18 similarly mocks the Gentile gods and has a similar litany and hymn (Ps 135:19–21). (Where Is Your God?, n.d.)

In the Gospel of John, Jesus introduces The Advocate for our Relationship with Love.

* [14:1–31] Jesus’ departure and return. This section is a dialogue marked off by a literary inclusion in Jn 14:1, 27: “Do not let your hearts be troubled.”

* [14:22] Judas, not the Iscariot: probably not the brother of Jesus in Mk 6:3 // Mt 13:55 or the apostle named Jude in Lk 6:16 but Thomas (see note on Jn 11:16), although other readings have “Judas the Cananean.” (John, CHAPTER 14 | USCCB, n.d.)

Tom Lenz comments that initially, it seemed confusing that Jesus was seemingly making a softer version of an Old Testament deal, “Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father.” This seemed to imply that, “If you do not love me then neither will you be loved by my Father.” But this is not the message at all.

If you read a bit more from John 14 the entire message is about connectedness. What Jesus is saying to his disciples is that because we are connected here, then you (and me) are also connected to the Father. But this can only be realized if you “have my commandments and observe them” – which are not the same as the “thou shalt not” commandments in the Old Testament. The “commandments” that Jesus is talking about are more like invitations towards love and forgiveness. And, if we can embrace these, we will be able to more clearly “see” that a Great Chain of Connectedness exists between Jesus, us, and God. He explicitly says this in verse 20 (right before today’s reading begins) in the often quoted, “In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.” And the glue to all this connection and relationship is the Holy Spirit, as Jesus points out several times in John 14. (Lenz, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “God is pleased to dwell in us,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"God is not too grand to come, he is not too fussy or shy, he is not too proud - on the contrary he is pleased to come if you do not displease him. Listen to the promise he makes. Listen to him indeed promising with pleasure, not threatening in displeasure, "We shall come to him," he says, "I and the Father." To the one he had earlier called his friend, the one who obeys his precepts, the keeper of his commandment, the lover of God, the lover of his neighbor, he says, "We shall come to him and make our abode with him." (excerpt from Sermon 23,6) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on John 14:21-26 comments that the indwelling of the Lord is not passive. He is an attentive occupant who knows the very structure of your heart—your priorities, attachments, and thoughts. He cares deeply about you. He delights in the parts that are working well, and he calls for improvements to the parts that don’t: the moments when your mouth has run like a leaky tap or your self-control has crumbled like old plaster.

At times these internal repairs may feel like too much. But don’t be overwhelmed; you are not working alone! Jesus is eager to work with you. He’s just waiting for you to invite him to help. So identify one “internal DIY project” you’d like to work on today, and ask him to roll up his sleeves and join you.

“Lord, I welcome you into my heart. Shape it and make it your home.” (Meditation on John 14:21-26, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments in Acts, Paul and Barnabas continue to preach and when successful, the leaders, both Jew and Gentile, hatch plots against them. The healing they present has people conclude “god” has come down to them. How can Paul and Barnabas try to solve this confusion? In the Gospel of John Chapter 14, loving Jesus and keeping His word of the Father is possible as He promises an Advocate, in Greek, a Paraclete. This is an ambiguous word with many meanings fulfilled by the Spirit as the love between the Father and the Son and their love for us.

Father Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces the Old Testament scholar Ellen Davis who shares the history of the Song of Songs’ inclusion in the Bible. The scriptural status of the Song of Songs is so questionable that the Talmud actually records the great debate…. It was the declamation of Rabbi Akiba, the great teacher, scholar, and martyr of early Judaism, that finally carried the day:

Heaven forbid! No Jew ever questioned the sanctity of the Song of Songs; for all the world is not worth the day when the Song of Songs was given to Israel. For all the writings are holy, but the Song of Songs is the Holy of Holies! [1] … (Rohr, n.d.)

Davis describes how the Song of Songs overcomes the separation that began in Genesis between God, humanity, and the earth:

The poet of the Song has a dream, and in that dream all the ruptures that occurred in Eden are repaired…. Following carefully and imaginatively where the words of the Song lead, we can share the poet’s and God’s dream of the original harmony of creation restored…. A woman and a man, equally powerful, are lost in admiration of each other—or more accurately, in admiration they truly find themselves and each other. And the natural world rejoices with them. (Rohr, n.d.)

We invoke the Spirit to teach us about Love and the transforming power of our focus on how we can bring love, hope, compassion, and joy to our daily journey.

References

Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 14 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved May 4, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/14? 

John, CHAPTER 14 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved May 4, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/14? 

Lenz, T. (n.d.). Daily Reflection. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved May 4, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-may-4-2026 

Meditation on John 14:21-26. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved May 4, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/05/04/1557172/ 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). The Holy of Holies. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved May 4, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-holy-of-holies/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). If You Love Me, Keep My Word. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved May 4, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

Where is your God? (n.d.). Psalms, PSALM 115 | USCCB. Retrieved May 4, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/115?1