DAILY HOMILIES #Paul

The name Barnabas means “Son of Encouragement.” This name became a prophecy of Barnabas’ life. Barnabas, through his unwavering belief in Paul’s potential, persuaded the early Christian community to accept Paul as a disciple and played a pivotal role in shaping Paul’s future as a successful preacher.

When Paul stood before the tribunal, he immediately noticed a deep divide among those who brought him to trial. Applying the wisdom of a serpent and the innocence of a dove, Paul decided to take advantage of the division between the Pharisees and the Sadducees. Paul introduced himself as a Pharisee on trial for the issue of the resurrection of the dead. The moment he said this, there was an uproar in the assembly.

Today, Jesus reveals the third strategy for dealing with the world’s hatred: Prayer. We often sing: “Prayer is the key. Prayer is the Key. Prayer is the master key. Jesus started with prayer and ended with prayer. Prayer is the master key.” Prayer is the key to unlocking happiness amid the troubles that must come our way if we obey God’s commandments in a world that prefers darkness to light.

The world hates Christians because it sees a reflection of Christ in them. “And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:19). The world prefers darkness to light. Evil is always more attractive than good. If you are not experiencing opposition from the world, it means there is nothing about you that points to Christ; you are not a threat to the kingdom of darkness because they see you as one of theirs.

Never judge your worth by the negative behaviour of others. Did Jesus remain in Nazareth after He was rejected? He didn’t need to force anyone to believe; he left them and went elsewhere. The same Barnabas and Paul who ran like thieves from Iconium became gods at Lystra. Barnabas became Zeus, and Paul; they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. For healing a cripple who had never walked from birth, they could not stop the people from offering sacrifices to them. Go where you are appreciated.

Paul and Barnabas spoke first to the Jews, but the Jews reviled them and contradicted everything they said. Meanwhile, the Gentiles gladly accepted the message and glorified God, and many believed. God’s will must be done, and His plans must come to pass. If we also behave like the Jews, God will work with others who are willing.

What Happened At Antioch? Firstly, “The hand of the Lord was with them and a great number that believed turned to the Lord” (Acts 11:21). This teaches us that the success of evangelisation depends on God. The believers who took the Gospel to Antioch were not exceptional (their names are not even mentioned). When news of the massive number of converts reached the Church in Jerusalem, they sent Barnabas to Antioch to verify the report and encourage the believers.

Avoid the single story. It is easy to point fingers, accuse others, and condemn them when we do not know the whole story. The fact that “everybody says so” does not mean they are right. Do not get carried away by public opinion. Be open to the truth, and be ready to shift ground. Learn to ask yourself: “What if I am wrong?” Ironically, these Pharisees who condemned Jesus for breaking the Sabbath did far worse things on the Sabbath. Hence, Jesus described them as hypocrites and white-washed tombs.

When Jesus mentioned the rewards, the disciples felt relief. However, Jesus narrated the Parable of the Landowner to teach them a fundamental lesson: when receiving rewards, avoid comparing yourself with others. Like the workers recruited for work in the vineyard at different times, we are not all gifted the same way; we were not all born on the same day, and we did not come to know God on the same day. However, after our labour, we shall all receive exactly what we deserve.

Today’s Solemnity also challenges us to be the best version of ourselves as we strive to follow Christ’s footsteps on earth. Peter and Paul have long since passed away, but their legacies continue to shine. If they had approached their calling with the same lackadaisical attitude displayed by many Christians today, we would not be celebrating them today. Our time on earth is relatively short, but our impact can last for eternity. Live in a manner that the world would feel obliged to celebrate you long after you have gone.

No matter how good we are, we all need people like Barnabas who coach (encourage) us into the stars we are meant to be. While others were scared of Paul because they judged him as a bad person who had later become a Christian, Barnabas saw in Paul a good man with a bad past. Let us learn from Barnabas to be less judgmental of people while encouraging them to let their light shine. Even the worst sinners have some degree of light in them. Barnabas mentored Paul and later became his partner when the Holy Spirit set them apart on a mission to evangelise the world.

For all those times, Peter would have to suffer; the only thing that would keep him going is the memory of his triple “yes” to Jesus’ question. Love is patient and kind; love takes no record of records; love never ends; love never gives up.