St Barnabas "Son of Encouragement"

Yesterday, June 11th, was the memorial of St. Barnabas. I have a fond memory of when I first noticed this saint. I was on a “Desert Day” with the Carmelites, a monthly day when we would retreat to the hermitage on the property for solitude, silence, and prayer. I had just discovered that it was the 125th anniversary of when St Thérèse made her Act of Oblation to Merciful Love. And I found it funny that it was St. Barnabas’ feast day. It felt like he was encouraging me to dive more deeply into St. Thérèse’s message. Ever since then, there has been a fond place in my heart for St. Barnabas. His story in Scripture is very much like what I’ve sensed a call to do in my own life, walk with and encourage others. The first Reading for his feast day says that, after encouraging the Christians he met in Antioch, he went in search of Paul. Paul had just had his major conversion. I get the sense that he went back to Tarsus to recuperate, maybe even to wrestle with the experience he had on the way to and then in Damascus. I even think that he probably had to struggle with the guilt over persecuting the followers of the Lord Who had just abruptly confronted him.

            In the mind of the early Christians whom Barnabas met in Antioch, I’m sure they were thinking “who better to send and find Paul than Barnabas?” This “good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith.” He strikes me as someone who could deftly and compassionately accompany anyone to live out their call as a Christian. I would’ve loved to be a fly on the wall in the room when Barnabas finds Paul and speaks words of (I’m sure) profound encouragement and mercy to him.

            Barnabas is known as an ‘Apostle’ in the Church’s tradition and liturgical calendar. And I couldn’t be more heartened that we have someone like Barnabas at the foundation of our Church. Because “encouragement,” even etymologically, speaks to two aspects of how we can love and support each other as Christians. First off, the need for gentleness is key. As I said, I can imagine Paul feeling pretty desolate after realizing what he had been doing as a pharisee, persecuting the early Christian followers. Barnabas would have seen this and tailored his words with the gentleness that he knew Paul needed. Second, Paul was probably reeling with the recognition of his previous actions, what God spoke to him, and how we would respond and change his life. In his mind, he may have been thinking “how could I possibly be welcomed by the same community that I was so recently persecuting with such ferocity? How could God see me as worthy to follow Him?” It would take trust and courage to step back out there. Here is where Barnabas shines as the “son of encouragement.” Barnabas would remind him that God would give him the strength he needed to face this challenge, this call. He would also remind Paul that the Church needs Paul’s witness, a witness to God’s radical mercy. The more I write this the more I’m invigorated by St. Barnabas’ example. I trust that this great saint is here to encourage us too. He is a friend and great witness to how the Lord calls us to be good men and women, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith ready to support and encourage our brothers and sisters.

            How can you follow in the footsteps of this great saint?