BARNABAS "SON OF ENCOURAGEMENT" AND PATRON SAINT OF SPONSORS

Reflection for the Fifth Sunday in Easter, Cycle C

Today's first reading features two great evangelists in the early church, Barnabas and Paul. We often hear about Paul, but we do not hear much about Barnabas. His feast day is June 11, which also happens to be my ordination day.

After Paul's conversion, he spent three years in the Arabian desert. When he emerged from the wilderness he went to Jerusalem to see Peter. The apostles gave Paul a cool reception, probably because he had been such a persecutor of the church. But Barnabas (whose name means "son of encouragement") encouraged Paul in his life. Today, we would say, Barnabas sponsored Paul. He introduced him to the Christian way. He also traveled widely with Paul.

In today's reading we find Barnabas and Paul paying a pastoral visit to a small Christian community that they had founded in Antioch. During their visit the two evangelists "strengthened the spirits of the disciples and exhorted them to persevere in the faith" . Perhaps, Paul learned how to "strengthen the spirits of others" from Barnabas. Barnabas through his encouragement called for the best in Paul and Paul did the same for others.

Thank You Sponsors

In the past ten or twenty years, many of you reading this column have served as an R.C.I.A. sponsor. R.C.I.A. sponsors are the men and women who accompany those interested in becoming Catholic Christians. Invariably, the sponsors are the men and women who accompany those interested in becoming Catholic Christians. Invariably, the sponsors testify that they receive more than they give. If you ever get the opportunity to be a sponsor for a non-Catholic interested in joining our church, I encourage you to say "yes" to that invitation. Sponsors, in your role often ask Barnabas, the Patron Saint of sponsors to guide and direct you.

Called to be Encouragers of Others

Most likely all of us have encouraged by others along the way. If there is someone who has been a great source of encouragement to you during a difficult time, you might want to call them today or drop them a note to thank them for being a "Barnabas person" for you.

Also, all of us are called to be a source of encouragement to others, helping them in whatever way we cant to hang in there during difficult times. During times when we feel a need for encouragement, we can always turn to Barnabas and seek his intercession.

"A New Heavens and A New Earth"

In our second reading today, John shares with us his vision of a New Heaven and a New Earth, one in which there will be no more wailing, mourning, tears or pain. We all, surely long for such a time. This particular reading is frequently selected by family members when a loved one dies. It is easy to see why.

A New Commandment

In today's gospel, Jesus says: "I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, you should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." What was new about Jesus' commandment to love? After all, Jesus' ancestors also had a great commandment about love and all great religions spoke about the centrality of love. So what was special, unique, new about Jesus' commandment to love? It is unconditional, without limit and totally self-sacrificing. No one is excluded from Jesus' embrace-not even the greatest sinner. Jesus would have reached out to the Timothy McVeighs and Osamas of our world, even as he abhorred their crimes against humanity. In his love Jesus gave all. He was willing to lay down his young life that we might live forever with His Father. His love had no strings attached. It was totally unconditional, totally forgiving.

It was this kind of love that kept Paul and Barnabas going in the midst of persecution, rejection and weariness. It was this type of love that moved Mother Teresa to reach out to the poor and the dying people of Calcutta. It is this type of love that keeps people going who are involved in long term care-caring day in and day out for a loved one with some debilitating illness. It is this type of love that moves parents to keep reaching out to wayward children. Jesus' new commandment called for love without limits, conditions, qualifiers or prerequisites. That is the challenge today's gospel lays before us.

The preface for a Wedding Mass says:

Love is our origin,
Love is our constant calling,
Love is our final fulfillment in heaven.
We came from love, we go home to love and in between we are called to be people who can give and receive love. In a real sense, love is our only mission. The great Spanish mystic, John of the Cross wrote: "in the evening of life, thou wilt be judged by love." A few years ago a popular religious song had these words: "When the time of our particular sunset comes, what will matter most of all is the love that we had for one another."

The Violence of Love

Oscar Romero, the archbishop of El Salvador who was assassinated in March 1980 because of his solidarity with the poor and his refusal to be quieted by the authorities who did not like his words, once spoke about the "violence of love". He said:

"We preach the violence of love ,which left Christ nailed on the Cross, the violence that we must each do to ourselves to overcome our selfishness and the cruel inequalities among us. The violence we preach is not the violence of the sword, the violence of hatred. It is the violence of love, of brotherhood, the violence that wills to beat weapons into sickles for work."

Mother Teresa once wrote:

"Spread love everywhere you go, first of all in your own house. Give love to your children, your wife, your husband, to a next door neighbor... Let no one come to you without leaving them better and happier. Be the living expression of God's Kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes. Kindness in your smile, kindness in your warm greeting."