Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 06-11-04, Memorial, St. Barnabas, Apostle

From: Acts 11:19-26; 13:1-3

The Beginning of the Church in Antioch (Continuation)

[21] A great number that believed turned to the Lord. [22] News of this
came to the ears of the Church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to
Antioch. [23] When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad; and he
exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose;
[24] for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a
large company was added to the Lord. [25] So Barnabas went to Tarsus to
look for Saul; [26] and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch.
For a whole year they met with the Church, and taught a large company of
people and in Antioch the disciples were for the first time called Christians.

The Mission of Barnabas and Paul

[1] Now in the Church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers,
Barnabas, Symeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, a
member of the court of Herod the Tetrarch, and Saul. [2] While they
were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart
for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."
[3] Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and
sent them off.

Commentary:

19-30. This account links up with Acts 8:1-4, which describes the
flight of Christians from Jerusalem due to the first persecution
following on the martyrdom of St. Stephen. We are now told about the
spread of the Gospel to Antioch on the Orontes, the capital of the
Roman province of Syria. Antioch was the first major city of the
ancient world where the word of Jesus Christ was preached. It was the
third city of the empire, after Rome and Alexandria, with a population
of about half a million and a sizeable Jewish colony, and was a very
important cultural, economic and religious center.

In Antioch the Gospel is proclaimed not only to Jews and proselytes.
These Hellenist Jews from Jerusalem preached the Gospel to all and
sundry as part of their ordinary everyday activity. St. Luke does not
give us any names: the preachers are ordinary Christians. "Notice",
says Chrysostom, "that it is grace which does everything. And also
reflect on the fact that this work is begun by unknown workers and only
when it begins to prosper do the Apostles send Barnabas" ("Hom. on
Acts", 25).

The Christian mission at Antioch played a key part in the spread of
Christianity. Evangelization of non-Jews becomes the norm; it is not
just something which happens in a few isolated cases. Nor is it
limited to "God-fearers"; it extends to all the Gentiles. The center
of gravity of the Christian Church begins to move from Jerusalem to
Antioch, which will become the springboard for the evangelization of
the pagan world.

22-26. The community at Jerusalem, where the Apostles were based, felt
responsible for everything that happened in the Christian mission-field.
This was why they sent Barnabas to oversee developments in Antioch.
Barnabas was a man whom the Apostles trusted, noted for his virtue (he was
mentioned in Acts 4:36).

No doubt it was because of all the work opening before the preacher of
the Gospel that Barnabas sought out Paul, who had returned to Tarsus
after his conversion and his visit to Jerusalem (9:30). Barnabas
probably knew that the future Apostle was the very man he needed to
join him in the work of evangelization about to be undertaken by the
Antiochene Church. Barnabas' sense of responsibility and his zeal to
find laborers for the Lord's harvest (cf. Matthew 9:38) lead to the
first of the great missionary journeys, in which Paul's vocation find
full scope.

26. We do not exactly know who first began to describe the disciples as
"Christians". In any event the fact that they were given a name
shows that everyone recognized them as an identifiable group. The name
also suggests that the term "Christos"--Messiah, Anointed--is no longer
regarded simply as a messianic title but also as a proper name.

Some Fathers of the Church see this name as further indication that
people do not become disciples of the Lord through human causes.
"Although the holy Apostles were our teachers and have given us the
Gospel of the Savior, it is not from them that we have taken our name:
we are "Christians" through Christ and it is for Him that we are called
in this way" (St. Athanasius, "Oratio I Contra Arianos", 2).

1. From this point onwards Luke's account centers on the Church of
Antioch. This was a flourishing community, with members drawn from all
sectors of society. In some respects its organization structure was
like that of the Jerusalem Church; in others, not. It clearly had
ordained ministers who were responsible for its government, who
preached and administered the Sacraments; along these we find prophets
(cf. 11:28) and teachers, specially trained members of the community.

In the early Church "teachers" were disciples well versed in Sacred
Scripture who were given charge of catechesis. They instructed the
catechumens and other Christians in the basic teaching of the Gospel as
passed on by the Apostles, and some of them had a capacity for
acquiring and communicating to others an extensive and profound
knowledge of the faith.

Teachers do not necessarily have to be priests or preachers. Preaching
was usually reserved to ordained ministers; teachers had an important
position in the Church: they were responsible for on-going doctrinal
and moral education and were expected faithfully to hand on the same
teaching as they themselves had received. A virtuous life and due
learning would have protected them against any temptation to invent new
teachings or go in for mere speculation not based on the Gospel (cf. 1
Timothy 4:7; 6:20; Titus 2:1).

The "Letter to Diognetus" describes the ideal Christian teacher: "I do
not speak of passing things nor do I go in search of new things, but,
like the disciple of the Apostles that I am, I become a teacher of
peoples. I do nothing but hand on what was given me by those who made
themselves worthy disciples of the truth" (XI, 1).

2-3. "Worship" of the Lord includes prayer, but it refers primarily to
the celebration of the Blessed Eucharist, which is at the center of all
Christian ritual. This text indirectly establishes a parallel between
the Mass and the sacrificial rite of the Mosaic Law. The Eucharist
provides a Christian with the nourishment he needs, and its celebration
"causes the Church of God to be built up and grow in stature" (Vatican
II, "Unitatis Redintegratio", 15). Significantly, the Eucharist is
associated with the start of this new stage in the expansion of the
Church.

Paul and Barnabas receive a missionary task directly from the Holy
Spirit, and by an external sign--the laying on of hands--the Antiochene
community prays to God to go with them and bless them. In His
promotion of the spread of the Church the Holy Spirit does not act at a
distance, so to speak. Every step in the progress of the Church in the
world is rightly attributed to the initiative of the Paraclete. It is
as if God were repeatedly ratifying His salvific plans to make it
perfectly plain that He is ever-faithful to His promises. "The mission
of the Church is carried out by means of that activity through which,
in obedience to Christ's command and moved by the grace and love of the
Holy Spirit, the Church makes itself fully present to all men and
people" (Vatican II, "Ad Gentes", 5).

The dispatch of Paul and Barnabas is inspired by the Holy Spirit, but
it is also an ecclesial act: the Church gives them this charge,
specifying God's plans and activating the personal vocation of the two
envoys.

The Lord, "who had set me apart before I was born and had called me by
his grace [sent me] in order that I might preach Him among the
Gentiles" (Galatians 1:15-16), now arranges, through the Church, for
this mission to begin.

Fasting and prayer are the best preparation for the spiritual enterprise on
which Paul and Barnabas are about to embark. "First, prayer; then,
atonement; in the third place, very much 'in the third place', action" ([St]
J. Escriva, "The Way", 82). They know very well that their mission is not
man-made and that it will produce results only with God's help. The prayer
and penance which accompany apostolate are not just aimed at obtaining
graces from God for others: the purpose of this prayer and fasting is to
purify hearts and lips, so that the Lord will be at their side and ensure
that none of their words "fall to the ground" (1 Samuel 3:19).

Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text
taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries
made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of
Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock,
Co. Dublin, Ireland.

From: Matthew 5:27-32

Jesus and His Teaching, the Fulfillment of the Law (Continuation)

(Jesus said to His disciples:) [27] "You have heard that it was said,
`You shall not commit adultery.' [28] But I say to you that every one
who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her
in his heart. [29] If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out
and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than
that your whole body be thrown into hell. [30] And if your right hand
causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better that you
lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.

[31] "It was also said, `Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a
certificate of divorce.' [32] But I say to you that every one who
divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, makes her an
adulteress; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery."

Commentary:

27-30. This refers to a sinful glance at any woman, be she married or
not. Our Lord fills out the precepts of the Old Law, where only
adultery and the coveting of one's neighbor's wife were considered
sinful.

"Lustfully": feeling is one thing, consenting another. Consent
presupposes that one realizes the evil of these actions (looking,
imagining, having impure thoughts) and freely engages in them.

Prohibition of vices always implies a positive aspect--the contrary
virtue. Holy purity, like every other virtue, is something eminently
positive; it derives from the First Commandment and is also directed to
it: "You shall love the Lord your God WITH ALL your heart, WITH ALL
your soul, and WITH ALL your mind" (Matthew 22:37). "Purity is a
consequence of the love that prompts us to commit to Christ our soul
and body, our faculties and senses. It is not something negative; it
is a joyful affirmation" ([St] J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 5). This
virtue demands that we use all the resources available to us, to the point
of heroism if necessary.

"Right eye", "right hand", refers to whatever we value most. Our Lord
lays it on the line and it not exaggerating. He obviously does not
mean that we should physically mutilate ourselves, but that we should
fight hard without making any concessions, being ready to sacrifice
anything which clearly could put us in the way of offending God.
Jesus' graphic words particularly warn us about one of the most common
occasions of sin, reminding us of how careful we need to be guarding
our sight. King David, by indulging his curiosity, went on to commit
adultery and crime. He later wept over his sins and led a holy life in
the presence of God (cf. 2 Samuel 11 and 12).

"The eyes! Through them many iniquities enter the soul. So many
experiences like David's!--If you guard your sight you will have
assured the guard of your heart: ([St] J. Escriva, "The Way", 183).

Among the ascetical methods of protecting the virtue of holy purity
are: frequent Confession and Communion; devotion to our Lady; a spirit
of prayer and mortification; guarding of the senses; flight from
occasions of sin; and striving to avoid idleness by always being
engaged in doing useful things. There are two further means which are
particularly relevant today: "Decorum and modesty are younger brothers
of purity" ([St] J. Escriva, "The Way", 128). Decorum and modesty are a
sign of good taste, of respect for others and of human and Christian
dignity. To act in accord with this teaching of our Lord, the Christian has
to row against the current in a paganized environment and bring his
influence for good to bear on it.

"There is need for a crusade of manliness and purity to counteract and
undo the savage work of those who think that man is a beast. And that
crusade is a matter for you" ([St] J. Escriva, "The Way", 121).

31-32. The Law of Moses (Deuteronomy 24:1), which was laid down in
ancient times, had tolerated divorce due to the hardness of heart of
the early Hebrews. But it had not specified clearly the grounds on
which divorce might be obtained. The rabbis worked out different sorts
of interpretations, depending on which school they belonged
to--solutions ranging from very lax to quite rigid. In all cases, only
husband could repudiate wife, not vice-versa. A woman's inferior
position was eased somewhat by the device of a written document whereby
the husband freed the repudiated woman to marry again if she wished.
Against these rabbinical interpretations, Jesus re-establishes the
original indissolubility of marriage as God instituted it (Genesis
1:27; 2:24; cf. Matthew 19:4-6; Ephesians 1:31; 1 Corinthians 7:10).

[The RSVCE carries a note which reads: "unchastity": The Greek word
used here appears to refer to marriages which were not legally
marriages, because they were within the forbidden degrees of
consanguinity (Leviticus 18:6-16) or contracted with a Gentile. The
phrase "except on the ground of unchastity" does not occur in the
parallel passage in Luke 16:18. See also Matthew 19:9 (Mark 10:11-12),
and especially 1 Corinthians 7:10-11, which shows that the prohibition
is unconditional.] The phrase, "except on the ground of unchastity",
should not be taken as indicating an exception to the principle of
absolute indissolubility of marriage which Jesus has just
re-established. It is almost certain that the phrase refers to unions
accepted as marriage among some pagan people, but prohibited as
incestuous in the Mosaic Law (cf. Leviticus 18) and in rabbinical
tradition. The reference, then, is to unions radically invalid because
of some impediment. When persons in this position were converted to
the True Faith, it was not that their union could be dissolved; it was
declared that they had never in fact been joined in true marriage.
Therefore, this phrase does not do against the indissolubility of
marriage, but rather reaffirms it.

On the basis of Jesus' teaching and guided by the Holy Spirit, the
Church has ruled that in the specially grave case of adultery it is
permissible for a married couple to separate, but without the marriage
bond being dissolved; therefore, neither party may contract a new
marriage.

The indissolubility of marriage was unhesitatingly taught by the Church
from the very beginning; she demanded practical and legal recognition
of this doctrine, expounded with full authority by Jesus (Matthew
19:3-9; Mark 10:1-12; Luke 16:18) and by the Apostles (1 Corinthians
6:16; 7:10-11; 39; Romans 7:2-3; Ephesians 5:31f). Here, for example,
are just a few texts from the Magisterium on this subject:

"Three blessings are ascribed to matrimony [...]. The third is the
indissolubility of matrimony--indissoluble because it signifies the
indivisible union of Christ with the Church. Although a separation
from bed may be permitted by reason of marital infidelity, nevertheless
it is not permitted to contract another matrimony since the bond of a
marriage lawfully contracted is perpetual" (Council of Florence, "Pro
Armeniis").

FEAST OF THE DAY

St. Barnabas was born in Cyprus and is numbered among the first of
the faithful in Jerusalem. St. Barnabas was instrumental in mediating
a variety of problems in the early Church. Barnabas is certainly
important in St. Paul's relationship with the apostles. It is Barnabas
who introduced Paul to the apostles and tried to soothe suspicion
directed at Paul.

Through the strength of his faith, St. Barnabas was favored with an
extraordinary gift of miracles, and prepared him for the merits of
being an apostle. By the daily persecutions and dangers to which he
exposed himself for the faith, his whole life was a continual
martyrdom.

Barnabas served as a missionary by preaching the Gospel at
Antioch and by accompanying St. Paul on his first journey. Barnabas
was present at the Council of Jerusalem, which said of him and St.
Paul that they had given their lives for the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ. When Barnabas finished his missionary work he returned to
his home to Cyprus and spread the Gospel there until he was
martyred. St. Barnabas is the patron saint of Cyprus.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

The hand of the Lord was with them and a great number who
believed turned to the Lord. The news about them reached the ears
of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to go to Antioch.
When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and
encouraged them all to remain faithful to the Lord in firmness of hear,
for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith. And a
large number of people were added to the Lord. Then he went to
Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him he brought him
to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a
large number of people, and it was in Antioch that the disciples were
first called Christians. -Acts 11:21-26

TODAY'S TIDBIT

The Angelus
The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary:
And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.
Hail Mary ...

Behold the handmaid of the Lord:
Be it done unto me according to Thy word.
Hail Mary . . .

And the Word was made Flesh:
And dwelt among us.
Hail Mary . . .

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God,
that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.
Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts that we, to
whom the incarnation of Christ, Your Son, was made known by the message of
an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His
Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord.
Amen.

INTENTION FOR THE DAY

Please pray through St. Barnabas for peace in the Mediterranean Sea and in
the Middle East.

American Cathlic's Saint of the Day

June 11, 2004

St. Barnabas

Barnabas, a Jew of Cyprus, comes as close as anyone outside the Twelve to being a full-fledged apostle. He was closely associated with St. Paul (he introduced Paul to Peter and the other apostles) and served as a kind of mediator between the former persecutor and the still suspicious Jewish Christians.

When a Christian community developed at Antioch, Barnabas was sent as the official representative of the Church of Jerusalem to incorporate them into the fold. He and Paul instructed in Antioch for a year, after which they took relief contributions to Jerusalem.

Later, Paul and Barnabas, now clearly seen as charismatic leaders, were sent by Antioch officials to preach to the Gentiles. Enormous success crowned their efforts. After a miracle at Lystra, the people wanted to offer sacrifice to them as gods—Barnabas being Zeus, and Paul, Hermes—but the two said, “We are of the same nature as you, human beings. We proclaim to you good news that you should turn from these idols to the living God” (see Acts 14:8-18).

But all was not peaceful. They were expelled from one town, they had to go to Jerusalem to clear up the ever-recurring controversy about circumcision and even the best of friends can have differences. When Paul wanted to revisit the places they had evangelized, Barnabas wanted to take along John Mark, his cousin, author of the Gospel, but Paul insisted that, since Mark had deserted them once, he was not fit to take along now. The disagreement that followed was so sharp that Barnabas and Paul separated, Barnabas taking Mark to Cyprus, Paul taking Silas to Syria. Later, they were reconciled—Paul, Barnabas and Mark.

When Paul stood up to Peter for not eating with Gentiles for fear of his Jewish friends, we learn that “even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy” (see Galatians 2:1-13).

Comment:

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, they were "filled with joy and the Holy Spirit."

The Word Among Us

Friday, June 11, 2004

Meditation
Acts 11:21-26; 13:1-3

St. Barnabas

He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. (Acts 11:24)

This description of Barnabas could apply to quite a few men or women, both in the Bible and in our world today. It could even apply to us! God has invited each of us to become his child and to serve him in love.

As we celebrate the life of St. Barnabas today, we should remember that he was, like us, a person touched by God and called to be his servant. Barnabas’ holiness grew over time and through the way he reacted to everyday life. When Luke first introduces Barnabas, he only tells us that he donated the proceeds of the sale of some land to the apostles to be given to the poor (Acts 4:36-37). That’s all we hear for a while. He was just a regular person who responded generously to the apostles’ appeal for financial help. It’s not until much later that Barnabas again appears, and this time as a wise and trustworthy apostle. We can only guess at the daily decisions he made that turned him into one of the church’s first and greatest missionaries.

It’s not just the great saints that God wants to use to build his kingdom. He wants to use each one of us. Remember, even the great saints started out much like us; their greatness lay in their obedience to God and their openness to his plan for their lives. The change in them from ordinary to extraordinary came as they surrendered their will to the Lord day by day. Through the Holy Spirit, the same can happen to us.

God wants each one of us to be an agent through whom he brings his life into the world. He may be calling us to be intercessors, evangelists, advocates for the poor, healers of the sick, prophets to the world. Let’s not limit God’s vision. Let’s allow him to expand our vision! If we place ourselves in his hands, putting aside our fears and embracing his desires for us, there’s no telling what effect we can have on the world.

“Father, you chose me in Christ to be your child and equipped me with the Spirit to bring your life to this world. How can I thank you enough for the privilege of serving you?”

Mt 5:27-32
#	Douay-Rheims	Vulgate
27	You have heard that it was said to them of old: Thou shalt not commit adultery.	audistis quia dictum est antiquis non moechaberis
28	But I say to you, that whosoever shall look on a woman to lust after her, hath already committed adultery with her in his heart.	ego autem dico vobis quoniam omnis qui viderit mulierem ad concupiscendum eam iam moechatus est eam in corde suo
29	And if thy right eye scandalize thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee. For it is expedient for thee that one of thy members should perish, rather than thy whole body be cast into hell.	quod si oculus tuus dexter scandalizat te erue eum et proice abs te expedit enim tibi ut pereat unum membrorum tuorum quam totum corpus tuum mittatur in gehennam
30	And if thy right hand scandalize thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is expedient for thee that one of thy members should perish, rather than that thy whole body go into hell.	et si dextera manus tua scandalizat te abscide eam et proice abs te expedit tibi ut pereat unum membrorum tuorum quam totum corpus tuum eat in gehennam
31	And it hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a bill of divorce.	dictum est autem quicumque dimiserit uxorem suam det illi libellum repudii
32	But I say to you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, excepting the cause of fornication, maketh her to commit adultery: and he that shall marry her that is put away, committeth adultery.	ego autem dico vobis quia omnis qui dimiserit uxorem suam excepta fornicationis causa facit eam moechari et qui dimissam duxerit adulterat

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