The very name ‘Barnabas’ meant” son of encouragement” or son of consolation.”

It is all about healing the sicknesses of our souls bringing us back to a life of hope,

cleansing us from all that make us impure, and driving out our internal demons of fear, hatred, and violence. 

 

 ＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

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

The hand of the Lord

Was with them so that a great number believed and turned to the Lord. News of this reached the ears of the Church in Jerusalem, so they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw the manifest signs of God's favor, he rejoiced and urged them all to remain firmly faithful to the Lord; for he, himself, was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith. Thus large crowds came to know the Lord.

 

Then Barnabas went off to Tarsus, to look for Saul; and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year, they had meetings with the Church and instructed many people. It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians.

 

There were at Antioch – in the Church which was there – prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Symeon known as Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod, and Saul. On one occasion, while they were celebrating the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said to them, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul to do the work for which I have called them." So, after fasting and praying, they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

 

Ps 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4, 5-6 The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊       Matthew 5:13-16

You are the salt of the earth. But if salt has lost its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It has become useless. It can only be thrown away and people will trample on it. You are the light of the world. A city built on a mountain cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and covers it; instead, it is put on a lampstand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, your light must shine before others, so that they may see the good you do, and praise your Father in heaven.

 

Gospel Reflection ：

"The salt of the earth."

Today's Gospel describes the followers of Jesus to be "the salt of the earth" and "the light of the world." The imagery of the light that is accentuated in the second part of the Gospel appears to be already common to many people. As Christians, our light must shine. If we want to become the light of the world, we are called to set good examples to other people. However, there is another imagery used in the First part of the Gospel – the salt. Jesus' followers are also called to become the salt of the earth.

 

And it is part of our calling to keep our saltiness. Now then, what does it mean when we, the salt of the earth, become tasteless? In Greek, the verbal form used is mōranthē from the verb mórainó, which means "to become tasteless." In Matthew's Gospel, this verb only appears in this passage. This verb may also mean "to cause the content of certain thoughts to become meaningless." When we begin to feel that life seems to be senseless, we hold on to Jesus and he will fill our life with meaning. In the end, it is Jesus who has the power to bring our saltiness back.