Jesus invites the disciples to announce the Good News. “The Kingdom of Heaven is close at hand!”  

If we are seeking His Kingdom first, and all that it entails, God will provide for all of our real needs.

＊＊＊ 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 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 10:7-13

 Go and proclaim this message: The kingdom of heaven is near.   Heal the sick, bring the dead back to life, cleanse the lepers, and drive out demons. You received this as a gift, so give it as a gift.   Do not carry any gold, silver or copper in your purses.   Do not carry a traveler’s bag, or an extra shirt, or sandals, or walking-stick: workers deserve their living.

 When you come to a town or a village, look for a worthy person and stay there until you leave.

 As you enter the house, wish it peace.   If the people in the house deserve it, your peace will be on them; if they do not deserve it, your blessing will come back to you.

 

Gospel Reflection：

Potential Epitaph

What greater complement can one receive on this side of life than what the Book of Acts says of Barnabas: “He was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith”! The Holy Spirit set apart Barnabas and Paul to bring the Good News to the gentiles.

The very name ‘Barnabas’ meant” son of encouragement” or son of consolation.” What else is the Good News other than the announcement of God’s consolation and encouragement, the Gospel of our adoption and redemption?

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. Barnabas did justice to the Gospel mandate by his very name and ministry.  Will the Lukan description of Barnabas be a fitting epitaph for you, when you have run your race on this side of life?