Can you be a Christian, a follower of Christ and yet do not hear His voice? If so then we have allowed the world to drown out His sweet voice! For Jesus says “The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me.” He knows us all outside, inside, through and through! Because we have entered into a deep personal relationship with Him. And so we are docile to His soft promptings and we follow His word and will for us. This is why we must remain steadfast in prayer, daily entering into His presence to listen to His Word and to be in community. We must be Barnabas for one another!
What do I mean? He urged everyone to remain faithful to the Lord with heartfelt devotion for he was a good man filled with the Holy Spirit and with faith. If we read a few chapters earlier chapters of today’s first reading, we see how instrumental he was in bringing St Paul into the community of the Apostles who were wary of the great persecutor of Christians. St Barnabas affirmed and guided St Paul and welcomed him into the fold. Was it an easy feat? No! St Paul was a scholar, a high flyer if you will since he was educated under the famous Jewish teacher Gamaliel. He was known for his zeal in whatever he set out to do. Yet St Barnabas took charge of him and led him just like their shepherd, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And so let us be Barnabas for one another. Amen
First reading
Acts 11:19-26 ·
They started preaching to the Greeks, proclaiming the Lord Jesus
Those who had escaped during the persecution that happened because of Stephen travelled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, but they usually proclaimed the message only to Jews. Some of them, however, who came from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch where they started preaching to the Greeks, proclaiming the Good News of the Lord Jesus to them as well. The Lord helped them, and a great number believed and were converted to the Lord.
The church in Jerusalem heard about this and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. There he could see for himself that God had given grace, and this pleased him, and he urged them all to remain faithful to the Lord with heartfelt devotion; for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and with faith. And a large number of people were won over to the Lord.
Barnabas then left for Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him he brought him to Antioch. As things turned out they were to live together in that church a whole year, instructing a large number of people. It was at Antioch that the disciples were first called ‘Christians.’
Gospel
John 10:22-30
The Father and I are one
It was the time when the feast of Dedication was being celebrated in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the Temple walking up and down in the Portico of Solomon. The Jews gathered round him and said, ‘How much longer are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.’ Jesus replied:
‘I have told you, but you do not believe.
The works I do in my Father’s name are my witness;
but you do not believe, because you are no sheep of mine.
The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me.
I give them eternal life; they will never be lost and no one will ever steal them from me.
The Father who gave them to me is greater than anyone, and no one can steal from the Father.
The Father and I are one.’
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