A good man filled with the Holy Spirit and with faith! Ah how I long to live as you lived St Barnabas. A man without deceit, a man of integrity who’s yes was yes and no was no. Who discipled others gently to have a heartfelt devotion and to remain faithful to the way, the truth and the life; our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. You instructed the great St Paul and led him into the welcoming embrace of the Apostles. And together won a large number of people over to the Lord and discipled them.
Thank you Lord for the gift of St Barnabas to Holy Mother Church, by your grace may we be set us on fire with the flame of your love, by which Saint Barnabas
brought the light of the Gospel to the nations. Amen
Saint Barnabas Pray for us….
First reading
Acts 11:21-26,13:1-3
He was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and with faith
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.’
In the church at Antioch the following were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. One day while they were offering worship to the Lord and keeping a fast, the Holy Spirit said, ‘I want Barnabas and Saul set apart for the work to which I have called them.’ So it was that after fasting and prayer they laid their hands on them and sent them off.
Gospel
Matthew 5:33-37
Do not swear: say ‘Yes’ if you mean Yes, ‘No’ if you mean No
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘You have learnt how it was said to our ancestors: You must not break your oath, but must fulfil your oaths to the Lord. But I say this to you: do not swear at all, either by heaven, since that is God’s throne; or by the earth, since that is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, since that is the city of the great king. Do not swear by your own head either, since you cannot turn a single hair white or black. All you need say is “Yes” if you mean yes, “No” if you mean no; anything more than this comes from the evil one.’
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