Today’s liturgical Memorial recalls to the Church the memory of St. Barnabas, presumably a Jewish Christian from Antioch that became a companion missionary with St. Paul in founding and nurturing a number of early Faith Communities in what is today Turkey and Greece.

The first reading invites us to consider the situation of the growing Christian movement. Paul was sent home to Tarsus for a time of prayer, growth and development in the Gospel (this is a relatively short time after his dramatic experience of encounter with Jesus on the Road to Damascus).

The Gospel has already been preached in the area around Jerusalem and even as far away as Antioch of Syria where there is a large Church growing there with a number of house Church leaders. The leaders of the Christian movement in Jerusalem sent one of their important leaders, Barnabas, to Antioch to see how the Church is thriving and what needs the Community might have.

Barnabas is thrilled to discover a lively and committed community following the Gospel.  Antioch is going to emerge in a few years as the new “center” of the world Church when Rome attacks the rebels in Jerusalem.  Many Scripture Scholars are convinced that by that time (70 A.D.) Christian Jews had mostly fled from Jerusalem because of persecution from the High Priest’s crowd and many of them ended up in Antioch.  In any case, Barnabas is described in Acts as a “good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith.” Because of his preaching in Antioch during his time there he attracted many more to the Church.  He wisely sought some help – and it was Paul he turned to, to work with him for a year or more, preaching and teaching.  In the course of that time the Holy Spirit inspired the leadership of the Antiochene Church to send Barnabas and Paul on a mission to build up the Church in other cities.

Today’s Gospel quotes a well-known saying of Jesus that those of faith have to let their faith be visible and influential if it is from the Holy Spirit.  It is perhaps helpful to know that one of the “signs” of the Spirit is this generous outpouring of one’s best gifts for the benefit of those around us.  Just as the Spirit is the “principle” of the “going out-ness” of God – if God dwells within us that has to “show” in some way that benefits or gives life to others. 

Barnabas’ sign of the Spirit was has goodness and his deep faith, that he is able to put into words effectively.  That was Barnabas’ light that shines from the lamp stand of the faith community.

What is the Sign of the Spirit in each of us?  Whatever gifts we have that bring others life and light and that we claim in gratitude to God are such signs.  When we take credit for them ourselves, we extinguish the light and become salt without taste.

Today is a good day to consider the gift of goodness, of kindness perhaps, or fidelity.  All movements of God’s love toward the human family.  When the light of the Spirit shines, the darkness is dispelled.

“All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God.” Ps 98