After Barnabas and Saul completed their relief mission,
they returned to Jerusalem, taking with them John, who is called Mark.
Acts 12:25
Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.
Acts 13:2
I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness.
John 12:46
At a time in the world when we are cautioned to stay at home and stay safe, today’s readings are all about being Sent. Jesus tells us three times in the gospel that he is sent by the Father. In Acts, we hear of God sending Barnabas and Saul.
The two men have returned to Jerusalem after a relief mission. There, in the midst of the disciples, the Holy Spirit tells the followers, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” They had been praying and fasting with the community, and now felt the call from the Holy Spirit. It was a call to a mission that, at least for Saul, would last the rest of his life. And the call from the Holy Spirit came as they prayed.
God can speak to us loudly in the silence of our lives. For many of us, one benefit of these current times is an increase in quiet and time to reflect. More time to listen in the stillness for God to speak to us.
Jesus says in today’s gospel, “I came into the world as light so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness.” All of us, like Barnabas and Saul, are called by God, sent on a mission for God to carry that light into the world. We are sent to witness with joy in our isolation.
For each of us, the sending is different. At our jobs, in person on or online, we can make an extra effort be kind in times of tension. At home we may have more time to spread light to others with phone calls, emails and making an extra effort for our family.
The word Apostle means “one who is sent.” Today, each of us is sent in some way into the world as the apostles were. It may not seem dramatic, but it is a relief mission of bringing comfort and light to others. We can share our joy and offer ourselves at a distance as a source of love and companionship, so that like Barnabas and Saul, “the word of God continued to spread and grow.”
Today’s psalm offers us a closing prayer:
May God have pity on us and bless us; may he let his face shine upon us.
So may your way be known upon earth; among all nations, your salvation.
Maureen McCann Waldron
The most important part of my life is my family – Jim my husband of 47 years and our two children. Our daughter Katy, a banker here in Omaha, and her husband John, have three wonderful children: Charlotte, Daniel and Elizabeth Grace. Our son Jack and his wife, Ellie, have added to our joy with their sons, Peter and Joseph.
I think family life is an incredible way to find God, even in (or maybe I should say, especially in) the most frustrating or mundane moments.
I am a native of the East Coast after graduating in 1971 from Archbishop John Carroll High School in suburban Philadelphia. I graduated from Creighton University in 1975 with a degree in Journalism and spent most of the next 20 years in corporate public relations in Omaha. I returned to Creighton in the 1990s and completed a master’s degree in Christian Spirituality in 1998.
As our children were growing up, my favorite times were always family dinners at home when the four of us would talk about our days. But now that our kids are gone from home, my husband and I have rediscovered how nice it is to have a quiet dinner together. I also have a special place in my heart for family vacations when the kids were little and four of us were away from home together. It’s a joy to be with my growing family.
Writing a Daily Reflection is always a graced moment, because only with God’s help could I ever write one. I know my own life is hectic, disjointed and imperfect and I know most of us have lives like that. I usually write from that point of view and I always seem to find some sentence, some word in the readings that speaks right to me, in all of my imperfection. I hope that whatever I write is in some way supportive of others.
It’s an incredibly humbling experience to hear from someone who was touched by something I wrote. Whether the note is from someone across campus or across the world, it makes me realize how connected we are all in our longing to grow closer to God.
