Homily for the Memorial of St. Barnabas, Apostle

St. Barnabas, whose given name was Josef, was celebrated for inspiring others in the early Church. In today's passage from Acts, we observe him actively involved in this ministry. A profound and life-altering event was unfolding within the Christian community in Antioch. The Gospel had been proclaimed to both pagans and Jews, sparking the birth of a new kind of Church, one that welcomed members from diverse Jewish and non-Jewish backgrounds.

When Barnabas was dispatched to Antioch by the Apostles to evaluate the situation, he swiftly discerned it as the work of the Lord and lent his support to this new development. His discernment proved spot-on; it was indeed the work of the Lord.

God's work is not confined to the past but always unfolds in new and creative ways among us. It is a great gift and a responsibility to recognize divine inspiration wherever it is found and to celebrate and encourage its effects. St. Barnabas had this gift, not because he was special, but because he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith. The Holy Spirit, our guide, plays a crucial role in helping us recognize the work of the Spirit. As St. Paul says in his first letter to the Corinthians, spiritual things are discerned spiritually.