Saint Barnabas the Apostle
Psalter: Week II
Red
Saint Barnabas was born in Cyprus. He accompanied Paul on his first missionary journey and later went to Cyprus with his cousin John Mark (Mark the evangelist) to preach the gospel there. He was probably martyred at Salamis in Cyprus, some time before the year 61.
Entrance Antiphon : Cf. Acts 11: 24
Blessed is this holy man, who was worthy to be numbered among the Apostles, for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and with faith.
Collect
O God, who decreed that Saint Barnabas, a man filled with faith and the Holy Spirit, should be set apart to convert the nations, grant that the Gospel of Christ, which he strenuously preached, may be faithfully proclaimed by word and by deed. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading : Acts 11:21-26,13:1-3
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.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 97:1-6
R/ The Lord has shown his salvation to the nations.
Sing a new song to the Lord for he has worked wonders. His right hand and his holy arm have brought salvation.
The Lord has made known his salvation; has shown his justice to the nations. He has remembered his truth and love for the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Shout to the Lord, all the earth, ring out your joy.
Sing psalms to the Lord with the harp with the sound of music. With trumpets and the sound of the horn acclaim the King, the Lord.
Gospel Acclamation: Ps118:27
Alleluia, alleluia! Make me grasp the way of your precepts, and I will muse on your wonders. Alleluia!
Gospel: Matthew 5:17-19
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Do not imagine that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete them. I tell you solemnly, till heaven and earth disappear, not one dot, not one little stroke, shall disappear from the Law until its purpose is achieved. Therefore, the man who infringes even one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be considered the least in the kingdom of heaven; but the man who keeps them and teaches them will be considered great in the kingdom of heaven.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Sanctify with your blessing, we pray, O Lord, the offerings presented here, so that by your grace they may set us on fire with the flame of your love, by which Saint Barnabas brought the light of the Gospel to the nations. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Cf. Jn 15: 15
I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.
Prayer after Communion
As we receive the pledge of eternal life, we humbly implore you, Lord, that what we celebrate in sacramental signs on the Memorial of the blessed Apostle Barnabas we may one day behold unveiled. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
“He urged them all to remain faithful to the Lord with heartfelt devotion.” Saint Barnabas, whom we honour today, extends this plea to us — a reminder that devotion to Christ is an ongoing endeavour. Believing in Jesus is not enough. We have to remain faithful to Him all the days of our lives. This is a challenging task amid the demands of daily life, where worldly concerns can easily overshadow our commitments to God. When we start skipping daily prayer, reducing the time allotted to Scripture and neglecting church activities, we gradually distance ourselves from divine grace, which renders us more vulnerable to the temptations of the devil. As followers of Christ, we must seek God’s face daily through prayer and meditation on His Word. We have to strive every day to obey His commandments and teach them to others. Through the intercession of Saint Barnabas, may God grant us the grace to remain faithful to Him today and all the days of our lives.