name-change
“He encouraged them all to remain firm in their commitment to the Lord, since he himself was a good man filled with the Holy Spirit and faith.” —Acts 11:23-24
Joseph’s name was changed to Barnabas because he was such an encouragement to the Church through his words and finances (Acts 4:36-37). The name “Barnabas” means “son of encouragement” (Acts 4:36).
For a Jew, the name “Joseph” referred to the Joseph of the book of Genesis. He had great dreams, was sold into slavery by his brothers, and was eventually responsible for the survival of Egypt and the rest of the Middle East during a seven-year famine.Joseph’s life story was one of recovery — recovering his freedom, family, and food.
Like Joseph, St. Barnabas was a survivor who helped everyone else survive and a builder of the kingdom. He was breaking new ground, attacking the gates of hell (Mt 16:18, RNAB), and not just playing defense. He was not only reacting in faith but acting in faith.
We likewise need a name-change. We must change from crisis intervention to evangelization, from survival to revival, and from avoiding defeat to claiming the victory.
Prayer: Father, continue to change the Simons to Peters, the Sauls to Pauls, and the Josephs to Barnabases.
Promise: “Make this announcement: ‘The reign of God is at hand!’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, heal the leprous, expel demons.” —Mt 10:7-8
Praise: St. Barnabas returned home to Cyprus to share the Good News with his countrymen. Although he was not one of the original Twelve, Barnabas was an apostle and a close companion of St. Paul and St. Mark. He played a chief role in evangelization in the Church.
Reference: (Be a Barnabas; make disciples. For a related teaching on The Challenge of Making Disciples in a Culture of Death view, download or order our leaflet on our website.)
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