Today the Church celebrates the feast of Saint Barnabas, one of the most important figures in the early Christian community and a man whose faith, generosity and encouragement helped shape the mission of the Church.
Although Barnabas was not one of the Twelve Apostles, he has been honoured as an apostle since the earliest centuries of Christianity because of his vital role in spreading the Gospel. Born in Cyprus to a Jewish family of the tribe of Levi, his given name was Joseph. The apostles gave him the name Barnabas, meaning “son of consolation” or “son of encouragement” – a title that perfectly reflected his character and ministry.
Barnabas embraced the Christian faith shortly after the death and resurrection of Christ and became a member of the first Christian community in Jerusalem. One of the earliest acts recorded about him in Scripture was his decision to sell his property and place the proceeds at the feet of the apostles for the benefit of the growing Church.
Perhaps Barnabas’ greatest contribution was recognising the gifts of others. After Saul of Tarsus, later known as Saint Paul, converted to Christianity, many Christians remained suspicious of the former persecutor of the Church. Barnabas was the man who reached out to him, befriended him and introduced him to the apostles, helping to build trust between Paul and the Christian community.
Later, when a thriving Christian community emerged in Antioch, Barnabas was sent by the Church in Jerusalem to support and guide the new believers. Recognising the need for help, he travelled to Tarsus to find Paul and brought him back to Antioch. Together they spent a year teaching the faithful and strengthening the Church.
Barnabas and Paul would go on to become two of the Church’s first great missionaries. Sent out by the Christian community in Antioch, they travelled throughout the region preaching the Gospel to both Jews and Gentiles. Their missionary work bore remarkable fruit, although it was often accompanied by hardship, opposition and persecution.
Barnabas also played an important role at the Council of Jerusalem around AD 50, helping the Church discern how Gentile converts could be welcomed into the Christian community. His witness helped shape the Church’s understanding that salvation was offered to all peoples.
Like every saint, Barnabas was not without his weaknesses. Saint Paul recounts how even Barnabas was once influenced by pressure from others during a dispute concerning relations between Jewish and Gentile Christians. Later, Barnabas and Paul themselves experienced a serious disagreement over whether to take John Mark on a missionary journey. Their disagreement was so strong that they eventually parted ways, with Barnabas taking Mark to Cyprus and Paul continuing his mission with Silas.
After departing for Cyprus with Mark, Barnabas largely disappears from the pages of Scripture. Tradition holds that he continued preaching the Gospel and may have been martyred there. The exact details of his death are unknown, but his memory has been treasured by the Church ever since. His name is included in the Roman Canon of the Mass, a sign of the esteem in which he has been held since ancient times.
Saint Barnabas reminds us that the Church needs people who encourage others, recognise hidden gifts, and believe in second chances. His life demonstrates that sometimes the greatest contribution we can make is to help others discover and fulfil the mission God has entrusted to them.
Saint Barnabas, pray for us.
