Deepertruth: Stand In The Gap With Us And St. Barnabas, Traveler and Missionary

Stand In The Gap With Us And St. Barnabas, Traveler and Missionary  6/11/2024.  The Catholic Faith over the past two thousand years have branched all over the world through that apostolic witness beginning with Jesus call for the Apostles to go to all the Nations. The New Testament tells how the Church first began our missions starting in Jerusalem and the Holy Land.

One of the earliest follows of Christ and his Apostles was a Jewish born citizen coming from Cyprus often called Joseph. He was a business man who had property and he gave monetary support to the Apostles. Acts 4:36-37 states, "Thus Joseph who was surnamed by the apostles Barnabas (which means, Son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field which belonged to him, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet."

The Apostles gave Joseph a nick name calling him St. Barnabas because of the support he offered them. St. Barnabas offered much consolation exhorting the Apostles in their service to the community. St. Barnabas was a great asset and bridge between the Apostles and the new Believers who were being added to the young Catholic Church.

After the conversion of Saul who would become Paul, St. Barnabas influenced the concerned community to accept him into the Faith. Acts 9:26-27 states, "And when he had come to Jerusalem he attempted to join the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus." With Paul, St. Barnabas traveled to Antioch, Syria to establish churches throughout the region.