Saint Barnabas. Apostle. Feast Day 11 June.

Text is taken from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal,
unless otherwise stated.

Saint Barnabas.
   Apostle.
   Feast Day 11 June.

Greater-Double.

Red Vestments.

Saint Barnabas healing the sick.

Artist: Paolo Veronese (1528–1588).

Date: Circa 1566.

Current location: Musée des beaux-arts de Rouen, France.

Source/Photographer: Oeuvre du Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen.

(Wikimedia Commons)

The Church, Founded by Jesus and filled with The Holy Ghost at Pentecost, was to spread throughout the World. When Saint Paul, after his long Retreat in Arabia, came to Jerusalem for the first time after his Conversion, and wished to submit to the approval of Saint Peter the Mission to The Gentiles, committed to him by The Master Himself, it was Saint Barnabas who presented him to The Apostles.

"A good man and full of zeal of The Holy Ghost" (Epistle), Saint Barnabas evangelised, during twelve years, with Saint Paul, the pagans in the island of Cyprus and in a great number of Towns and Countries (Gradual).

Wherefore, The Church honours him as an Apostle and The Liturgy applies to him The Words of Jesus announcing to The Twelve that, having been established as Princes over the whole Earth (Offertory), they would be seated on Thrones to judge The Twelve Tribes of Israel (Communion).

Having separated from Saint Paul, he returned to Cyprus, where the Jews of Salamis plotted against him. Remembering then The Words of The Master, Who sent His Apostles like sheep in the midst of wolves (Gospel), he said to The Faithful: "The wolf only attacks the shepherd first, to throw himself next upon the flock. Be firm in The Faith." The Holy Ghost dictated to him the words he had to say to the Jews (Gospel): But they stoned him as a blasphemer.

He was buried with The Gospel of Saint Matthew, which he had copied with his own hand. His name is mentioned in The Canon of The Mass, immediately after that of Saint Matthias (Second List).

[In the "Communicantes", there figures eleven of The Apostles chosen by Our Lord Himself, and Saint Paul, whom The Church does not separate from Saint Peter. Saint Matthias and Saint Barnabas are mentioned at the "Nobis quoque peccatoribus", because they were called to The Apostleship after The Death of The Saviour. There are then, altogether, fourteen Apostles mentioned in the two places [Editor: Communicantes and Nobis quoque peccatoribus], just as, during The Liturgical Year, there are Feasts of fourteen Apostles.]

Let us imitate the Apostolic Spirit of Saint Barnabas, whose Soul was all inflamed with The Holy Ghost.

Mass: Mihi autem. In Paschaltide, the Mass: Protexísti is said.

SUB UMBRA ALARUM SUARUM
has a worthy tribute to Saint Barnabas. It is highly recommended to Readers to pop over and see.