Mtr Kelli Joyce

Dear friends in Christ,

Happy Feast of Saint Barnabas! That wasn’t the name he was given at birth - when we first meet him in scripture, his name is Joseph. (It’s convenient that he got a nickname so quickly, because there were already more than enough Josephs to try to keep track of in the Bible.) He, like all the early Christians, sold his land and brought the money to the Apostles, who used it to meet the needs of the poor.

But Barnabas didn’t stop at giving financially to the Church. He became, as the name given to him by the Apostles says, a steady rock of encouragement for the Church, and especially for Paul. He is one of the first Christians to give Paul a chance after his conversion, even knowing that Paul used to violently persecute the Church. Later, Barnabas is the only one willing to give a second chance to Mark, who had previously abandoned Barnabas and Paul on an evangelistic journey they were taking together.

We mark the lives of the Saints, among other reasons, because learning who they are and how they lived on earth can provide us with a holy example to follow. Give generously to the Church, not just from what you have left over. Strive to make the Church a community known for its radical material support of the poor. Encourage each other, and above all, be patient with each other, willing to let go of anger and disappointment in order to be in right relationship with the people around you. Proclaim the good news of God in Christ far and wide.

In peace,
Mtr. Kelli