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Where seldom is heard a discouraging word
THIS CATHOLIC'S LIFE
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by Rev. Michael Griffin - 7/2/2012
Several weeks ago the Church celebrated the feast of a man named Joseph. He is not the Joseph we would normally think of, this Joseph was from Cyprus and was a convert to Christianity.
He was a pillar of the early Church, having sold his entire estate, and, as the Acts of the Apostles tells us, laid all the money at the feet of the apostles.
But his support of the apostolic work was certainly more than financial. It was this Joseph who took a young persecutor named Saul by the hand and led him to the Church. While they were afraid of him, and rightly so, it was the word of Joseph that convinced them to take Saul into their hearts.
I can only imagine what there was in the life of Joseph that his mere word of support was enough to convince the nervous and persecuted Christians that Saul was indeed not going to kill them, but in fact, he was now a believer.
That relationship bound the two men together in a powerful way, and when Saul began to move out into the world as Paul, it was Joseph that he chose to take with him on his journey.
Although they had a falling out later, we are told their relationship was mended before the end.
The end of course, which was martyrdom for them both.
This strong and good man is so inspirational that the Church joyfully celebrates his life, and gives him the title of Apostle even though he was not one of the Twelve. It was his life which earned him the title.
Speaking of titles, we do not know him as Joseph, although that was his given name; we know him by the nickname the Apostles gave him. They called him Barnabas, a nickname that means “Son of Encouragement.”
Really, what kind of personality must he have had that this would be the first thing the Apostles of the Lord would think when they spent time with him? How powerful his affirming support, his encouraging love must have been to win him such a magnificent title?
It is a reminder and a challenge that the Church bids us to honor and remember this man, not as St. Joseph, but as St. Barnabas; in short, St. Son of Encouragement. What are we being taught, what is being asked of us as we honor him?
There are a number of different ways that a Christian can live in the world, and a number of different things that Christians can think important to share. A Christian can focus on apologetics and debate, a Christian can focus on challenging others and focus on how far off the mark others might be; a Christian can preach or teach or argue.
All of these things can be helpful, but sometimes they make it seem as if Christianity is no more than rules, regulations, law and judgment. There are only so many times people can listen to a preacher tell them how sinful they are, how destined for hell, how they are failing as Christians before they begin to think there is no good news left for them.
An alternative would be for us to be sons and daughters of encouragement, a wonderful vocation of loving and strengthening each other in holiness. We are all more or less aware of our faults and failings, the ways we have not lived the Christian life to its fullest expression, but being reminded of the fact is not necessarily the way we are moved to try again.
Often it is the encouraging word, it is the smile and the affirmation that gives a person the courage to be open again to God’s grace and a transformed life. Each day we are given an opportunity to be born anew and to live our Christian life more fully. Each day we can encourage one another to just that; reminding one another of how deeply and perfectly we are loved.
When a person is called to preach, it is perhaps one of the most difficult and important aspects of the ministry. In the pulpit, priests and deacons are called to be sons of encouragement in a unique way, hopefully lifting up the hearts of the People of God that they might more joyfully lift them up to the Lord a few minutes later at the altar.
Of course, the challenge to be a child of encouragement extends beyond the pulpit; it is an inherent part of the Christian mission to bring Gospel good news to the world around us. In a world which so easily focuses on that which is negative, the misspoken words, the mistakes made, we are called to bring the encouraging word.
We are called to see the positive, to affirm and support and help others to reach their potential, as people and as Christians. Then, perhaps in our time of despair and doubt, we might receive that same gift.
Would it not be wonderful if, at the end of our lives, people said about us, and about our faith and support and love, that whatever our names might be, we were, in our own way, Barnabas.
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