The first Christian community shared everything in common, and the first thing we hear about Barnabas is that he sold his estate and laid the money at the apostles’ feet. Luke describes him as a ‘’good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith’’ whose encouragement resulted in many people persevering in their faith. And there was one man in particular who was helped by Barnabas: his name was Paul.
Remember that Paul had been the grand inquisitor and unrivalled as a persecutor of the Church. After his conversion Paul tells us that he spent three years in the Arabian desert in a long renewal course in the Spirit. When he emerged from the wilderness, he went to Jerusalem to see Peter. The apostles gave Paul a cool reception; no doubt because they found it difficult to believe that such an accomplished persecutor of their community now wanted to be numbered among them. With indecent haste the church leaders ensured that Paul was soon back in Tarsus.
But one man encouraged Paul in his new life and decided to sponsor him. Barnabas had been appointed to superintend the Church in Antioch, the capital of Syria. He sought out Paul and invited him to come as his assistant, and for a full year they ministered there together. It was at Antioch that the followers of Christ were first known as ‘’Christians.’’ Clearly, Paul and Barnabas fulfilled the command of Jesus: ‘’By this love you have for one another, everyone will know that you are my disciples.”
Paul and Barnabas traveled widely together and, as we heard in the first reading. ‘’They put fresh heart into the disciples, encouraging them to persevere in the faith.’’ Paul extended to others the encouragement he had received from Barnabas. For Barnabas saw something in Paul that no other apostle saw; he saw beyond the face of the persecutor into the heart of a man who was struggling to be an apostle. Barnabas called out the best in Paul. And he did that not from long distance but through staying with him for 1,400 miles of traveling and preaching. That’s a lot of sponsorship and a lot of encouragement.
Even the haughty Humpy Dumpty hopes that in the unlikely event of his ever falling, all the king’s men will turn up to put him together again. He fondly hopes that someone will help him into the shape of his name. When Paul falls off his high horse it is Barnabas that lives up to his name, ‘’son of encouragement,’’ by helping Paul live up to his new name, apostle of Christ Jesus.
By his encouragement Barnabas actually gives shape to Paul’s life. And he does that not with idle chatter or vague well-wishing but by staying with Paul. He promotes the best in Paul; he assists the possible; he invests his time and love and energy in the person Paul can become. That is encouragement.
We can all bless God for the people who invested in us, who encouraged us to be who we are. And we all need to pray that when the time comes, we too can be a Barnabas.