Today we celebrate the feast day of St Barnabas. Our reading of the Acts of the Apostles takes us to where St Barnabas was at one time in Antioch. There we see him as "a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith" (v 24), teaching great numbers of people (v 26), and encouraging all believers to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts (v 23). The result? Many were brought to the Lord.

What was it that inspired St Barnabas? Such zeal, dedication and faithfulness was not self-made but God given. It was a close following of Jesus' exhortation to proclaim this message: "the kingdom of heaven is near" (Mt. 10:7) and a heeding of Jesus' words which required him to rise above financial considerations and personal comfort so that people may receive the word of life.

St Barnabas has given us an example of what it means to receive this word of life. It is to receive it in order that we may live it, and give it away freely to others who need it.