Although not one of the original twelve apostles, Barnabas is called an apostle in the Acts of the Apostles. This is because, like Paul, Barnabas received a special mission from God. He was a Jew born on the island of Cyprus. His name was Joseph, but the apostles changed it to Barnabas which means "son of consolation". As soon as he became a Christian, St Barnabas sold all he owned and gave the money to the Christian community. A good, kind-hearted man, Barnabas was full of enthusiasm for the Gospel. He was sent to the city of Antioch and it was here that he connected with Paul. Together they set off on a daring missionary journey, full of risks and hardship. Through all of this their preaching won many people to the Church.

Barnabas is an example to all of us and he truly took the words of the Gospel to heart. By giving generously of himself and of his possessions he showed that he believed that the kingdom of God was near. In fact, he lived as though he were living in the midst of God's kingdom, trusting that God would provide. We can take this to mean that God is with us here and now. We may use money and wear nice clothing but this is not the central aspect of our lives. Rather, the consolation of God's love is what sustains us and gives us hope. From here we can all be apostles in our own special ways.