We all have “something to do” for God, each and every person!…..Our job is to “uncover” what that "something" is and then do it…Give others a chance to find their “something”….Because that “something" is there

Today at Holy Mass the Universal Church commemorates the Feast of St Barnabas…Why Barnabas? - Who is this guy?…Well - That is why I am here - I am going to tell you….Barnabas in prayer was told to reach a hand out to a man named Saul…Now Saul was a bad-guy…He was a zealous Pharisee who was literally killing the early Christians…..Yet, Barnabas trusted in his inspiration and knowing full well who Saul was - Still reached a hand to him - And guess what?……The “bad guy” named Saul…Became St Paul….“Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me, Jesus who appeared to you on the way by which you came, that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Immediately things like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight. He got up and was baptized, and when he had eaten, he recovered his strength”….And when Saul became the great St Paul…Barnabas “faded into the pages of history”….You see - It was not about “being seen” for Barnabas - He had a job to do - And he did it….So St Paul surpassed Barnabas in fame and Barnabas was perfectly fine with that…..For this and much more Barnabas was declared a saint….We can learn from Barnabas…He trusted God and even risked his very life - Trusting that what God told him in prayer he had to do….Barnabas was also humble - “Having the spot light” was not what he was looking for…Instead, he focused on Christ - He did what he was asked of him for the greater glory of God…..This is our task as well….."Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam" (AMDG), which translates to "For the greater glory of God."

“Teach me your paths, my God, and guide me in your truth”

I love the story of St Barnabas and St Paul….Barnabas gave St Paul a chance when everyone thought he was a lost cause…And Barnabas also took a huge risk in reaching a hand to St Paul…And look how it paid off!!!….You will be shocked how if you “take a chance” and “reach a hand” to people, especially when it comes to God and our Catholic faith, how people many times will surprise you…What prevents us from doing that?…..We are afraid…I am here to tell you - DO NOT BE AFRIAD….Inside the heart of every person is God - Its our job to “uncover it”…There are many reasons why people “bury God” in their hearts…..This is why when you “surprise someone” by reach out a hand to them…People who you would never think would respond, many times do - Why? - Again, there is a deep thirst inside of each human being to be at peace with their creator…..Years ago when I was in Kolkata India, as always, our day began with the sisters at Holy Mass at 6:00am…..This one morning, there was this angry man in the back of the chapel at Mass…..He was not Catholic and as the Mass was moving along, he began to shout and scream at the priest…All the sisters were there, as well as many volunteers from around the world…As this man was screaming, there was an awkward silence the chapel…You could feel it in the air - It was tangible!…..In the chapel, along with me were many men….We all were looking at one another and at any moment, this crazy guy was going to get physically dragged out…You could just tell, it was going to happen!…..Like the story of St Barnabas, just as the chapel was about to explode - One gentle nun, who must have also felt what many of us were feeling…Just gets up and walks over to this violent man…She gently takes him by the hand and walked him out of the chapel….And the man responded!!!….It was like a miracle….Years later, I had an early morning errand to accompany the sisters to a near by village…It was around 5:00am in the morning and as I was waiting for a few of the nuns to get ready so we could get on the bus…Who do I see? - That same violent guy who was shouting during morning Mass years earlier…He was now a completely different person….How did that happen?…Mother Teresa’s sisters “took a chance on him”…They "reached a hand to him"….And it paid off….Never write people off!!!….There are many reasons why people behave the way they do - As to why they reject God - Sometimes all it takes is to give someone a chance

“The LORD has made his salvation known: in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice. He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel”

Today we hear at Mass the story of St Barnabas and St Paul….Barnabas while noted today in the Catholic world is not as well known as St Paul…But without Barnabas there would be no St Paul…..The life of St Barnabas can teach us so much…..Barnabas was humble…Barnabas was a man of prayer…Barnabas trusted God and was willing to take risks…..Barnabas did his “small part” in God’s salvific plan and was perfectly fine with that, not wanting anymore…..As Catholics today, we can all learn from this saint…..We all have “something to do” for God, each and every person!…..Our job is to “uncover” what that "something" is and then do it…Give others a chance to find their “something”….Because that “something" is there