“Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then, completing their fasting and prayer, they laid hands on them and sent them off. ( Acts 13:2)
God is good!
Today's gospel opens with these words, "The word of God continued to spread and grow." We know that the growth mentioned here was both quantitative and qualitative. We notice from the earlier chapters of Acts that as more and more people believed in the word of God and converted to the Christian faith, their lives transformed. They found it a lot easier to love others and live and share their belongings.
More explosive growth panned out with St. Paul's conversion to the faith as he and Barnabas became the super-spreaders of the word of God under the auspices of the Holy Spirit, who set apart to venture into the uncharted, ripe gentile world to bring the message of Christ to them.
Paul's bible journey began in what we call the missionary journeys. Paul and Barnabas would spend several days, months, and years traveling from place to place, preaching the word of God, converting gentiles and Jews alike, and establishing churches that would become part of the universal Church. Paul's ultimate journey would end in Rome, where he would be martyred.
Paul saw the Church as the most plausible means to experience and believe in Jesus and the Father; it has divine and human elements that enable believers to encounter God while living their lives and mission. Jesus in the gospel: Whoever believes in me believes not only in me but also in the one who sent me, and whoever sees me sees the one who sent me.
The Church does not exist without us; it is here and everywhere; it is you and me, and what it is now and where it will end up tomorrow is determined by you and me as well.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, as the Holy Spirit chose Paul and Barnabas as super-spreaders of the word of God to transform the world, ignite in me the grace to do all I can to advance the cause and mission of Christ in my personal life and the Church. Amen.