By Father Anthony F. Raso
BARNABAS IS AN unsung hero of the New Testament – or at least one who is not “sung” enough. Finding himself in a similar place to one in which we often find ourselves, his response is a whole lot more satisfying than the response we all-too-often give.
When I was a boy in Our Lady of Angels School, Bay Ridge, I heard Father Jim Sullivan say at Mass one Sunday that it wasn’t enough just to praise Jesus. We had to imitate Him, to do what He would do when the situation presented itself. Father Sullivan was right, it seemed to me, and I left church that day determined to put his good advice into action the first chance I got.
Jumping into Action
The first chance came the next day, Monday, in the schoolyard. My action was good; my reaction was not so good. That morning, I encountered two of the school’s most hard-working and industrious bullies giving a beating to a boy who was usually a victim because he was physically in poor shape to fight back. I usually gave a very, very wide berth to these two, but with Father Sullivan’s words ringing in my ears, loud and clear, I jumped right in there like Clark Kent emerging from a phone booth and pushed them away, telling them to leave him alone.
Then I leaned over to help the poor kid to his feet. So far, so good. The next thing I know, I felt – also loud and clear – a swift kick to that part of my anatomy usually used for sitting and I went flying, several feet away. The two bullies let me know – in words not to be printed in The Tablet – that my intervention was most ill-advised.
The put-down kid had run away and there I was, sitting on the schoolyard ground on the above-mentioned part of my anatomy, quite alone with my thoughts. My first thought was that I would never, ever listen to Father Sullivan again as long as I might live.
In comparison to this reaction on my part, we have the example of Barnabas today. Saul shows up in Jerusalem after his conversion and announces that he, heretofore the principal enemy of the Church, was now himself a Christian. The reaction of most is a resounding, “Thanks, but no thanks.”
The only exception seems to be Barnabas, who does trust Saul and the Lord Who had called him on the road to Damascus. The result of this seems decidedly lukewarm among the others but that doesn’t matter to Barnabas. For him, it wasn’t enough to just praise Jesus; He was determined to imitate Him and he did so, no matter the reaction.
Today, the Word of God is reminding us that if we really believe that Jesus is the Vine and we are the branches, then no matter what kind of reaction our Christian deeds may cause, it is people like Barnabas – as we hear in the poetically beautiful words of the second reading – who are pointing us in the right direction, that of Jesus Himself.
It is the feeling of peace in our minds and hearts that counts, no matter what other feelings may occur. It doesn’t matter if, in the name of trying to do the right thing, we can’t sit down after the events in the schoolyards of life as long as we can stand tall in the presence of the Lord.
As such people as John, Barnabas and Saul – soon to be known as “Paul” – knew well, the only voice in this world that matters at all is that of the Lord, Who tells us today that “My Father has been glorified in your bearing much fruit and becoming My Disciples.”
This sinful old world may not agree with that and may very well not accept our following of Our Lord, at least not at first, but it is Jesus, and Jesus alone, Who has to matter to us and Him alone Who must be not only praised at Eastertime, but also imitated at all times.
Fruitful vs. Barren
If we give up and just sit down on the schoolyard ground, promising ourselves to forget all about this unappreciated imitating of Christ because it will only get us a kick in the pants anyway, it may seem like a good idea at first. It will also surely be the beginning of a life as a “barren branch” – withered, rejected and fit only to eventually be forgotten.
On the other hand, if we are determined to remain a part of that Vine, no matter the cost sometimes, it is only then that we will bear fruit and produce it abundantly. The choice is up to us. If that choice resembles that of Barnabas, the good we will do will still be alive and vibrant 2,000 from now and long after that too.
By the way, I didn’t follow through on ignoring Father Sullivan. Next Sunday, I’ll be a priest for 40 years, and during that time, I have, in fact, remembered him just about every day.
Like Barnabas, John and Paul, he was a truly fruitful branch on a blessed Vine. Hitching my wagon to a star like him has been the wind at my back when I’ve been standing – and a comfortable cushion when I was not.
Readings for the Fifth Sunday of Easter
Acts 9: 26-31
Psalm 22: 26-27, 28, 30, 31-32
1 John 3: 18-24
John 15: 1-8
Father Anthony F. Raso is the parochial vicar at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Dyker Heights.