Acts 11:19-26

Acts 11:19-26

Those who had been scattered by the persecution

that arose because of Stephen

went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch,

preaching the word to no one but Jews.

There were some Cypriots and Cyrenians among them, however,

who came to Antioch and began to speak to the Greeks as well,

proclaiming the Lord Jesus.

The hand of the Lord was with them

and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.

The news about them reached the ears of the Church in Jerusalem,

and they sent Barnabas to go to Antioch.

When he arrived and saw the grace of God,

he rejoiced and encouraged them all

to remain faithful to the Lord in firmness of heart,

for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith.

And a large number of people was added to the Lord.

Then he went to Tarsus to look for Saul,

and when he had found him he brought him to Antioch.

For a whole year they met with the Church

and taught a large number of people,

and it was in Antioch that the disciples

were first called Christians.

Opening Prayer: Lord God, as I contemplate the work of your Son and the work of the early Christians, I witness the power of faith in your Son, Jesus Christ. Your Son constantly invited people to believe in him, and Jesus’ disciples did the same. You invite me each day to renew and deepen my faith in your Son. I believe, Lord, help my unbelief!

Encountering the Word of God

1. Preaching the Word of God to the Greek Gentiles: The First Reading, from the Acts of the Apostles, recounts some of the difficulties that the early Church faced. The persecution that followed Stephen’s martyrdom forced the spread of the Hellenistic (Greek-speaking) Christian Jews from Jerusalem to Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch. These Hellenistic Christians chose to preach the Word of God almost exclusively to the Jews in the diaspora, but some Christians from Cyprus and Cyrene decided to proclaim the Word of God in Antioch, not only to Greek-speaking Jews but also to the Greek-speaking Gentiles. Since there were many Greek Gentiles who came to believe and convert to the Lord, the Church leaders in Jerusalem sent the Greek-speaker Barnabas, who himself hailed from the Island of Cyprus, to Antioch to minister to them.

2. Barnabas and the Christians in Antioch: “Filled with the Holy Spirit and faith,” Barnabas proclaimed the Lord Jesus to the Greek Gentiles who became Christians. Proclaiming Jesus as the Lord was a proclamation that God the Father and Jesus Christ are one God. This proclamation, confessed in our creed, is one of the marks of a true Christian and follower of Jesus Christ. Just as Peter saw the grace of God at work in the house of the Gentile Cornelius in Joppa, Barnabas saw that same grace at work in the Gentiles in Antioch. During Barnabas’s ministry in Antioch, a large number of people were added to the Lord.

3. Bringing Saul to Teach the Christians in Antioch: While he ministered to the Gentile Christians in Antioch, Barnabas decided that he needed an assistant to help instruct the new disciples of the Lord. He sought out another Greek-speaking Christian, Saul, who had fled persecution in Jerusalem and had settled in his hometown of Tarsus, some 150 miles west of Antioch. Barnabas brought Saul to Antioch, and they taught there for a whole year (sometime around A.D. 43). Luke concludes the passage, telling us that: “It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians” (Acts 11:26). Just as Jesus was our anointed priest, prophet, and king, so also we are anointed – christened – and share in his royal and prophetic priesthood.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, like Barnabas and Saul, I want to boldly proclaim the Gospel in my family, at my workplace, and in my community. Enlighten my mind and heart to know how and when to proclaim you as the Son of God and Savior of the world.

Living the Word of God: Today’s readings invite us to renew our faith in Jesus Christ as Lord. With God’s grace, we can grow in our faith. This faith finds expression in love, service, and self-sacrifice. It is strengthened by the gifts of the Holy Spirit. It influences our decisions and actions in such a way that we can act as true disciples of Jesus. How is my faith expressing itself in love and charity?