Feast of St. Barnabas

Today, we celebrate the Feast of St. Barnabas. Barnabas appears very early in Acts and occupied a very important position in the early church. Together with Paul, Barnabas preached the gospel to the Gentiles.
Thus Joseph who was surnamed by the apostles Barnabas (which means, Son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus,
sold a field which belonged to him, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet (Acts 4:36-37).
Saul, a fervent Pharisee, persecuted the early church because they worshipped Jesus. Judaism could not tolerate another god besides Yahweh. After his conversion, Saul wanted to join the church in Jerusalem but they were still afraid of him. Barnabas introduced Saul into the Jerusalem community (Acts 9:27). Saul followed the footsteps of Stephen, the first Christian martyr. To secure his safety, the Jerusalem church sent him to Tarsus. Later, Paul and Barnabas embarked on missionary journeys to evangelize the Gentiles.
In the gospel reading today, we read of Jesus' sending his apostles to evangelize the Jews. The message the apostles preached was "The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." (Matthew 10:7) They backed it up with services such as healing the sick, raising the dead, cleansing lepers and casting out demons. These actions had to be a kind of service because
You received without paying, give without pay (Matthew 10:8b).
How do I translate this good news into modern day language? How do I make the idea of the Kingdom of Heaven comprehensible to my students? Moreover, what sorts of back up do I have in order to preach this message? I am no physician, no miracle worker, not even an exorcist. How do I heal the sick and the leper, raise the dead and chase out demons? Without these back ups, how do I make the gospel meaningful to my students?
Look at these students. Many of them are hardworking. They know their goals. Yet, spiritual formation is NOT among their goals. Good examination results are. There are some who are not motivated at all in studies. They spend their time sleeping or chatting with their friends in the classroom. Their happiest moments are spent in ball games on the playground. I am not sure whether RS as an examination subject will ever arouse their interest in pursuing the Kingdom of Heaven. How do I explain to them the Kingdom of God?

1. The church? It is boring.
2. The end of the world? Do you think I'm nut? If God is the ruler of the earth, He should save the innocent from natural disasters such as the recent Sichuan earthquake.
3. God's rule in our hearts? Why should I? What advantage do I gain if I allow God to rule in my heart?

And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you (Matthew 10:13).
God, they don't listen. Can I simply let go and give up?
What does Matthew mean by "worthy"?
Everyone is supposed to be created in the image of God. Doesn't everyone deserve the peace? What does this peace consist of?
Obviously, it is not the absence of wars. What about the absence of a guilty conscience, the absence of responsibilities? Or on a more positive note, does it mean the feeling of being loved?
Psychologists tell us that the most important task teenagers need to fulfil in order to develop a healthy personality is to build up their identity, their sex role etc. If they fail to do that, they will suffer a lot the rest of their life. Then, what can the Bible offer them, to help them build up their identity?

1. God created us. We are God's children.
2. We must build up a good dose of self-worth. We must feel ourselves valuable, if not in the eyes of our peers or parents, in the eyes of our God.
3. Each of us is unique. We are created in the image and likeness of God. Since God is infinite, we can only reflect a tiny portion of the infinite image of God. Therefore, each one of us is unique in our own way.
4. The goal of our life is to realize the potentials built into us. In deciding what I will be in the future and putting our efforts in achieving this goal, we realize our potentials. We are doing God's will.
5. When we realize these God-given potentials and talents, we attain the Kingdom of Heaven in our hearts. When we work together to build up a society of justice and peace, we build up the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.

Will this message be more suitable for my students? Will they listen to this message? Will they pay attention to the story of Jesus and the apostles? I know not the result. I will only try.

My Advocate, I do not ask for miracles. I know You will work them at Your pleasure. I pray that my students will be more open and receptive to Your saving truth. St. Barnabas, son of encouragement, pray for us. Amen.