The readings from the Acts of the Apostles which we hear during these weeks describes the life of the early church. The resurrection changed the lives of the first disciples in a profound way. The experience of the resurrection pushed them into a new style of life – life in community. Divisions disappeared and they were of one heart and mind.
They began to live in the confidence of God’s love and peace which they saw and experienced in their daily lives through the resurrection of Christ. This of course led to a re-orientation of the basic values in their lives. Their confidence and joy enabled them to share (generosity) and to encourage others in their faith (evangelization). This generosity has its origin in a deep relationship with God through the resurrection. The detachment from material goods and the capacity to share comes from an experience of God’s love and forgiveness. It is an expression of deep joy. It does not come from economic theories or perceived demands of economic justice. Nor does it come from the desire to obtain a right relationship with God by the purchasing of holiness or spiritual favors.
Joseph who we see in today’s reading from Acts was a man who lived that confidence and joy. He was bursting with a desire to share his joy with others. His generosity, joy, and confidence were infectious in the first community in Jerusalem after the resurrection. So much so that the apostles gave him a new name: Barnabas, son of encouragement. Barnabas forms part of the evangelization team with Paul and helps spread the faith to Antioch and Cyprus.
The great power of the first evangelizers came from the experience of the risen Christ in their daily lives. This experience gave them a new confidence in God’s love and pardon. They truly lived lives of generosity and encouragement. In this Easter season it is important to rededicate ourselves to living like the first Christian community – encouraging others in the faith through our own lives.
With great power the Apostles bore witness
to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus,
and great favor was accorded them all.
Image: https://lebanonbfc.org/episode/barnabas-the-model-of-an-encourager-part-iv-paul-and-barnabas-pm/