In the Gospel reading today from John 10, Jesus says, “The Father and I are one.” Though we accept this idea as a tenet of faith, these words were surely scandalous to the Jews. This was another case of Jesus revealing more about the nature of the Trinity.
In the first reading from Acts 11, we see that the Church in Jerusalem sent Barnabas to Antioch to help the burgeoning Church there. The Scripture tells us that, “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.” No surprise, as the name Barnabas means “son of encouragement.”
Faith is not always an easy thing to keep, is it? Especially during times of great trial, our faith can be shaken. I’ve talked with a lot of people who have lost their faith, for reasons far too numerous to mention here. That’s why I think it is so important for us to imitate Barnabas, and encourage our brothers and sisters to remain faithful. God’s love never fails – on that you can depend. When you remain faithful, God will see you through every trial. So let me be Barnabas to you today and simply say – Keep the faith!
Father, you know how easily our faith can be shaken. Help us today to remain faithful, and encourage others to keep the faith. Amen.
People who question the Catholic faith are becoming more numerous. Help them understand the faith in a minute with A Minute in the Church, available at www.GusLloyd.com.
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