Bothering enough

On Sunday I was justly rebuked for an uncompassionate knee-jerk comment I made in reaction to a news story. It is painful but healthy when someone bothers enough to upbraid you - and they're right!

Today is St Barnabas' Day, and I've just read this from the iBenedictines blog. 

Encouragement

by Digitalnun on June 11, 2013

St Barnabas, the Son of Encouragement, gets something of a raw deal from the Church. His feast is kept as a memoria rather than a festum, and his (presumed) mortal remains are kept in a basilica in northern Cyprus* (looked after by a Muslim caretaker) rather than in some grand church in Rome. No doubt it is my quirky sense of humour, but that strikes me as being very fitting for someone who gives encouragement. To encourage another, we have to have a very just (= modest) opinion of ourselves and a very generous (= hopeful) opinion of the other. The liturgical reticence of today’s commemoration reminds us that what attracts society’s notice may not be what attracts God’s, that our human values are not always the same as his. Barnabas was to be eclipsed by his disciple, Paul; and the Church remembers the dispute between them chiefly because Paul won his point; but I have a suspicion that in the court of heaven, Barnabas occupies a very high place from which he continues to encourage us still.

* The basilica in Cyprus is very beautiful, with hundreds of magnificent icons. It is certainly not a ‘second-best’ resting-place; my point is that in Rome St Barnabas is hardly mentioned, unlike the other figures of Apostolic times.

I think if I could have chosen a patron saint, it might well be Barnabas. Sadly I was born exactly two months after his memoria!

Long reigning Queen

Today saw the service in Westminster Abbey celebrating the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth's reign. I've been struck by the times I have heard her accession to the throne described as a "vocation". I believe that is a good description of how she regards it, not a very popular concept these days.

In my 3 Minute Retreat reading today, based on Isaiah 49.6 ("I will make you a light to the nations...") I read this comment: "Each of is called to be a light to the nations. The light is generated when we are true to our vocations in life. And when each of us acknowledges and develops the talents that are part and parcel of our vocation, the light we bear brings salvation (restoration) to the world. We become co-creators with God in the work of salvation. How do we do this? Through the action of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is God's life at work in and through us. The more we open ourselves to the movement of the Holy Spirit, the brighter God's light of salvation shines."

"Spirit of God, move through me.
Help me to use my gifts in cooperation with God's plan of salvation."

I like the idea that when St Paul said, "Christ in you, the hope of glory", he was meaning the hope of glory for others. May we be faithful in whatever place and state God has called us.