We see, in the first reading, that in their initial appearance in the Synagogue at Antioch, the Gospel message of Paul and Barnabas, was welcomed by some of the Jews and the gentile converts whom they encouraged to remain faithful to the grace they had received from God.

Presumably because word had spread about their message, the following Sabbath, a great multitude consisting of almost the whole town, had gathered in the synagogue to hear the Word of God. That was enough to worry the “establishment”. Some Jews became jealous and opposed them with accusations of blasphemy. To neutralize the strong support from the converts, those upper class Jews mobilized support from powerful men and even “devout women” and had Paul and Barnabas driven out of the city, because they felt their privileged position in society was threatened by the Gospel message of equality before God and salvation for all.

The mission, however, was a success because the Word spread through the countryside and Paul and Barnabas, despite shaking the dust off their feet when leaving the area to signify that they had attempted to preach the Word to the Jews and had been rejected, were “filled with joy and the Holy Spirit”.

The second reading continues the theme of the spread of the Gospel and tells us about the conversion and salvation of the world. Salvation, however, is accompanied by “great tribulation”, whether by persecution or sacrifice. Such faith is rewarded by the cleansing blood of the Lamb, which whitens their robes and banishes hunger, thirst, heat and tears and rewards them with the waters of life in eternity. In the Gospel Proclamation Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself assures us that He is our shepherd, whose voice we know and whom we follow. He knows us individually, repeating and reinforcing the message of the Psalm, that He gives us eternal life. Jesus assures us that His power comes from God, with whom He is One and that no one can take away His power, or deprive us of his promised protection and everlasting life.

We can take heart from the promises of Jesus to protect us and grant us eternal life if we are faithful to Him and do His work. Just like Paul and Barnabas, we too can be filled with joy and the Holy Spirit by loving God and our neighbour and exemplifying the Gospel message with our words, our actions and our lives, so that others can be brought into the flock.

Prayer: Abba Father, we pray for the grace to live according to the Gospel teaching. Amen.