this week's feasts
The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church
A few years ago, Pope Francis directed that the day after Pentecost be celebrated by the Church as the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church. This is especially significant because Mary was in the Upper Room with the Apostles when the Holy Spirit came. She, of course, had already experienced the power of the Spirit at the Annunciation. I can imagine the Apostles asking her what they should expect when the Spirit fell upon them, and can hear her respond, “Well, I don’t know exactly what will happen to you, but when it happened to me I became pregnant with Jesus.”
Mary has been acknowledged as Mother of the Church (Mater Ecclesia) from the beginning of Church history. She is individually our Mother, along with Jesus, but she is also collectively our Mother, the Mother of the Church.
Mary has been acknowledged as Mother of the Church (Mater Ecclesia) from the beginning of Church history. She is individually our Mother, along with Jesus, but she is also collectively our Mother, the Mother of the Church.
St. Barnabas, Apostle
It may seem odd that we call St. Barnabas an Apostle, because he was not one of the Twelve. There are actually 15 people identified as Apostles, including the original Twelve, Mathias (who was chosen to replace Judas), and Barnabas and Paul.
Barnabas was the disciple of Christ, probably a follower from the time of the baptism of John, who took Saul/Paul under his care after his conversion on the road to Damascus. Later he will bring Paul to Jerusalem to meet with Peter and the other Apostles. Later he will join Paul at the Council of Jerusalem, where they will argue against the Judaizers who wanted Gentiles to become Jewish in order to become Chirstian. He will become Paul’s companion in his missionary journeys, until they had a falling out over John Mark, another disciple, who Paul felt like abandoned him and the mission. One of the early Church Fathers, Tertullian, identifies Barnabas as the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, although this is not accepted definitively by the Church.
The Feast of St. Barnabas is this Wednesday, June 11.
Barnabas was the disciple of Christ, probably a follower from the time of the baptism of John, who took Saul/Paul under his care after his conversion on the road to Damascus. Later he will bring Paul to Jerusalem to meet with Peter and the other Apostles. Later he will join Paul at the Council of Jerusalem, where they will argue against the Judaizers who wanted Gentiles to become Jewish in order to become Chirstian. He will become Paul’s companion in his missionary journeys, until they had a falling out over John Mark, another disciple, who Paul felt like abandoned him and the mission. One of the early Church Fathers, Tertullian, identifies Barnabas as the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, although this is not accepted definitively by the Church.
The Feast of St. Barnabas is this Wednesday, June 11.
