Daily Word: Matthew 10:7-13 – Freely Give, Like St. Barnabas | Thursday, June 11
Jesus sends His disciples with nothing but a message and a mission. A reflection on radical trust and generosity, inspired by St. Barnabas, the “son of encouragement.
DAILY WORD
spwworship
6/11/20263 min read
Scripture Reference: Matthew 10:7-13 (Thursday of the 10th Week in Ordinary Time – Memorial of St. Barnabas, Apostle)
“Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.” (Matthew 10:8)
Jesus is sending out the Twelve. He gives them authority over unclean spirits and the power to heal every disease. But then He gives them a strange set of instructions: Do not take gold, silver, or copper in your belts. No traveling bag. No second tunic. No sandals. No staff.
Why? Because the message they carry — “The Kingdom of heaven is at hand” — is not a product to be sold. It is a gift to be given. And those who receive it must learn to trust, not in their own provisions, but in the Providence of the Father.
The Mission: Proclaim, Heal, Give Freely
The disciples are not merely preachers. They are signs of the Kingdom. Their mission has three dimensions:
Proclaim — “The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Words matter. The good news must be spoken clearly and boldly.
Heal — Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. The Kingdom is not just a theory; it is a power that restores creation.
Give freely — “Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.” Grace cannot be bought. Salvation is not a transaction. The disciples received everything from Jesus; they must offer everything without charge.
This last point is radical in any age, but especially in ours. We live in a world where everything is monetized — attention, influence, even relationships. But the Gospel is not content to be sold. It is a treasure to be shared.
The Poverty of the Messenger
Why would Jesus send them with almost no provisions? Not because poverty is good in itself, but because poverty teaches trust. When you have no backup plan, you learn that God is your backup. When you have no safety net, you discover that God’s love is the only safety.
The disciples are also sent without swords or strategies. Their only weapon is peace. “When you enter a house, greet it. If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it.”
Peace is not a polite sentiment. In Hebrew, shalom means wholeness, blessing, the presence of God. The disciples carry this peace like a sacrament. And if it is rejected, the peace returns to them — meaning they do not lose heart. Their worth is not determined by the response of others.
Saint Barnabas: The Son of Encouragement
Today the Church honors Saint Barnabas, whose name means “son of encouragement” (Acts 4:36). He was not one of the original Twelve, but the early Church recognized him as an apostle — a “sent one” — because he lived exactly the spirit of today’s Gospel.
Barnabas sold a field he owned and laid the proceeds at the apostles’ feet (Acts 4:37). He gave freely because he had received freely. Later, when the newly converted Saul (St. Paul) was feared and rejected by the disciples, it was Barnabas who took him by the hand, vouched for him, and introduced him to the apostles (Acts 9:27). Barnabas was peace itself — the greeting that opens doors.
He also traveled with Paul on the first missionary journey, proclaiming the Kingdom, healing, and enduring persecution. He did not carry gold or a second tunic. He carried only the name of Jesus and the gift of encouragement.
And when a disagreement arose between him and Paul over John Mark, Barnabas chose mercy over rigid correctness. He took Mark and continued the mission (Acts 15:39). Tradition says Barnabas was martyred in Cyprus, stoned to death. He gave his life freely, because he had received life freely.
What This Means for Your Thursday
You may not be sent to raise the dead or heal lepers. But you are sent — into your classroom, your workplace, your family, your social media feed. The same instructions apply:
Proclaim the Kingdom — not with loud speeches, but with a word of hope, a refusal to despair, a whisper of mercy.
Heal — by listening, by forgiving, by being patient with the wounded.
Give freely — your time, your attention, your prayer. Do not charge a fee for kindness.
And travel light. Let go of the need to impress, to control, to be safe. The peace you carry is enough. If it is rejected, let it return to you. Do not let rejection poison your heart.
A Short Prayer
Lord Jesus, You sent Your disciples with empty hands and full hearts. Give me the courage of Saint Barnabas — to encourage the fearful, to welcome the outcast, and to give freely because I have received freely. Help me to travel light, trusting not in my own provisions but in Your Providence. And when I enter a home or a heart today, let my peace be a true blessing. Amen.
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