Catechesis Notes for the Week — This Week in Acts: The Gospel Spreads to the Gentiles — The vision that Peter received of God cleansing the unclean animals taught him that the Gospel was to be preached to Jew and Gentile alike. Peter Preaches to the Household of Cornelius saying, “in truth I perceive that God shows no partiality…the word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all.” Peter Defends Preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles by recounting the vision he had received and the Lord’s declaration: “What God has cleansed you must not call common…If God gave them the same gift as he gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?” The Feast of St. Barnabas, Apostle is celebrated this week as we meditate upon the ministry of the man whose name means, “Son of Encouragement.” Barnabas encouraged the Church to be faithful to the Gospel, to receive Saul of Tarsus (the Apostle Paul) as a fellow minister, and he accompanied Paul on his first missionary journey. Barnabas and Saul Are Sent to Antioch because of the explosion of Hellenist Jews who were converted to faith in Christ. Barnabas is called an apostle, not because he was one of the eyewitnesses, chosen by Jesus as Paul and the Twelve were, but because he shared in the apostolic mission and supported the apostles in their ministry. In Herod Beheads James and the Lord Delivers Peter, we learn that God’s will is always good. He uses persecution to spread the Gospel, but He also delivers His saints from persecution when His mission for them on earth is not complete. As the Church continued to grow in Judea, Samaria, and Galilee, Syrian Antioch became the hub of missionary work to the Gentiles. Saul and Barnabas Begin the First Missionary Journey to Cyprus and Asia minor, preaching Jesus from the Old Testament Scriptures. In Paul Preaches in the Synagogue of Antioch in Pisidia, we see the pattern of apostolic preaching used throughout the book of Acts in calling Jews and Gentiles to repentance and faith.