Fr Paul reads from the Gospel of Matthew (10: 7-13) in which Jesus tells his disciples to go and proclaim the Kingdom of Heaven in various towns saying ‘As you enter a home, give it your greeting. If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it’. After reading the Gospel, Fr Paul shares a little about St Barnabas, whose life we celebrate today.Fr Paul says Barnabas was born in Cypress. He was one of the early converts to Christianity. That conversion took place in Jerusalem. It was St Paul, himself, who vouched for Barnabas when he appeared before the Elders.  Barnabas accompanied Paul on his first missionary journey and then, later, he went with his cousin, Mark, the Evangelist, to preach the Gospel in Cypress. He was martyred at some time before the year 61.And so, Fr Paul says, today we pray, St Barnabas pray for us!