Words of Light and Hope from Tony Fottit
Words of Light and Hope from Tony Foottit.
Comfrey is a good plant to associate with St Barnabas (June 11th), whose name means Son of comfort or encouragement. The name comfrey comes from the Latin conferre, meaning to bring together. The Latin name of the plant Symphytum is in fact Greek and means to unite in growth. Comfrey has lots of nectar in its tubular flowers and is beloved of insects. In days gone by comfrey was widely used in medicine for the treatment of broken bones, which is why another old English name for it is Knitbone. Barnabas was a great encourager and bringer-together. It was Barnabas who introduced Paul to the apostles after his conversion. Comfrey is full of protein. You can cook it like spinach. There is even a recipe for comfrey fritters. It is good to add it to your compost heap. Once on a missionary journey Paul and Barnabas had the young John Mark with them. On this occasion Paul and Barnabas fell out because Paul wanted to send Mark home, since he thought he wasn’t up to the rigours ahead, but Barnabas took Mark’s side. Paul and Barnabas even parted company but Barnabas took Mark with him. He must have been a very supportive person – the sort we would all like to have for an uncle or a godfather. Comfrey has some beautiful relations – hound’s tongue, reminding us of faithful dogs, and viper’s bugloss, to remind us how good friends help to protect us against trouble. Without Barnabas’ support, Mark might never have written his gospel. Thomas Ken who is celebrated on June 8th was a great pastor, bishop and hymn writer and sounds not unlike Barnabas. Comfrey is a colonising plant. Given the right conditions it can spread very rapidly, so it is a good symbol for the missionary work of Barnabas. He is the founder of the Church in Cyprus, and he helped the early Church to spread round the eastern Mediterranean.
Barnabas is a good patron of confirmation, …… Confirmation is not only something we do but, much more importantly, something God the Holy Spirit does to us. He strengthens us. The bishop doesn’t confirm us. It is God who confirms and strengthens through the bishop’s hands, and so helps us like Barnabas to strengthen others.
