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Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, June 29, Annually

First reading, Acts 12:1-11

The Historical Background: The custom of imperial Rome was to leave native kings in place, under supervision of a senior Roman official. We're familiar with this from the passion narratives in the gospels; in Luke, chapter 23, for example, Pilate and an earlier Herod take turns trying Jesus. It's not clear why the Herod of Acts 12, named Herod Agrippa, gained political advantage from persecuting the once popular Christians. Perhaps the vigorous, argumentative testimony of Stephen in Acts 7 converted some to and hardened others against the gospel.

Proclaiming it: The author took care to record many colorful details in this story, suggesting that you should articulate them carefully:

Also, speak carefully the sentence "not realizing that ... was real" and its companion sentence "Now I know for certain ..." The gist is that Peter first thought he was seeing a vision, then realized that this all was actually happening. That, perhaps, is the most important detail of all.

Second Reading, 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18

The Historical Background: Saint Paul (or someone writing in his name) loved the young churchman Timothy and gave him encouragement and various instructions in at least two letters. Today's passage is a kind of farewell from the senior apostle, and should be read thoughtfully, slowly, solemnly, and triumphantly (if the lector can manage all four of those at once).

Saint Paul sees his imminent martyrdom in terms of sacrificial worship. That's what he means by the expression, "I am already being poured out like a libation." The New Jerusalem Bible (Garden City, New York: Doubleday, 1985) says in a footnote to this verse, "Libations of wine, water or oil were poured over the victims not only in gentile sacrifices but also in Jewish ones; see Exodus 29:40; Numbers 28:7"

Who are "all who have longed for his appearance"? Not those who want to gaze on the Lord's face, but those who expect the Lord to appear, to return in glory. The modern expression of that expectation is "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again." Some translations say "longed for his appearing," where the unambiguous verbal form makes it clearer.

The second paragraph is about Paul's temporary vindication in a first trial. He gives the glory to God, and exults that even Gentiles got to hear the gospel by way of his testimony on that occasion. But, though saved once from the lion's mouth, he's realistic in predicting that he's bound for the Lord's heavenly kingdom.

Proclaiming it: Suppose you could deliver a testament, as in "last will and testament," orally to your loved ones at a ripe old age. Suppose you had not money and property to bequeath, but experiences that, over your years, had built you up in wisdom and virtue. How would you speak?
Several other commentaries on these passages. All are thoughtful, all quite readable, from the scholarly to the popular.
Links may be incomplete more than a few weeks before the "due date."
Father Roger Karban's 2003 column on these readings. Weekly column of Father Francis X. Cleary, S.J.
(The Saint Louis Review may not post today's column until after you've begun your lector's preparation, but the archived columns are always worth a look.) 		The Text This Week; links to homilies, art works, movies and other resources on the week's scripture themes. Saint Louis University's excellent new site for liturgy

Most welcome here are Reginald Fuller's commentaries.

(Caveat lector as of April 6, 2008. Lector's Notes' author is speculating about the exact URL of SLU's Pentecost offering, since it's not yet posted. If you get a 404 Not Found, try here).

The Lectionary selections in the frame at the left, if any, are there for your convenience. The publishers of the page in that frame have no connection, except for membership in the one Body of Christ, with the publisher of this page. Likewise the publishers of the pages on the links above.

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Last modified: Mon Jun 1, 2008