The Fourth Sunday of Easter – Second Reading – 04/26/2026

Peter's letter to the churches in Asia Minor is loaded with joyous Good News, with throwbacks to Isaiah’s prophecy of the suffering servant, fulfilled by Jesus’s suffering on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins.

Transcript

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Howdy, and welcome to Bob the Lecture. I'm Bob. The purpose of this podcast is to inspire Catholic lectors to bring their proclamation of God's Word to life. This episode is for the April 26th, Sunday Mass's second reading. It's the fourth Sunday of Easter, year A. A reading from the first letter of Saint Peter. Beloved, if you are patient when you suffer for doing what is good, this is a grace before God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his footsteps. He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth. When he was insulted, he returned no insult. When he suffered, he did not threaten. Instead, he handed himself over to the one who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross, so that free from sin we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you had gone astray, like sheep, but you have now returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls, the word of the Lord. Welcome to the fourth Sunday of Easter, y'all. This is a great reading with the good news that we have forgiveness of sins by virtue of Christ's death on the cross. So let's get to it, shall we? I always start my own lecture practice with preparation, which is not the external proclamation, but the internal discernment of the message. What is God saying to us? What is his purpose? What is the meaning of this reading? Because if it doesn't mean anything to us, how can we as lectors make it mean anything to the congregation before us? I prefer readings that aim for the heart, because that's where an emotional connection will be made with the people in the pews. This one closes with the good news of Jesus saving us from our sins. Let's chat a bit about the context of this reading. It's addressed to the Gentile churches in what is now Turkey. Peter wrote it from Rome, where he had been ministering starting from about the year 42. It was composed during the year 64, give or take, shortly before his martyrdom at the hands of Nero. Curiously, this segment of chapter 2 is very misleading when separated from the three verses that precede it. If we start at verse 18, slaves, be subject to your masters with all reverence, not only to those who are good and equitable, but also to those who are perverse. For whenever anyone bears the pain of unjust suffering, because of consciousness of God, that is a grace. But what credit is there if you are patient when beaten for doing wrong? But, and here's where today's reading picks up, if you are patient. So this is being addressed to slaves to accept their suffering. There was a tension in Christian slaves in that they had experienced freedom from sin, yet continued with their earthly bondage. While there is no one in our congregation suffering from slavery, nonetheless, the message of following Christ's example of suffering when doing good rings true today. The gospel of success would have you believe that if you do good you will prosper. Yet we know that doing good, seeking God's will in our lives, is its own reward. This epistle is believed to be part of an early Christian hymn based on the 53rd chapter of Isaiah, one of the passages describing the suffering servant who Peter identifies as Jesus. What do you learn from this reading? We begin. Beloved, if you are patient when you suffer for doing what is good, this is a grace before God. It opens with beloved, so use a warm, loving, and conversational tone. Although written to Christian slaves to accept suffering because of their bondage, everyone before you is or has experienced suffering in their lives. So proclaim this to and for them. Emphasize patience and grace. The next section is for to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his footsteps. He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth. Emphasize this, the first you also, the second you, example, the fourth you, no sin, and no deceit. You should follow in his footsteps is a reference to Matthew 16 24. Then Jesus said to his disciples, Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. The verbatim words of Isaiah 53 9 should be read in such a manner that the congregation will understand it to be a quote. This is easier said than done, but inserting a small pause before and after might help. In addition, insert small pauses after this, suffered, and example. Make direct eye contact each time you say you as if Peter is speaking directly to the congregation. Next we have when he was insulted, he returned no insult. When he suffered, he did not threaten. Instead, he handed himself over to the one who judges justly. Convert when he was insulted and when he suffered into questions. Pause briefly, then answer each question, first with he returned no insult, then with he did not threaten. Emphasize insulted, suffered, and instead. Next we have He himself bore our sins in his body, upon the cross, so that free from sin we might live for righteousness. Smile and use a joyful tone of voice, so that the people in the pews know they are forgiven by virtue of Christ's sacrifice for our sins. Highlight Himself, our, his, free, and live. Insert a small pause after body. Lastly, we have, by his wounds you have been healed, for you had gone astray, like sheep, but you have now returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls. Continue your facial expression and tone of voice of gladness for this good news. This segment contains two direct quotes from Isaiah. First from Isaiah 53, 5, by his wounds we were healed. Then Isaiah 53.6 says, We had all gone astray like sheep. But Peter continues on from the lost sheep analogy, sharing the good news that by virtue of Christ's sacrifice on the cross, we have been returned to the safety of our loving God, the shepherd and guardian of our souls. Emphasize his, the first you, astray, sheep, returned, shepherd, and guardian. Insert small pauses after astray and returned. Well, that's all for now. Thanks for listening. My hope is these ideas will help you find your authentic voice, so your proclamation of God's word will transform your listeners, whether they're in pain and broken, or just going through the motions. Because the good news deserves great delivery. Visit us on the web at bobthelecture.org and we'll see you at the Ambo. By the way, if you like what you hear and are so inclined, please give us five stars on Apple Podcasts. Thanks so much.