The Sixth Sunday of Easter – First Reading – 05/10/2026

This reading recounts the birth of the missionary Church and just maybe the first administering of the sacrament of confirmation.  Also, learn about Bob the Lector’s secret affinity with Philip the Evangelist (not to be confused with Philip the Apostle).

Transcript

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Howdy, and welcome to Bob the Lector. 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 May 10th Sunday Mass's first reading. It's the sixth Sunday of Easter, year A. A reading from the Acts of the Apostles. Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Christ to them. With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip when they heard it and saw the signs he was doing. For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice, came out of many possessed people, and many paralyzed or crippled people were cured. There was great joy in that city. Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, who went down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for it had not yet fallen upon any of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on him, and they received the Holy Spirit, the word of the Lord. Welcome to the sixth Sunday of Easter, y'all. Last Sunday found us in the sixth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, and today we jump forward to the eighth chapter. This is an exciting narrative story about the young missionary church. 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? This reading is a simple narrative of events that takes place in the city of Samaria, about 35 miles north of Jerusalem. There's some interesting backstories here. Why was Philip in Samaria? Didn't he just get picked as one of the seven deacons in Jerusalem in last Sunday's first reading? What happened? In between chapters 6 and 8, Stephen is martyred, and a severe persecution of Christians breaks out in Jerusalem, scattering many. Hence, Philip in Samaria. An interesting choice to take refuge in. As you know, Samaritans and Jews had long-standing grudges. Jesus disparagingly refers to a Samaritan leper as this foreigner. Oh, but he heals them anyway. See Luke 17, 18 to 19. We again see that historical animosity in the exchange between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well. See John 4, 4-29. While Samaritans were not considered Gentiles, they were definitely a step removed from Judaism. Philip's proclamation of the good news takes the church a little closer to the Gentile mission Paul undertakes later. Speaking of the woman at the well, don't you wonder if she was one that got baptized in today's reading? One last observation. I feel a special kinship with Philip. He has four daughters, as do I. See Acts 21 9 and Bob 24 7. Oh, um, a little joke here. There is no book of Bob. Okay, back to work. What do you learn from this reading? We begin with Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Christ to them. With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip. When they heard it and saw the signs he was doing. Use a factual and dispassionate tone of voice when you read the first sentence. When you move to the second sentence, apply a tone of earnestness, highlight proclaimed accord and attention. Insert small pauses after Samaria, the second Philip, and heard it. Next we have, for unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice, came out of many possessed people, and many paralyzed or crippled people. There was great joy in that city. Employ a tone of voice and facial expression of curiosity, building to amazement for this first sentence, hitting your apex at we're cured. Emphasize crying out loud, the first many, the second many, crippled, cured, and great joy. Use eye contact and smile broadly for the last sentence. There was great joy in that city. If you can do so authentically, add a throat tremble for heightened emotion. Insert very small pauses after paralyzed and people, and a full pause after city. Then, now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the Word of God, they sent them Peter and John, who went down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For it had not yet fallen upon any of them, they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Read, now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the Word of God straight through, without any pauses. Place a slight emphasis on the word accepted. Also highlight prayed, any, only, and baptized. Insert a small pause after baptized. When you end this section in the name of the Lord Jesus, do not emphasize these words, but speak them as an afterthought. This sentence is already so long, and I think these last two prepositional phrases almost detract from the more substantive preceding points. In this section and the next, the word them appears four times. If you want a more informal and conversational style, and can do so comfortably, drop the th from your pronunciation and say, They sent him and prayed for him, and upon any of them, and laid hands on him. We close with, then they laid hands on him, and they received the Holy Spirit. It's curious that in other cases up to this point, converts receive the Holy Spirit at the time of their baptism. Here they do not. It requires a visit from the apostles who, through the laying on of hands, bring down the Holy Spirit. Maybe this is the first sacrament of confirmation. Emphasize hands and Holy Spirit. Include a small pause after hands on them. Use a demeanor and a tone of wonder and awe as you read, and they received the Holy Spirit. Use an upward lilt when you say, Holy Spirit, to accentuate that sense of marvel. 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 bobthelector.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.