Peter Delivered From Prison (Caracciolo, 1578-1625)
6 The very night when Herod was about to bring him out, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison; 7 and behold, an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands. 8 And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your mantle around you and follow me.” 9 And he went out and followed him; he did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. 10 When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened to them of its own accord, and they went out and passed on through one street; and immediately the angel left him. 11 And Peter came to himself, and said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”
Icon of Peter’s imprisonment and deliverance
12 When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. 13 And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a maid named Rhoda came to answer. 14 Recognizing Peter’s voice, in her joy she did not open the gate but ran in and told that Peter was standing at the gate. 15 They said to her, “You are mad.” But she insisted that it was so. They said, “It is his angel!” 16 But Peter continued knocking; and when they opened, they saw him and were amazed. 17 But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Tell this to James and to the brethren.” Then he departed and went to another place.
18 Now when day came, there was no small stir among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. 19 And when Herod had sought for him and could not find him, he examined the sentries and ordered that they should be put to death. Then he went down from Judea to Caesare′a, and remained there.
The Death of Herod
20 Now Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; and they came to him in a body, and having persuaded Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their country depended on the king’s country for food. 21 On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and made an oration to them. 22 And the people shouted, “The voice of a god, and not of man!” 23 Immediately an angel of the Lord smote him, because he did not give God the glory; and he was eaten by worms and died.
24 But the word of God grew and multiplied. 25 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their mission, bringing with them John whose other name was Mark.
Threatened with imprisonment, torture and death, the disciples go into hiding. But despite the risks, they still gather together to pray. They had courage and perseverance. They refused to be discouraged because they had faith in God who is present and acting in ways beyond their understanding or expectation. They believed what they had been told by the risen Christ: “I will not leave you,” “Lo, I am with you to the close of the age,” “Where two or three are gathered there I am in the midst of you.” And the result? “The word of God grew and multiplied.” Sometimes the mission was thoughtfully planned out, as when Paul and Barnabas collected funds for the relief of the poor in Jerusalem. But more often doors opened unexpectedly —literally—and like Peter they walked through them, seeing these moments as God-given opportunities to advance the mission and build up the Church.
Contrast this with Herod’s fury at having his plan thwarted. He kills the guards without a second thought and then, demented by his own arrogant sense of total control over his little universe, believes that he really is a god. But he was just a two-bit vassal king in an occupied territory of the Roman Empire, puffing himself up with robes, orations and power. He clearly had forgotten that even the most illustrious Roman generals during their Triumphal procession into the city of Rome were often accompanied by a slave who would stand behind them in the chariot whispering from time to time, “Remember death, you are mortal.”
Pre-Conciliar Commission Meets Today
Planning for the 18th All-American Council in July and “Expanding the Mission” continues today with a meeting of the Pre-Conciliar Commission.
Please keep this meeting in your prayers.
