The story of the first reading took place in Philippi, a city in the Roman province of Macedonia. Here, Paul, together with his disciple Silas, founded his first congregation on European soil in the years 49/50 AD. It is about the wonders of singing. Usually, prisoners, once they are locked up, try to behave as inconspicuously as possible and avoid giving the guards any reason to reprimand them. But that’s not how Paul and Silas behaved. Instead of remaining quiet, they sang songs of praise.
I believe Luke wants to pass on the good experiences that Christians had with singing, with this passage of the scriptures. In the religions practiced at that time, this was virtually unheard of. Even today, communal singing does not exist in either Judaism or Islam. In Judaism, it is typically the cantor who sings; in Islam, it is the muezzin or prayer leader. Only in Christianity does communal singing hold such high value. That is to say, communal singing is a unique feature of Christianity. Moreover, the early church, during times of persecution, had come to know communal singing as one of the means of survival.
From Non-singing to Singing
It is said that the Romans, for public entertainment, liked to throw Christians sentenced to death into the arenas and took pleasure in watching them being torn apart by the wild animals. In such a situation, the Christians initially reacted like most people would: they trembled with fear, screamed, panicked. This, in turn, excited the ferocious animals even more. They attacked the Christians mercilessly. However, as time passed by, the Christians radically changed their behavior: they stopped running, stood still, formed a group, and began singing the hymns they knew from worship. They sang softly, not aggressively. This calmed the animals. They circled the Christians but did them no harm, while the audience grew bored.
The Truth about Singing
This goes to tell us a truth that was important to the early Christians: singing gives strength. Paul and Silas also experienced this in prison. Instead of feeling sorry for themselves and blaming God, they overcame fear through singing. This was their response amidst suffering. Hence, it strengthened their will to persevere. The other prisoners heard it as well and were uplifted. But not only them, God also heard their praise. He responded by sending an earthquake. The prison doors flew open, but they did not escape.
The Effect of Singing
The event transformed the jailer in Philippi. Typically, prison staff are responsible for ensuring that inmates do not escape. Here, the reverse happened. After the earthquake, the prisoners took responsibility for the guard. They prevented him from taking his own life. In the end, he owes his life to the prisoners. His joy, gratitude, and enthusiasm are easy to imagine. He is baptized, invites the apostles into his home, prepares a festive meal—there is a joyful and moving atmosphere.
Do Not Forget to Sing With One Another
This biblical occurrence is relevant today, as singing has almost died out in many families and churches, including Christian ones. Before now, people could gather and sing because they were less distracted by the media. Before now, the entire congregation for the Eucharistic celebration sings as one body. Today, the organists and a selected few play that role in most churches. The readings of today remind us how important singing is, as a major form of prayer. St. Augustine states: He who sings, prays twice. And Pope Benedict XVI, in the Spirit of the Liturgy, saw singing as part of our response to God’s event in Christ. Let us learn from the disciples the appropriate way to respond in all situations.
