THE MINISTRY OF LECTOR IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.
The aim of this
reflection is to help those lectors or those preparing to be lectors with their
mission of sharing God's Word.
The first
consideration is to understand the difference between reading in Church during
Mass or Eucharist and other types of reading. During the liturgy, the reader is
fulfilling a mission to his or her fellow community members. It is a sacred
duty that involves a sharing of one's own faith. This does not mean that a
reading should be stiff or formal, but rather the realization that we are
continuing Jesus’ mission of sharing the Word with God's people. It is
something special and requires adequate preparation.
Because it is
Scripture that is being read does not mean that the skills of public speaking
(adequate loudness, good phrasing, proper emphasis, etc.) are not required or
are to be downplayed. Rather, it means that these skills which are picked up
through training and experience are used in a context in which God's Word can
speak to God's people: a Word that has power and that challenges, comforts, and
builds up a community. It should not be a task that is being performed: a good
lector allows the community to sense the presence of the living Jesus in that
community through him or her without focusing too much attention on the lector
himself or herself.
To put it
simply, the readings from scripture have been chosen such that there is a
spiritual message readily apparent in almost every passage. The reader's goal
is to allow the congregation to hear that message.
Reading within the Liturgy: Some background
points
