Talk for Lectors (OLFPP; May 03, 2022)

The Importance of the Word of God (especially in the Liturgy)

 The boundless riches of the Word of God are brought about most
often and perhaps most effectively in various liturgical
celebrations. In the Mass, blessings, or celebrations of the various
sacraments, we see the unfolding of the mystery of salvation in the
Word of God.
 In hearing the Word of God, the faithful can see its relevance in
their lives and thus open themselves to the movement of the Holy
Spirit in their day-to-day activities.
 By calling to mind the history and mystery of salvation, we come
to see that the Word of God is truly alive and calls us to constant
conversion.
 In celebrating the various liturgies, we always hear Christ
proclaimed to us. It is by this constant hearing that the Word of
God is interiorized within us and allows us to better appreciate
what God is saying to us in the readings that are proclaimed.
 The proclamation of the Word of God is not just one-sided,
however, where one person dictates what is in the readings. All the
readings have responses that beg the faithful to participate. In
listening to the Word that is proclaimed, those in the congregation
give a response back. This special participation allows those who
 hear the Word to enter into the message. They are not just passive
listeners; they are people who are called to the mission that the
Word is giving them.
 The Word that is proclaimed is also a sign of the fidelity of God to
his covenant with his people. The readings present God speaking
to us now, but also in light of the past, and looking toward the
future. God’s covenant with us, established through the sacrifice of
Jesus, the Eternal Word, is continually echoed when the Word of
God is proclaimed. We can often compare the Bible to a science
book or a history book, but we often fail to see that science books
and history books are always updated every few years, while the
Word of God is unchanging.
 God, through the gift of the Holy Spirit, has inspired various
charisms and ministries within the Church. Thus, the relationship
of the faithful with the Word of God can be different. All are called
to listen to, interiorize, and act on the Word of God, but some are
also called to special ministries in relation to it.
Historical-Biblical Foundations
 Ministry in the Church
o Before the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), very few
people would have thought to count laypeople among the
ministers of the Church. However, the end of the council saw
the rise and empowerment of lay ministries, both among men
 and women. Before the Vatican II, it would be comparatively
rare, if not unheard of, for a regular layperson to participate
as a Lector during Mass. Especially on Sundays.
o However, this was not always so. Indeed, if we look at the
Church’s early history, we see that the laity actively
participated as ministers where needed.
 Jewish Origins
o The earliest records that we have about the presence of lay
ministers in proclaiming the Word of God are from the Jews.
We can even read that in the Bible, Jesus takes the scroll of
the Prophet Isaiah and proclaims it in the synagogue of his
Nazareth. (Cf. Lk 4:16-22).
 Early Christian Communities
o From the missionary journeys of Paul, we read that those
early Christian communities would come together not only
for the breaking of the bread but also for the proclamation of
the Word.
 Middle Ages-Council of Trent
o By the 5th-9th centuries, however, there came an evolution.
The emphasis on the sacredness of the Mass became so much
that many people believed that only the ordained should
minister at Mass.
 o It was at this point what we now know as the Extraordinary
Form of the Mass came into practice. The presider would
turn his back to the people and speak in whispers. The
ordained, being considered the least unworthy to be on the
altar, became separated from the people. A clear sign of this
would be the communion rail.
o The laity, removed from their particular ministerial roles,
were instead encouraged to build magnificent and awesome
churches to the glory of God. In effect, it was as if they were
building a house for themselves, but they could not use it.
o This led to many people not receiving the sacraments,
especially communion. Some only during their first
communion and before they died. An emphasis on the
sacredness of the mass diminished an important element of
the Eucharist, that is, it is a meal amongst friends.
o Because of the Protestant Reformation and the following
reforms of the Council of Trent, the possibility of lay
participation diminished even further.
 Post-Vatican II
o After the council and publication of the Ordinary Form of the
Mass, the lay lector was reinstated as a proper ministry
within the Church.
 o Some parishes rely on the lector to do multiple roles,
including acting as the commentator, singing hymns, giving
announcements, or chanting the responsorial psalms.
Although not ideal, for practical reasons it is understandable.
Church Teaching and Theological Understanding
 When the lector proclaims the Word, although their voice is heard,
it is the working of the Holy Spirit that allows the message to be
interiorized. It is the Holy Spirit that brings to completion and
fulfillment all that we celebrate and all that we hear.
 The Word of God must be proclaimed well since hearing God’s
Word proclaimed is essential to faith, as St. Paul says in his Letter
to the Romans, “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the
message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.”
(Romans 10:17)
 It is tempting to think that the Liturgy of the Word is the star of the
show in the celebration of the Mass. However, as Lectors, we must
understand that the Word that we proclaim finds its source and
fulfillment in the Eucharist, the abiding presence of Christ. We can
see this very clearly in the story of the Road to Emmaus (Luke
24:13-35).
 The role of the lector is both as a minister and as a servant.
o We find our ultimate foundation in Jesus Christ, who “though
he was in the form of God…humbled himself and took the
 form of a slave, being born in the likeness of man. It was thus
that he humbled himself, obediently accepting even death,
death on a cross! God highly exalted him…” (Cf. Philippians
2:8-11)
o In Jesus, we see that the minister is a servant. On the Evening
Mass of the Lord’s Supper, we see this when we reenact the
Washing of the Feet. In Christ, the one who leads is the
servant of all. Thus, all ministers in the Mass must carry
within themselves the understanding and the willingness that
they are servants of all. That they serve as ways for God to
speak and act upon his people.
o Thus, a true minister of the Word, a true lector, must
understand that when they proclaim the word it is God who
“speaks when the holy scriptures are read in the Church.”
(SC 7) Christ uses the lector to proclaim the Word. Lectors
then are duty-bound to ensure that they not only speak but
that they proclaim well since it is through them that Christ
speaks to his listening people.
Practical Notes and Guidelines
 From Ministeria Quaedam (V)
o The reader is appointed for a function proper to him, that of
reading the Word of God in the liturgical assembly.
 o Accordingly, he is to proclaim the readings from the sacred
Scripture, except for the gospel in the Mass and other sacred
celebrations;
o he is to recite the psalm between the readings when there is
no psalmist;
o he is to present the intentions for the general intercessions in
the absence of a deacon or cantor;
o he is to direct the singing and the participation by the faithful;
o he is to instruct the faithful for the worthy reception of the
sacraments.
o He may also, insofar as may be necessary, take care of
preparing other faithful who are appointed on a temporary
basis to read the Scriptures in liturgical celebrations.
o That he may more fittingly and perfectly fulfill these
functions, he is to meditate assiduously on sacred Scripture.
o Aware of the office he has undertaken, the reader is to make
every effort and employ suitable means to acquire that
increasingly warm and living love and knowledge of
Scripture that will make him (a) more perfect disciple of the
Lord.
 From the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (194-198)
o In the procession to the altar, in the absence of a Deacon, the
reader, wearing approved attire, may carry the Book of the
 Gospels, slightly elevated. In that case, the reader walks in
front of the Priest but otherwise walks along with the other
ministers.
o Upon reaching the altar, the reader makes a profound bow
with the others. If he is carrying the Book of the Gospels, he
approaches the altar and places Book of the Gospels upon it.
Then the reader takes his own place in the sanctuary with the
other ministers.
o The reader reads from the ambo the readings that precede the
Gospel. In the absence of a psalmist, the reader may also
proclaim the Responsorial Psalm after the First Reading.
o In the absence of a Deacon, the reader, after the introduction
by the Priest, may announce the intentions of the Universal
Prayer from the ambo.
o If there is no singing at the Entrance or at Communion and
the antiphons given in the Missal are not recited by the
faithful, the reader may read them at the appropriate time.
 Lectors should be properly trained in the reading the Sacred
Scripture in the liturgical celebrations, always acknowledging that
when they proclaim the readings, it is Christ speaking to his
people.
 If one is assigned as a lector for a celebration, they should practice
the readings beforehand, taking special care to pronounce things
 well and keep proper pacing in how fast they talk. As a general
rule, a good speed is about half as a fast as a regular conversation
speed.
 By practicing in advance, lectors may also include certain
oratorical skills that allow them to be more effective as proclaimers
of the Word. These include modulating the tone of their voices,
keeping good posture, and proper eye contact with the
congregation.
 Lectors should also make appropriate room for tasteful pauses and
silence when proclaiming the Word of God. This allows the
congregation to savor what has been proclaimed to them.
 Lectors should also mind how they dress during celebrations. In
some places, it is common for a lector to wear some kind of
clerical dress or a robe. Although it has its merits, it would be
good, better even, that when a layperson is assigned as the lector,
they should wear tasteful lay attire. This is to emphasize that the
mission of proclaiming God’s Word is not just for the ordained,
but also for the laity.
Sources
 Proclaiming the Word: Manual for Lectors and Commentators
(Archdiocesan Liturgical Commission, Manila, 2011)
 Sacrosanctum Concilium (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy
[Second Vatican Council, 04 December 1963])
 Ministeria Quaedam (Motu Proprio on the reform in the Latin
Church of the Disciplines Regarding First Tonsure, the Minor
Orders, and the Subdiaconate [Pope Paul VI, 15 August 1972])
 General Instructions of the Roman Missal
 https://bible.usccb.org/
 http://www.awitatpapuri.com/
 Basic Formation | Lectors and Commentators - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?
list=PL0NlF8LdYDTXrkD5ybnkaXuHXG8oI767n