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An Inside Look At Our Lector Ministry: Awakening the People of God Through His Word
We’ve all heard the saying “time to hit the books,” and we know what it means — it’s time to get serious, do our research, set our priorities straight, and focus on our goal. Just as we need to “hit the books” to become very successful in our earthly lives, we also need to do so to succeed in our spiritual lives. With the help of the Lector Ministry, we can focus on our eternal goal by taking the Word of God deep into our souls.
“I believe the goal of the Lector Ministry is to awaken the People of God to listen with the ear of the heart, as St. Benedict says,” explains Cathedral Rector Fr. Godfrey Mullen, OSB, who coordinates the Lector Ministry. “When we find ourselves open to the living Word of God, we have far more ability to follow His way. The Scriptures are the textbook of stewardship and the handbook of discipleship. And the Word of God — Jesus — is, of course, our way.”
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Our parish lectors diligently, prayerfully prepare to proclaim God’s Word at our parish Masses, making it come alive for our parishioners.
“The Lector Ministry is one of the most important ministries at our parish,” Fr. Godfrey says. “It responds to the broader first pillar of stewardship — hospitality. We welcome Christ in His Word. But it also attends to the second pillar — prayer. We must listen to God’s good Word, as well as tell Him what we want.”
What's more, our lectors also find that His Word comes alive in their own souls as they offer it to others while deepening their spirituality.
“Our lectors do a great job preparing for their ministry,” Fr. Godfrey says. “Many of them use a lector’s handbook to prepare and pray the Scriptures beforehand to get a real sense of what God is saying through them. This makes them better understood when they are read. It also provides a richer prayer life for the lector.”
Lectors are thoroughly trained on how to deliver the Scriptures with reverence and respect.
“First, the lectors must understand the importance of what they are doing,” Fr. Godfrey says. “When the readings are proclaimed, the Church teaches that it is as if Christ is speaking to His people. Keeping that in mind helps everyone stay focused. Our new sound system also contributes to the intelligibility of the proclamation. Our lectors seem to understand the importance of their task, and this leads them to effectively proclaim the Scriptures, not merely read them. In some places, it would seem that the assembly just gets through the readings. But our desire here is to proclaim them in a living, meaningful way.”
Ultimately, the Lector Ministry highlights the urgent call for Catholics to spend quality time with the Sacred Scriptures, drawing from them authoritative guidance, peace, joy, and strength.
“Familiarity with the Word of God is always a blessing for a Christian disciple,” Fr. Godfrey says. “When we strive to understand God’s Word, we condition ourselves to listen to Him. Preparing to proclaim the Word effectively opens our hearts to God’s will.”
In this day and age, where noise and restlessness prevail, receiving God’s Word in the silence of one’s heart is paramount.
“The desire to hear God’s Word is itself an opening of the heart and soul,” Fr. Godfrey says. “That’s always a good thing. It might be demanding, but it is always good. The Word of God was first spoken to us in the living Christ. The ancient Benedictine practice of Lectio Divina is a process of allowing ourselves to be ‘bathed’ in the Word of God, hearing Him over and over. This is a central part of who we are as Catholics — growing in our relationship, through conversation, with our Savior.”
