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Lector Ministry: Proclaiming the Good News With Reverence for God’s Word
By generously proclaiming the Word of God to our parish family, our parish lectors also end up “proclaiming” it to their own souls as well. As the saying goes, our Lord cannot be outdone in generosity, and the time, talent, and treasure we give will come back to us a hundredfold.
“I have been a lector at our parish since the early 1980s,” Kenneth G. Reinsch says. “I have found that being able to share the readings at Mass as a lector allows me to become more aware of what the readings are really trying to say to everyone. I personally believe that being a lector has given me a closer relationship with Christ in the Mass.”
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Nourished by the Sacred Scriptures themselves, lectors are then able to spiritually nourish the members of our parish family. Prayerful preparation enables lectors to make an impact on those who hear the Word of God that they diligently proclaim.
“A lector’s duty begins with them reading the Scriptures ahead of time to make sure they understand what they are meant to relate to the parishioners,” Kenneth says. “Lectors need to look up any words or names that are hard to pronounce and get a feel for the flow of the message, to be better able to keep the congregation involved in the reading.”
If a lector prepares well, they will likely be more effective in bringing the Good News of God’s love, truth, and salvation to all.
“I personally believe that the better prepared I am, the more the congregation will be able to understand and interpret the readings,” Kenneth says.
Furthermore, if a lector has reverence for God’s Word, it will help others to have reverence for it as well.
“Although we were never told just how to dress for lectoring, I always feel better if I am wearing a suit, or at least dress clothes with a tie,” Kenneth says.
Lectors are given various tools to help them fulfill their liturgical duty.
“We have a lectern stand in the sacristy where we can practice the readings and any other assigned duties before the Mass,” Kenneth says. “At this stand, there are a couple of pamphlets that show how to properly pronounce several difficult words and phrases.”
Ultimately, lectors such as Kenneth truly enjoy sharing the inspiring words of the Holy Bible, “God’s love letter to His people,” with our parish family.
“It is really important to pay attention to the readings because they tell us about what the prophets were trying to tell people before Christ was born, as well as what the Good Word was after He began His public ministry,” Kenneth says. “The more the world is in disarray, the more we need to be involved in the Mass. Praying, whether alone or at Mass, is always a way to keep your faith stronger and more alive.”
Nourished by the Sacred Scriptures themselves, lectors are then able to spiritually nourish the members of our parish family. Prayerful preparation enables lectors to make an impact on those who hear the Word of God that they diligently proclaim.
