December 30, 2012
Reflection
on Lectoring
In his brief monograph on the first five books of the
Bible entitled Introduction to the
Pentateuch, Father Eugene LaVerdiere explains that the Pentateuch is an
inspired compilation of religious and scholarly reflections written over the
course of 500 years (p.61).
The Bible’s first five books contain several different
types of writing including: ancient legends, history, laws and exhortations -
all of which were shaped by the passage of time and by the changing
circumstances of God’s chosen people.
Compiling the Pentateuch was a dynamic process that was
influenced by the events encountered by the people of Israel during years of peace
and in times of upheaval. It was a
process that produced a unique theology of humanity’s relationship with Yahweh.
Today, the words of Scripture continue to illuminate our
own relationship with God. They are the
living and inspired words that speak in new ways to the actual needs and
experiences of people alive today.
In a similar way, lectors continue to grow in their personal
understanding of the Scriptures. They develop
new insights into the relevance of God’s word as it applies to them and to the
assembly.
In a recent lector meeting, the liturgy director at my parish in Florida recommended a
number of resources that support the continuing development of lectors. Among them is a Web site written by a lector,
George Miller: www.lectorresources.com It offers
weekly reflections as well as recommendations for resources useful for
enhancing skills.
Another Web site is: http://liturgy.slu.edu
created by St. Louis University that highlights each Sunday’s Mass, along with
links to additional Web resources.
More on growing with the Scriptures next week.
_______________
“Indeed
the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword.”
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First
Reading - 1 Samuel 1:20-22, 24-28
A
Mother’s Sacrifice
The prophet Samuel came along at a critical time in the
history of Israel.
For approximately 150 years after Joshua, Israel was
guided by a series of judges who tried their best to remind the people about
God’s will for them. Then, when the
Philistines carried off the Ark of the Covenant, the Israelites thought they
would be better served by being ruled by a king. Reluctantly, Samuel who was a priest, prophet
and judge anointed Saul as the first king, and a new kind of government took over
in Israel.
In today’s first reading, Hannah plays a large role in
this epic historical drama. After many
prayers, she finally brings Samuel into the world. Then, when she encounters Eli, Samuel’s
soon-to-be mentor, she dedicates her new son to the service of God.
Reminiscent of Mary’s Magnificat, Hannah prays in chapter
2, “My heart exults in the Lord, my horn
is exalted by my God” (verse 1).
In today’s Gospel, the twelve-year-old Jesus remains
behind in his Father’s house, the location of his final days of preaching. In today’s first reading, when her son was
only three years old, “Hannah left Samuel
there” to begin his service to God. Samuel, like Jesus, had a special mission.
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Second
Reading - 1 John 3:1-2, 21-24
See
What Love
Uncertainly can be painful. Especially when you know you must make a
choice. Especially when the choice will
have long-lasting consequence.
Today’s second reading from the Letter of John presents
us with a very important choice. It is a
choice to, “believe in the name of his
Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as he commanded us.”
In addition to urging us to believe in Jesus and love our
neighbor, the author also gives us a great deal of encouragement: “See what love the Father has bestowed on us
that we may be called the children of God.”
There is a lot to commit to when you choose to believe in
God and love your neighbor. For most
people, it is an ongoing process. It is also
the kind of process that makes this Scripture passage especially valuable for
frequent reflection.
© George Fournier, 2012
