August 18, 2013
Reflection on Lectoring
Many years ago, the Catholic diocese where I live
produced a half-hour TV Mass watched each week by several thousands of people. One of the regular lectors on the program was
a retired US Navy captain. Her name was
Esther.
Esther lectored with an air of authority. However, she always proclaimed the Scriptures
with a warmth that conveyed how much she cared about the people who watched. She cared about them, despite the fact that
she would never see most of them face to face.
Esther allowed her personality to be reflected in her
reading. She was genuine and sincere,
and the viewers easily recognized how much she cared. She was not acting. She was not posing as a celebrity seeking
attention. She was simply who she was.
It was not unusual for Esther to be mentioned in the mail
addressed to the TV Mass. For many viewers
the readings took on special meaning because Esther read from her heart. Viewers responded to her not because she was
a scripture scholar. Not because she was
a great orator. But because she shared
something that was important to her and to them.
Esther passed away several years ago. But who she was and what she shared will
never be forgotten by anyone who heard her proclaim the Scriptures. She will always be remembered as a lector who
genuinely cared.
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First Reading - Jeremiah 38:4-6, 8-10
Getting Along
After reading today’s first two readings and Gospel, you
might be tempted to ask, “Can’t we all just get along?” Are we doomed to violence, hatred and, as experienced
by Jeremiah, the total destruction of Jerusalem?
During Jeremiah’s 40 years as a prophet there was one
crisis after another. After an initial
period of religious reform, the Assyrians, Egyptians, Babylonians and a bunch
of self-serving Jewish kings all caused turmoil and confusion.
Jeremiah’s life reflected the chaos. His relatives plotted his death. He was put on trial for his life and barely
acquitted. He went into hiding for almost
12 years. And when he foretold the
destruction of Jerusalem, a group of unhappy princes decided that the best way
to kill him was to put him in a damp cistern. Not a very novel idea since Joseph’s brothers
did the same thing to him in chapter 37 of Genesis.
It is no small wonder that Jesus said, “Jerusalem,
Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you. . .” (Mt.
23:37).
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Second Reading - Hebrews 12:1-4
It is Never Easy
In the above reflection on today’s first reading, we
suggested that the ball is in our court when it comes to avoiding hatred,
discord and the many other byproducts of sin.
Fortunately, in today’s second reading, we find that we have an ally in
the struggle: “the leader and perfecter
of faith.”
However, there is no free ride. When receiving help from Jesus, we incur an
obligation to make use of his help by ridding “ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us.”
In today’s second reading, Paul also offers a “cloud of witnesses” who can offer
encouragement in our struggle against sin.
In the verses preceding today’s reading these witnesses are described as
people who “closed the mouths of lions,
put out raging fires. . . turned back foreign invaders, escaped the devouring
sword. . . were stoned, sawed in two,
put to death at sword’s point.” They
also “wandered about in deserts and on
mountains, in caves, and in crevices in the earth.”
© George Fournier 2013
