The Epiphany of the Lord
January 5, 2014

Reflection on Lectoring

“The biblical word is like poetry which calls for a great slowing down if someone is to appreciate it.”

This week we shall conclude our reflection on Father Eugene LaVerdiere’s pamphlet titled, “The Art of Proclamation.”  We’ll consider why an aspect of proclamation that may seem of little importance is so essential.  For Father LaVerdiere, silence is truly an essential ingredient for every effective Scripture reading.

In the assembly at weekend Mass there may be hundreds of people.  They come with various preoccupations demanding their attention.  They come with distractions that often arise from events occurring during their week.  These distractions are a kind of background noise that can compete with a quiet hearing of the Scriptures.

To help us understand the importance of quiet, LaVerdiere reflects on the silence that preceded God’s creation of the universe by saying, “Without the silence that precedes it, the command, “Let there be light,” would not be distinguished from all the other sounds.”  The light was even more brilliant because it shone in the darkness and silence.

In a similar way, silence before the Scripture reading sets the stage.

LaVerdiere takes this idea a step farther by saying, “Good readers recognize the silence before, between and after the words and phrases, and allow for it as the reading takes hold of their person and flows through it to the listeners.”

Unlike a crowded restaurant where conversations between people must be shouted and background noise fills the gaps, Mass is a place where the conversation between God and his people fills the church.

LaVerdiere concluded his reflection on the value of silence by saying, “This is extremely important in the case of the Scriptures, where each work, each phrase, each image is important and must make its way into the mind and heart of the listener.”

Perhaps one of the most important jobs of lectors is to show by their demeanor and their proclamation that Scripture is best heard in a setting of respectful and prayerful silence.

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First Reading  -  Isaiah 60:1-6
Breaking Through

There are times when the glory and reality of God break through the plane of our earthly existence.  When God breaks through, people are filled with a new perspective that goes beyond everyday experiences and conventional wisdom.  That is what happens on Epiphany.  That is also what the first reading describes.

In this week’s reflection on lectoring, we talked about God’s light at creation filling the void of the universe.  In this weekend’s first reading we hear about another manifestation of his light, “The glory of the Lord shines upon you.”  It is the kind of light that breaks through the “darkness that covers the earth.”

Without God, the earth would be a very dark place.  However, because of his promise to remain with us, people from Midian to Ephah to Florida can proclaim “the praises of the Lord.”  Isaiah did not know about Jesus Christ, but his message remains true.  His words tells us that whenever God manifests himself to us we “shall be radiant” at what we see, our “heart shall throb and overflow,” and over us will appear his glory.

This weekend, lectors have the wonderful opportunity to describe the  glory of God as it breaks through and enters our world.

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Second Reading  -  Ephsians 3:2-3a, 5-6

The Mystery Revealed

There was an important mystery hidden for centuries from an entire people.  From the time of Abraham and Moses to the age of the prophets, the Jewish people did not know the secret.  However, in today’s second reading Paul says it is his job to reveal the mystery - to Jews and Gentiles alike.

He speaks quite plainly when he says the mystery “was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed . . .   that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.”

Salvation is for everyone.  The Epiphany is for everyone.  And since Christ came to reveal himself to everyone, we his children must share that revelation throughout the world. 

Today’s gospel talks about three Gentiles receiving the message of a newborn king with joy.  It also talks about King Herod who received the same message with fear.  With the joy of the magi, lectors are called upon to proclaim fearlessly the “promise in Christ Jesus.”

© George Fournier 2014

The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
December 29, 2013

Reflection on Lectoring

We close the calendar year with some insights from Father Eugene LaVerdiere taken from his pamphlet titled: “The Art of Proclamation.”  During a retreat he heard a reading from a letter of Paul, and it caused him to ask himself, “What made that reading so extraordinary?”

There are many parts to the answer he came up with, but he starts by saying, “Reading from the Scriptures is a particular kind of art, calling for a unique combination of personal gifts, hard work, insight, skill at interpretation and communication.”

These are the things that every lector does with God’s help for every proclamation.  Lectoring involves a “unique combination” - unique to each lector, resulting in a unique proclamation each and every time.  Every proclamation of the Word comes from a lector’s lifetime of experiences, in the same way that the writing of the words in the Bible came from the experiences of those who wrote them.  They are all divinely inspired, yet very human expressions.

Another key point made by Father LaVerdiere is, “Reading the Scriptures in the liturgy is also a liturgical act directly related to the assembly’s Eucharist.”  In a way that may catch some by surprise, he says the lector’s proclamation is an “extremely basic part of the liturgy . . .  more important, for instance, than the homily.”

Why?  Because: “The homilist’s point of departure is not the word on the lectionary page but the word that has just been read and heard and is now reflected on the faces of the assembly.”

The depth and majesty of God’s spoken word, spoken with love and understanding from the lips of the lector.  The starting point of every truly great proclamation.

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First Reading  -  Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14
Foundation

In some ways the advice presented in the first reading might appear to be self-evident.  We are told to honor and obey our parents.  We are also told that there will be a benefit to us when we do.  We will be gladdened by children, and our prayers will be answered.  Is there a need this weekend to be told again what we have heard so many times before?

The world 2,200 years ago was a time when life presented many trials.  In some ways the world today is vastly different, but the trials are still very real.  Regardless of the time or age, it is never easy to face life’s trials alone.

The author of Sirach understood that.  He knew what the fourth commandment had to say about one’s father and mother.  He also knew that family, tribe and religious tradition helped get us through trials and helped to put a perspective on things.

At some level everyone alive today understands that too.  When people hear the story of the infant birth in humble surroundings, and when they hear of the Holy Family’s desperate flight into an uncertain future in Egypt, they recognize how tenuous were the prospects of Joseph, Mary and their little son.  Upon reflection people also recognize the ability of every strong family yesterday and today to withstand the worst of trials.

Today’s first reading is both a reflection and a reminder of the power and strength that comes from family.  It is a statement of priority, a statement about what really matters.  It is a declaration that God adds his strength to the foundation upon which all humanity is built.

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Second Reading  -  Colossians  3:12-21
Surrounded by Family

In today’s second reading Paul tells us about the things that create strong families.  In many early Christian communities people gathered to worship God in their homes.  The idea and experience of family surrounded them.  They were family to each other.

Strong families were built on “compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”  They needed the ability to bear with one another and forgive one another.  And above all they needed to “put on love, that is, the bond of perfection.”

A strong Christian community was a place that invited God into its midst.  People gathered together to sing “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.”  The early Christians in their strong families did thing together.

People in strong families today still do things together.  They still celebrate joyful times together.  They still endure trials and hardships together.

Paul knew what strong families needed.  This weekend you as a lector can share the things Paul knew with everyone in the assembly - with everyone who is part of your parish family.

© George Fournier 2013

Fourth Sunday of Advent
December 22, 2013

Reflection on Lectoring

“The lector must thoroughly understand and fully appreciate the spiritual meaning of the text before s/he can make God’s word come alive to the assembly.”

                                                                                    - Deacon Bob

Over the last few weeks, we have presented some of the insights of a deacon in our my parish about how lectors make the scriptures come alive.   What he makes clear is that lectoring involves much more than reading words on autopilot.

How, then, does the lector make the scriptures “come alive?”   “First,” suggests Deacon Bob, “the lector must be a person of prayer, s/he should pray over the scriptures.” He also advises, “Any person who prays the scriptures will just naturally attain to a higher plane of understanding and a consequent ability to make scripture come alive.”

Every prayer is a personal conversation with God, and every prayerful meditation on the scriptures invites God to inform our understanding of his words.

Additionally, Deacon Bob urges us to prepare for proclaiming the scriptures by reading them out loud.  He cites an article by William Harris, a former humanities professor from Middlebury College, who relates some of the essential benefits of this type of out-loud reading.  “Reading is kept to a slow and sensitive pace, one savors the sounds and enjoys minute changes of meaning and inflections of mood,” writes Harris.

It is ok to enjoy the sound of the words.  It is ok to understand the meaning of the words with our minds, hearts and souls.  While it is useful to review the background information offered by scripture commentaries, it is equally important to recognize God’s words as innately beautiful words, awe inspiring words, and truly life-changing words.

Praying over the scriptures involves a personal conversation between God and us.  Similarly, lectoring also involves a conversation, this time including God, the lector and the assembly.  There is a lot of personal and prayerful reflection in this kind of conversation.   The kind of reflection that makes the scriptures truly come alive.

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First reading  -  Isaiah 7:10-14
A Reason to Be Hopeful

Ahaz is incorrigible.  What do you do with a king who gets it all wrong?  Are you just stuck with him?  Do you just hope for something better after he is gone - without any really good reason to expect anything better?

Ahaz was one of Judah’s really bad kings.  He was responsible for Idolatry and child sacrifice.  He was also responsible for an alliance with Assyria that Isaiah felt was a bad idea.  It turns out that Isaiah was right.  The alliance results in Judah’s becoming a vassal of Assyria.

In today’s reading Isaiah tells Ahaz to ask for a sign from God - a recommendation which Ahaz disingenuously declines.  The king is going to do things his own way. 

Nevertheless, Isaiah tells Ahaz (and all of us) that despite external challenges and our own internal pride and obduracy, there is good reason to be hopeful about the future.  The bad things of the present day will give way to the promise of God’s presence with us forever   Kings and rulers will come and go.  Emmanuel will always be there.

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Second Reading  -  Romans 1:1-7
Identity and Belonging

At the time he wrote the Letter to the Romans, Paul had not yet visited Rome which was then a well established community of believers.  Consequently, he begins the letter by introducing himself to his readers.  He calls himself an apostle of the “gospel of God” and “a slave of Christ Jesus.”

The beginning of this letter is all about belonging  - belonging to a group of believers with a common purpose : “to bring about the obedience of faith.”

It is a feeling of belonging that extends to all Christians who “are called to belong to Jesus Christ.”  In addition to their call, they all “have received the grace of apostleship, to bring about the obedience of faith.”

Your hearers at Mass also belong to a community of believers.  You and they belong to Jesus Christ.

Today’s reading closes with the words, “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”  They are powerful and memorable words for creating a sense of identity and belonging.  They are a blessing you as the lector are privileged to share with everyone in the assembly.

© George Fournier 2013

Third Sunday of Advent
December 15, 2013

Reflection on Lectoring

Do you believe?

Do you believe what you are saying?

Do you?

Last week we began an examination of the purpose of lectoring.  Does a lector deliver instruction on the content of the Scriptures to his or her hearers?   Or, as was suggested by one of our deacons at a recent lector meeting, is the job of the lector to “make the Scriptures come alive?” 

But how does a lector “make the Scriptures come alive” and what does that mean? Perhaps the best answer is to look at how you make the Scriptures come alive for yourself.  It starts with believing.

Take a serious look at your next Scripture reading assignment.  Do you really believe the words that you will be proclaiming?  Is your belief based simply on the idea that the words are probably true because they come from the Bible?   Do you accept what is written because you have heard the same passage before, or because it corresponds well to some religious instruction you once received in the past?

Or do you believe because you can make a personal connection with the words?  Being personal means more than just careful analysis or intellectual acceptance.  It means both a head and heart response.  It means a genuine belief that God is saying something directly to you.  It means he is using the words you read as his means of communication.

Lectors may sometimes feel that the readings at Mass sound incomplete or obscure, hard to analyze or applicable only to people of a different time or place.  If lectors allow themselves to feel that way, it is easy to imagine how their hearers will feel.  That is not how to make the Scriptures come alive.

Believing is more than an assent of the intellect or will.  Particularly when it comes to the Scriptures.  Believing involves all that we are - people who are made whole by our sharing with each other and by our relationship with God.   When we share what we really believe, making the Scriptures come alive is really possible. 

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First Reading  -  Isaiah 35:1-6a, 10
A Witness to Joy

What a beautiful piece of poetry!  What magnificent lyrics for a song!  Do you want to feel encouraged, uplifted, or joyful?

To enjoy and appreciate today’s first reading you do not have to know anything about Carmel or Sharon.  Let the Scripture scholars worry about that.

Look instead at the words “splendor,” “rejoice” and “bloom.”  Listen to God saying, “Be strong, fear not!”  Say the words out loud and let yourself smile.  Let the smile arise from inside - from how you feel inside.

Let your hearers at Mass also feel the joy.  Everyone needs encouragement.  Everyone deserves to know, “Here is your God.”  He is right there with them at Mass.

At Mass, you can be a witness to your hearers, letting them know that God is with them.  That “he comes to save” them.  It is a kind of message that requires the highest level of belief, because it is the kind of message that is so important, so essential.   It is the kind of message you have the privilege to enjoy and proclaim.

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Second Reading  -  James 5:7-10
Patience with a Purpose and a Promise

How do you tell someone to be patient?  One way can sound somewhat disapproving, almost as if you have lost patience with the person whom you are telling to be patient.  “Please, be patient!”

Another way can sound like pleading.  “Please, have a little patience.” 

There is also the kind of patience James had in mind when he talks about Job, “You have heard of the perseverance of Job” (5:11).  In today’s second reading (5:.10) he also talks about the patience shown by “the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.”  These are examples of patience with a purpose.  A patience that is as strong as the conviction that God has something good in store for us.

Since we know that Christmas always follows Advent on the calendar, it might seem a little unnecessary to promote the value of patience.   Maybe a better word might be anticipation.  Or maybe expectation.  Both have a positive connotation.

Perhaps the best way to look beyond the burden of patience is to believe firmly that something good is about to happen.  “See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth,” says James.

However, we have something even better to look forward to than a farmer’s earthly harvest.  We have our own precious fruit that does not depend on “the early and the late rains.”  We have a promise made by Christ himself that he is also waiting - waiting for us.

© George Fournier 2013 

Second Sunday of Advent
December 8, 2013

Reflection on Lectoring

In our recent annual lector meeting a deacon in our parish offered us an important insight into our ministry.  He said the proclamation of the Scriptures is not meant to be an exercise in exegesis, interpretation or instruction.  Rather, the job of the lector is “to make the Word of God come alive” for our hearers at Mass.

We shalll spend this week and next thinking about what he said.  This week: a brief explanation of exegesis and why it is not the goal of the lector ministry.

Dei Verbum, (Word of God) is one of the documents of Vatican II, and one of the resources our deacon recommended to us.  In section 12, the document makes a distinction between two types of exegesis: an historical and literary approach to exegesis, and a theological exegesis.  Both are valuable.  Both deepen our understanding of the Scriptures.  Both employ different methods and norms.

Historical and literary exegesis seeks to understand what the human writers of the Bible wanted to say.  To do this, it employs technical analysis that includes textual criticism, source criticism, form criticism, and a few others.  According to Dei Verbum, “Attention must be paid to the customary and characteristic styles of perceiving, speaking and narrating that prevailed at the time.”  Much of the background materials provided by Scripture commentaries help us understand how the culture and forms of expression of Old and New Testament writers influenced their choice of actual words and the analogies which they drew.

Theological exegesis is the other way of finding authentic meaning in the Scriptures.  In his essay, Vatican II on the Interpretation of Scripture, Avery Cardinal Dulles demonstrates how Dei Verbum also stresses the need to understand what God, the divine author, intended to say.  Deepening our understanding of what God is saying is the focus of theological exegesis, an approach that is guided by the Church and follows a set of norms for determining the authenticity of interpretation (Catholic tradition and a recognition that the entire Bible is inspired by God are among those norms).

Proclaimers of the Word and hearers of the Word can both benefit from a knowledge of how the Scriptures came to be.  But as lectors know, they cannot in their two or three minutes at the ambo provide this kind of background or exegesis.  At times, they might even feel a sense of frustration that they cannot.  But that is not their job.  As our deacon said, their job is to make the Word of God “come alive.”

More on this next week.

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First Reading  -  Isaiah 11:1-10
Waiting for the Good King

Who is this “he” whom Isaiah is talking about in today’s first reading? 

He seems to be saying that something good is going to “sprout from the stump of Jesse.”  He is obviously expecting a lot from a stump.

Prophets like Isaiah have a knack for recognizing all the bad behavior going on around them.  These same prophets can go on for pages describing the truly horrible outcomes resulting from this bad behavior.  Nevertheless, they can also see the good that comes from following God’s commandments.

Isaiah did not know that Jesus would arrive on earth centuries later.  But he did know that Jesse was king David’s father and God had promised David his dynasty would endure.  Finally, he knew the difference between a bad king (like Ahaz) and a good king who will have “the spirit of the Lord” resting on him.

The “he” in today’s reading is the ideal, good king who “shall judge the poor with justice and decide aright for the land’s afflicted.”  And, when the ideal king comes along, “the root of Jesse” will be “set up as a signal for the nations.”  Perhaps that why Advent is a time for hopeful waiting.

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Second Reading  -  Romans 15:4-9
Harmony in Diversity

No matter the undertaking, no matter the goal you set out to achieve, you have to take into account the different personalities and agendas you will encounter.

In his Letter to the Romans, Paul tells the Roman Christian community about his plans to bring to Jerusalem the money he collected for the city’s impoverished Jewish Christians.  He then plans to visit Rome personally before moving on to Spain. 

Despite his good intentions, he gets arrested in Jerusalem and spends two years in jail.  Ultimately, he is taken to Rome as a prisoner and is put under house arrest.  There he was martyred even before getting to Spain.

Today’s second reading extols the value of thinking “in harmony with one another.”  In this passage, Paul prays that his readers, despite their differences, “may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Sometimes it may seem that things are no different today in 2013 from the way they were in Paul’s time.  Differences can create divisions - often resulting in cruel consequences.  Perhaps, however, Christmas has a way of creating good will and harmony among all people, while also respecting and valuing their differences.  Perhaps, also, this second reading may make a small contribution to strengthening that harmony.

© George Fournier 2013