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.”
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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.
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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.
© George Fournier 2013
