February 10, 2013
Reflection on Lectoring
God speaks directly to us. To each one of us. About this, we can be absolutely certain.
God spoke to Adam and Eve, to Abraham, to Moses and the
prophets. He spoke to them in a very
human language. In the course of time,
he spoke most powerfully through Christ, the Word made flesh.
But all of this is more than just past history. God continues to reveal himself to us today by
sending us the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth. About this, we can also be absolutely
certain.
This kind of certainty is essential for lectors. They must believe they can hear God in the
words of the Scriptures they proclaim.
If lectors don’t believe, neither will their hearers.
One method for helping lectors and everyone who reads
Scripture to hear the voice of God is called Lectio Divina or divine
reading. It is a way for encountering God in the Scriptures
that was endorsed by Pope Benedict XVI when he said, “If it is effectively
promoted, this practice will bring to the Church - - I am convinced of it -- a
new spiritual springtime.”
Lectio Divina involves reading, meditation, prayer and
contemplation. It involves the kind of
communication with God that can illuminate a lector’s proclamation of the
Scriptures. More on Lectio Divina next
week.
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“Sacred
Scripture is the speech of God as it is put down in writing under the breath of
the Holy Spirit.”
- Verbum Dei , n. 9
Documents of Vatican Council II____________________________
First Reading - Isaiah 6:1-2a, 3-8
"Here I am."
“Here
I am,” I said, “send me.”
What thoughts go through a person’s mind when he or she
says to God, “Here I am”? All three of
today’s readings can give us some possible answers.
It was around the year 742 B.C. when King Uzziah
died. During every transition of power in
ancient Judah there were multiple opportunities for mischief. From outside, it came from countries like
Syria and then Assyria. From inside, troubles
arose as the powerful sought more power.
The timing of the start of Isaiah’s career foreshadowed the many shattering
events that would mark his entire career.
The immediate circumstances of Isaiah’s call were no less
intimidating. He is in the temple while
it is filled with incense, and a vision of “the
Lord seated on a high and lofty throne” appears. And he is scared. “Woe is
me, I am doomed!” He knows he is a
sinner, and so does the seraphim carrying a burning ember from the altar.
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Second Reading - 1 Corinthians 15:1-11
Without Reservation
In today’s second reading Paul says, “I am the least of the apostles, not fit to be called an apostle.” But that did not stop him. He heard the risen Lord talking to him, and
that was all he needed.
Paul does not appear to be the kind of person who was satisfied
with doing anything halfway. Consequently,
we might be right to suppose that his “Yes” was accompanied by few reservations. He knew he was not perfect. He had persecuted Christians. He had a thorn
in his flesh that got under his skin.
But none of that stopped him.
Today’s second reading brings to a close the four
weekends that we will spend on First Corinthians. Paul told the Corinthians that the health of
their community depended on a respect for diversity and on a love for their
brothers and sisters. Today, he makes it
clear that without a belief in the resurrection, the church would not survive.
© 2013 George Fournier
