In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came to be through him,
and without him nothing came to be.
What came to be through him was life,
and this life was the light of the human race;
the light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it.
This passage from the Gospel of John resounds clearly in the hearts of a lector.
Lectors do not just “read” at Mass; we proclaim the Word which IS GOD. We greet the new year with a renewed reverence for the ministry to which we have been called. We bow with greater awe before we take one step up to the altar, making sure to include the ambo and the lectionary and the WORD as the target of our reverence, not the altar alone.
If you feel you have been called to this ministry to proclaim the WORD which IS GOD, if you have felt this call in your prayer, in your reading of Scripture, follow that call. Email the coordinator for lectors, Kathy Weyant, at [email protected]. Request the training and be welcome into this most special ministry.
Requirements: Lectors are fully initiated, practicing Catholics whose lives witness to the Word which they proclaim. To make the service of the Word effective, all lectors are expected to be prepared for their ministry. Preparation should be spiritual, scriptural, and practical. Spiritual preparation involves prayer over the text and reflection on its message. Scriptural preparation involves understanding the text. Practical preparation involves mastering difficult words, learning the right pronunciations and practicing the delivery of the text aloud, ideally in the presence of someone who is able to critique the delivery.
Immediate preparation is also expected of all lectors. This requires arriving in ample time before the liturgy, locating the readings in the Lectionary, arranging the microphone, checking the Prayers of the Faithful if there is no deacon present.
There are occasional meetings/and/or mornings of reflection which all lectors are encouraged to attend, both for spiritual nourishment and to build a community where we can share our faith and service.