As a Lector, would you ever

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@Fr. David…

Just my own 2¢ -

For the Passion plays (Palm Sunday, Good Friday), I prefer the long versions, though those Masses are always long to begin with.

My parish uses lectors for the Passion, we do not have extra Priests or any Deacons.

As far as the rest of the readings are concerned, to me it’s six in one, and a half dozen in the other. I’m cool with whichever one the Priest wants.
 
I’m in a small Parish, so there’s only one reader for a Sunday, who will be doing the 1st and 2nd readings, the Responsorial Psalm (it’s not sung), the Alleluia, and the Prayers of the Faithful.

I’m pretty sure it will be totally up to me if I do the long or short version of the second reading, and since it seems to go on forever, and doesn’t seem to add anything to the meaning (at least not in my estimation), I was really thinking of doing the short version.

But, is that limiting the Holy Spirit, and maybe one person will have benefited by one omitted sentence… ?
 
Simca said:
I’m in a small Parish, so there’s only one reader for a Sunday, who will be doing the 1st and 2nd readings, the Responsorial Psalm (it’s not sung), the Alleluia, and the Prayers of the Faithful.

I’m pretty sure it will be totally up to me if I do the long or short version of the second reading, and since it seems to go on forever, and doesn’t seem to add anything to the meaning (at least not in my estimation), I was really thinking of doing the short version.

But, is that limiting the Holy Spirit, and maybe one person will have benefited by one omitted sentence… ?
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Simca,

This is what I’d do… I’d prepare the long version and ask the Celebrant if it’s OK to use the short reading. Whatever the Celebrant says is OK. The second reading for this Sunday is probably already familiar to the congregation (1 Cor 13).

There’s also a prayer I say before proclaiming. I first printed it from CatholicsProclaim.com a few years ago, but it looks like looks like the site is gone.
Lord, empty my mind of any thoughts about myself. Help me to take myself out of this reading I’m about to proclaim, and fill me with your Holy Spirit so there’s no room for any self-centered thoughts to infiltrate my mind and heart. Help me become a pure and unblemished conduit for your message so that it touches the mids and hearts of my brothers and sisters in a way that pleases them, and especially you,
Amen.
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I find it very helpful to pray this.
 
Phemie said:
OK, since you ask, I default to the long version unless the priest celebrant requests the short and I can’t recall any who’ve requested that even if they, themselves, may opt for the short version of the Gospel.
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At the abbey, I’ve never heard the short form used except for the Vigil, because staying up well past midnight is already very tough on an elderly community (average age nearing 70).

In the parish, I don’t think I’ve ever heard the long form used!
 
tee_eff_em said:
And I have some difficulty understanding the audacity of those who would not explicitly ask?? But that might just be me 🤷

:twocents:
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After some consideration, I must revise my position.*

While I still hold the “right” answer is to ask the preacher, if caught completely without direction, I believe I would opt for the longer reading. It seems to me that the longer reading is presented as the standard, and the shorter version(s) as options – eg In our Lectionary, the longer reading appears first, with shortened form(s) on successive pages – I do not believe the shorter readings are ever presented first. Similarly, the (admittedly unauthoritative) instructions included in missalettes say something like “For a shorter reading omit the bracketed texts”, never “For a longer reading, include …”

Reformedly,*
tee

(* Okay, who won the pool? :rotfl: )
 
Related but different question: Does anyone know whether the Revised Common Lectionary used by a number of Protestant churches also has short and long versions of readings? Seems quite possible since it was based on the Catholic lectionary.
 
Digitonomy said:
Related but different question: Does anyone know whether the Revised Common Lectionary used by a number of Protestant churches also has short and long versions of readings? Seems quite possible since it was based on the Catholic lectionary.
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Here is a link to the readings for this weekend.

lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts.php?id=109

That version does not have “long or short” options.

I suppose you can browse through and check.
 
Simca said:
I’m in a small Parish, so there’s only one reader for a Sunday, who will be doing the 1st and 2nd readings, the Responsorial Psalm (it’s not sung), the Alleluia, and the Prayers of the Faithful.
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@Simca

So, how’d it go?

I assume you were talking about today’s readings?
 
tee_eff_em said:
After some consideration, I must revise my position.
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I have to do it again!*

Well, my position is still the same, but:
tee_eff_em said:
Similarly, the (admittedly unauthoritative) instructions included in missalettes say something like “For a shorter reading omit the bracketed texts”, never "For a longer reading, include …"
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This morning’s readings i noticed the (OCP) books we use did just that – *“For a longer reading …” *:eek: A spot check says they might all be so noted. It still seems to me a bogus way to phrase the instruction. :twocents:

(* Who’d a thunk!? :rotfl: )

tee
 
tee_eff_em said:
I have to do it again!*

Well, my position is still the same, but:

This morning’s readings i noticed the (OCP) books we use did just that – *“For a longer reading …” *:eek: A spot check says they might all be so noted. It still seems to me a bogus way to phrase the instruction. :twocents:

(* Who’d a thunk!? :rotfl: )

tee
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They must be reading these threads and taking your advice, tee. 🙂
 
This doesn’t have to deal specifically with the OP’s question, but I dislike the shorter form of the readings. I think it really diminishes the meaning of scripture.
 
speters33w said:
@Simca

So, how’d it go?

I assume you were talking about today’s readings?
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Hi!

I was happy with the way it turned out. I knew if I didn’t ask, I never would have been told, so it would have been left to my discretion. And I probably would have never chosen the short reading.

But I asked the Priest, and he said “Definitely the short reading, we have a lot of long ceremonies today.”

🙂
 
tee_eff_em said:
It still seems to me a bogus way to phrase the instruction.
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It’s as if Charles Dickens would have written a A Tale of London, but with a bunch of [bracketed] stuff about Paris and the advice: For a longer novel – A Tale of Two Cities, if you will – Read the extra bits. :whacky:

tee
 
I prefer the longer readings, but I’m a a new lector, so I haven’t had much opportunity. Many, many people have come up to me to give me praises for how I read, and they are truly sincere, and ask me when I’ll read again. Some have even told me that I’m better ( both the readings and the homilies) than the other lectors the deacons, and even the priests, and that really makes me feel embarassed. I don’t understand, because they often think my readings are like the sermons. I always tell them that don’t give me any credit at all, all credit belongs to God. I really am humble no matter what anyone says. Even though I’ve been a lector for a few months, I’m seriously thinking about quitting, partly due to that, seriously, and because starting today, besides my always practicing beforehand, even weeks beforehand, for the first time I recorded myself on my cell phone, and I just sound hideous, really… I don’t know what the heck people are thinking, but now I have become very self conscious and very nervous. I’ve never ever been nervous. The very first day I read, I wasn’t nervous one bit, and in fact, very calm and let the scriptures and the Holy Spirit flow. But seriously, now I’m very self-conscious, no longer confident, and really ready to quit. And I didn’t bring into the discussion about all that praise stuff to impress anyone, as it really does embarasse me as I am truly a humble person, and unworthy.
What shall I do? I really want to resign, and I really mean it.
 
Rasoleil said:
I prefer the longer readings, but I’m a a new lector, so I haven’t had much opportunity. Many, many people have come up to me to give me praises for how I read, and they are truly sincere, and ask me when I’ll read again. Some have even told me that I’m better ( both the readings and the homilies) than the other lectors the deacons, and even the priests, and that really makes me feel embarassed. I don’t understand, because they often think my readings are like the sermons. I always tell them that don’t give me any credit at all, all credit belongs to God. I really am humble no matter what anyone says. Even though I’ve been a lector for a few months, I’m seriously thinking about quitting, partly due to that, seriously, and because starting today, besides my always practicing beforehand, even weeks beforehand, for the first time I recorded myself on my cell phone, and I just sound hideous, really… I don’t know what the heck people are thinking, but now I have become very self conscious and very nervous. I’ve never ever been nervous. The very first day I read, I wasn’t nervous one bit, and in fact, very calm and let the scriptures and the Holy Spirit flow. But seriously, now I’m very self-conscious, no longer confident, and really ready to quit. And I didn’t bring into the discussion about all that praise stuff to impress anyone, as it really does embarasse me as I am truly a humble person, and unworthy.
Code: 
     What shall I do?  I really want to resign, and I really mean it.
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I used to get praised quite often for my reading, and it did make me more self-conscious. And then I realized something - if I sounded beautiful reading God’s word, it’s because God gave me that gift, and so I shold be giving it back to him. Now when people tell me I sounded beautiful readong, or whatever, I respond with “It’s not hard to make such beautiful words sound good,” both to remind them and myself that all I am doing is proclaiming God’s word. And if I have a bad day, or stumble, or whatever, then that’s just my humanity shining through.

As for self-consciousness or nervousness, try saying a prayer as you are walking up, asking for the Holy Spirit to be with you and help you as you read - another lector offered that suggestion to me once, and it has been invaluable. Especially when I’m a last minute replacement or assignment - like the day the deacon whispered to me “Can you read?” as they were literally processing to the altar. I was walking forward that day asking the Holy Spirit to be with me - and to not let there be any hard names in the readings!
 
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