Dramatic readings by the lectors

  • Thread starter Thread starter Aurelia
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
40.png
mercygate:
This is always a point of consideration for a reader (we’re not Lectors unless we’re male and commissioned by the diocese). I pray the passages for the week before reading on Sunday, and I try to read with consideration of the sense.

I was flattered at a weekday Mass when the celebrant (a retired bishop) referenced the reading in his homily and added, “which we have just heard so intelligently read.”

I find it painful when it is obvious that a reader is merely reading the words and has no interior sense of what they are saying. While the expectation is that the Holy Spirit will supply the congregation with the gift of understanding no matter how poor the reading, his job is made much more difficult when readers have not done their homework.
Click to expand...
20 years ago I was a lector, before I entered the Protestant jungle and came back out the other side. I was taught to project, but not scream; read slowly, but not in a monotone; and like you said, read with consideration of the sense. I’m not reading the phone book up there. For every person that gets in a huff if the reader/lector/whatever uses a little inflection during passages when the Apostle Paul is angry, for instance, there are likely 10 people who are really hearing the readings that Sunday and not looking at the diocesan newspaper or the bulletin.
 
While I’m not a lector, after a monotone reading, I’ve often thought “If the Word was supposed to be read like that, we might as well be told that today’s reading is ________ and when you are done, we’ll sing the responsorial psalm.” Granted, care must be exercised to insure it doesn’t become a “performance” that overshadows the reading.

Our parish ministers to the death community so periodically our lector is deaf meaning she signs and the translator provides the words. While my custom is to read along as the lector reads out loud, when the deaf lector is signing and am always riveted to her. If you’ve ever been around the deaf, when they sign it is very animated. When the writer is expressing anger or compassion, her face and motions passionately display the tone of the passage. It is inspiring and in no way distracting.
 
I agree with Mercygate that readers should be prepared. In our church Masses on Sunday have two readers at each mass and I know thatsometimes somebody is ill etc and can’t read. So the other reader must do it all. But that is why we are to be there 15-20 minutes BEFORE Mass to prepare especially for the Intro and the Prayer of the Faithful. Thank God our church has humble servants who merely want to read the Word and do their best and enjoy the Mass.
 
40.png
aurora77:
That’s the approach I take when I read at Mass. I hope that I can convey the Word of God well enough that people get something from it; I’m not up there to be the center of attention.
Click to expand...
I fully agree.
 
hilde the dog:
I agree with Mercygate that readers should be prepared. In our church Masses on Sunday have two readers at each mass and I know thatsometimes somebody is ill etc and can’t read. So the other reader must do it all. But that is why we are to be there 15-20 minutes BEFORE Mass to prepare especially for the Intro and the Prayer of the Faithful. Thank God our church has humble servants who merely want to read the Word and do their best and enjoy the Mass.
Click to expand...
The best lesson I EVER learned was from a seasoned reader who told me: “You are now a minister of the Church. As a reader, you should be prepared to read whenever you come to Mass by having studied the lessons and by being appropriately dressed to step into the Sanctuary.”

I know she takes her own advice. I have seen the Pastor walk up to her and whisper in her ear before a weekday Mass, and she steps up to the ambo with great confidence – and when she reads, your hair stands on end because she let’s the Holy Spirit convey the word through her lips.
 
40.png
mercygate:
The best lesson I EVER learned was from a seasoned reader who told me: “You are now a minister of the Church. As a reader, you should be prepared to read whenever you come to Mass by having studied the lessons and by being appropriately dressed to step into the Sanctuary.”

I know she takes her own advice. I have seen the Pastor walk up to her and whisper in her ear before a weekday Mass, and she steps up to the ambo with great confidence – and when she reads, your hair stands on end because she let’s the Holy Spirit convey the word through her lips.
Click to expand...
I talk with our Director of Lector’s every week as he is aCCD teacher and I’m his aide. He tells me that occasionally he was caught off guard by not wearing a tie and jacket when he was at church and thus one lector had to do all the readings. then again on Sunday I completely forgot to ask the priest if the reading from Phil. was to be the long or short versions. So I erred on the side of caution and read the LONG reading. Turns out the priest’s homily quoted the long version. (We are in a conservative parish and rarely use the short readings). Yes thank GOD, I knew as another lector once said to me when she is in trouble up there “Holy Spirit you got me into this, now get me out”.
 
I wasn’t objecting to someone reading with a bit of expression, it’s just that, with some lectors, it seems like the children’s librarian is reading to a bunch of 4-yr-olds at story hour.
 
When I lector, I was taught not just to read the readings, but be able to pray the readings. When you pray the readings, they you are lifting your voice to God in conversation with all of creation. I can tell when a lector is prepared to proclaim the readings from one who just shows up and reads it. It is important that we are familiar what the reading conveys to others by doing a little background on the reading. When you do then you can proclaim in the context it was meant.
 
40.png
stbruno:
When I lector, I was taught not just to read the readings, but be able to pray the readings. When you pray the readings, they you are lifting your voice to God in conversation with all of creation. I can tell when a lector is prepared to proclaim the readings from one who just shows up and reads it. It is important that we are familiar what the reading conveys to others by doing a little background on the reading. When you do then you can proclaim in the context it was meant.
Click to expand...
As Lily Tomlin used to say: Ain’t it the Truth!
 
40.png
Aurelia:
I wasn’t objecting to someone reading with a bit of expression, it’s just that, with some lectors, it seems like the children’s librarian is reading to a bunch of 4-yr-olds at story hour.
Click to expand...
Or the next “Sir Lawrence Olivier” wannabe!
 
To proclaim via a condescending inflection? No. To proclaim via a sing-song, “let’s see what’ll happen” next inflection? Come on. This is not Story Hour at the public library.

To proclaim with a little enthusiasm? Sure. This beats those who don’t even bother to preread, and stumble over the pronounciations of various locales in the Mideast.

We are fortunate to have one lector is REALLY good. He should be making voice-overs someplace, his voice is that good.
 
40.png
mercygate:
This is always a point of consideration for a reader (we’re not Lectors unless we’re male and commissioned by the diocese). I pray the passages for the week before reading on Sunday, and I try to read with consideration of the sense.

I was flattered at a weekday Mass when the celebrant (a retired bishop) referenced the reading in his homily and added, “which we have just heard so intelligently read.”

I find it painful when it is obvious that a reader is merely reading the words and has no interior sense of what they are saying. While the expectation is that the Holy Spirit will supply the congregation with the gift of understanding no matter how poor the reading, his job is made much more difficult when readers have not done their homework.
Click to expand...
I agree - thats the biggest distraction for me, too - when the reader has no interior sense of the word. While a professional voice is great, most of us don’t have that. But really being present to the Word you are reading helps make up for that lack and its something every voice can do.

I was asked to read at a Baptist wedding once, and as it is not something I had ever done before and I wanted to do a good job with the Word, I spent time preparing for it by really knowing what each verse and phrase was saying. and eing present in that when i read it. Afterward I was complimented on it by the pastor’s wife who said I really ought to get involved in speaking at the church - which would be unlike me! As she knew I was converting at the time, it was an unusual compliment.

And it was the same reason I think you got your compliment - reading the sense of the Word.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top