Lector giving Sunday reading from memory

[AntoniusVII]

I am Lector #2 for this Sunday’s Mass. I have memorized the entire reading from St. Peter.
I have talked with my pastor about this and I have his permission to give the reading from memory (not looking down at the book).

We did talk about his concerns:

1. That I am doing it for the right reason, that I have no ego in this.
2. That the people do NOT have an experience of “wow that lector had the whole reading memorized”.
3. That the people do have a experience of “St. Peter called me a ‘royal priesthood’…’”.
4. That these are not my words, they are St. Peter’s
5. I am lending my voice to God, I am not acting.
6. No mistakes, I must be accurate.

Also, for two previous lector assignments, I had half the reading memorized.

I am wondering what people here think about a Lector speaking the reading from memory?

 

[Servulus]

I seldom look at the Lector during the readings, so I’m not sure I would even notice a difference. The question I would ask is: Why would you want to do it from memory? A lector, by definition, is a reader.

 

[Cor_ad_Cor]

The ministry of lectoring is NOT mere “reading”. What you’re refering to is precisely in keeping with the origins of this ancient ministry. Lectors originally came from the tradition of an oral history giver and “story teller” of faith. Verbal proclamation of the Word is what the ministry is all about. If you can accurately do this without the written text, bless you and those who hear it! I would suggest, however, that it may be wise to have the text there for appearances (and Plan B). We’re no longer an illiterate society and some may question if you’re actually proclaiming the “right words by the book”.

 

[DCNBILL]

Luke 4:16-17

So he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. And he was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written…

It seems if Christ Himself would bother to read from the scroll then that would send me a message as a humble servant that I should emulate the Master.

 

[dcrowmik]

Luke 4:16-17

So he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. And he was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written…

It seems if Christ Himself would bother to read from the scroll then that would send me a message as a humble servant that I should emulate the Master.

I would concur with this statement. I feel one can be even MORE effective at getting the meaning of the reading across by glancing from time to time at the text though still looking mostly at the parishioners. By glancing at the text at proper moments you can really make come across a pause in a particular place or an inflection in tone or change of speed. Using the text as your tool to make those changes in vocal variety can serve to hit the meaning home.

If I were in your church and you were doing this all from memory I would feel almost as if you were preaching to me instead of reading the word of God. I would also sort of think to myself you were trying to show off by having memorized it regardless of your intentions.

Solely my own opinion, of course.

 

[ChadS]

It seems to me that if you’ve prepared yourself well enough throughout the week before you are to lector you probably have it almost totally memorized anyhow. While lectoring is reading, it’s not as simple as if you were reading something you saw in the paper to a friend. It helps with comprehension if the lector pauses at the right times, emphasizes the right words, and adds inflection. So I think going through the process of memorizing it can be good as it also helps to familiarize yourself enough that you can speak it more naturally to get the message across in an understandable way.

ChadS

 

[vsedriver]

I am Lector #2 for this Sunday’s Mass. I have memorized the entire reading from St. Peter.
I have talked with my pastor about this and I have his permission to give the reading from memory (not looking down at the book).

I am wondering what people here think about a Lector speaking the reading from memory?

We had a lector that has done this. It is done very respectfully. But once she made an error and used an incorrect word. After all, she is only human. However I prefer that the scripture be read from the text to prevent the accidental error. Some people do not follow along in the book and sadly we still have people who can’t read.

A wrong word can completely change the meaning of a sentence.

 

[svid2]

Years ago, I was at a Mass where a lector was introduced by the celebrant during the homily to ask people to sign up to be lector. He told us we could memorize the readings, and was not contradicted by the priest.

I would never even try it! I don’t even like looking up from the lectionary.

By the way, I read in the lector’s workbook that we’re supposed to memorize the intro (A reading from the book of Acts) and deliver it looking at the congregation.

Okay, THAT I can do.

 

[Joe_5859]

We had a lector that has done this. It is done very respectfully. But once she made an error and used an incorrect word. After all, she is only human. However I prefer that the scripture be read from the text to prevent the accidental error. Some people do not follow along in the book and sadly we still have people who can’t read.

A wrong word can completely change the meaning of a sentence.

Of course, it is not uncommon for the lector to goof on a word even when they are reading from the book.

 

[Little_Dove]

I have been a lector for quite a few years, and during different trainings, I’ve been intstructed that it is the lector’s duty to know the reading thoroughly, but not to have it memorized, that it should be proclaimed from the book.

When another lector is reading, I always have my eyes closed anyway. Helps my concentration and meditation. However, I wonder if for some others it would not indeed be a distraction. You know, instead of meditating on the reading, they’d be wondering if you could get through the reading without making a mistake, or any of the other concerns you’ve discussed with your pastor that you’ve mentioned as potential distractions. If you can imagine them being potential distractions, in reality they probably can be distractions to some or other members of the Church. And, even if one person is distracted because of you, personally, then is it worth it?

Just my thoughts…God Bless!

 

[baltobetsy]

Whenever I have seen it, it has appeared to be the lector showing off. Your intentions may be pure, but there will be some who do not see it that way. Why lead your hearers into rash judgement?

 

[Phemie]

Originally Posted by vsedriver

No kidding! I once proclaimed that “a shoot will sprout from the rump of Jesse”! Almost lost it at the visual that popped into my head. I don’t think I would have recovered had I been saying it from memory. As it was no one seemed to notice.

 

[Claire_from_DE]

I’m a lector and my opinion is that you should not give the impression that you have memorized the reading. You are proclaiming it from the book. Even though you don’t need to do so, you should glance down at the book from time to time to emphasize that these are not your own words but are the ‘word of the Lord’.

A former priest in my parish had an unusual way of holding the Host at the elevation. It was not strictly wrong but it was distracting to the people. In the same way, not having to look down at the reading isn’t wrong but will call attention to yourself and not the words you are proclaiming.

I think the fact that you asked the priest about this, and wrote into the forum, indicates that you are aware that this is something questionable.

 

[Claire_from_DE]

No kidding! I once proclaimed that “a shoot will sprout from the rump of Jesse”! Almost lost it at the visual that popped into my head. I don’t think I would have recovered had I been saying it from memory. As it was no one seemed to notice.

I bet they noticed.

One of our deacons referred to Simon Peter in the passion reading as Simon Peeper, two years in a row. We never let him live it down. Those marshmallow Peeps kept showing up wherever he went–on his dashboard, in the mailbox, even in his medicine chest (his wife was drafted to torment him). This year he finally broke the curse so our fun is over.

 

[Mrs_Sally]

I am wondering what people here think about a Lector speaking the reading from memory?

I see no reason at all to do this. The book is right there, and you are not supposed to be performing, but proclaiming the Word. Certainly it is good to be prepared, and in doing so you may memorize or partialy memorize the passage, but there is no reason to call attention to this feat.

 

[Catholic1954]

I am a lector and I would not memorize a reading because I’m afraid it would sound like I was acting in a radio commercial. I don’t look up much because that disconnects me from the book and is a distraction to me.

 

[benedictgal]

While I do understand the OP’s motives, I do believe that there is cause for concern here. Proclaiming a text from memory does run the risk of getting the wording wrong.

Let’s look at one example: a priest may have been praying Eucharistic Prayer II for nearly all 25 years of his priesthood to the point that he may think he does not need to look at the text. However, if he starts straying from the Roman Missal and proclaiming the text from memory, he does run the risk of possibly invalidating the Mass by changing the words of the Institution Narrative.

Even the Holy Father, who has probably prayed the Roman Canon for the better part of over 50 years, still proclaims from the text.

We need to do the red and say the black.

 

[Joe_5859]

No kidding! I once proclaimed that “a shoot will sprout from the rump of Jesse”! Almost lost it at the visual that popped into my head. I don’t think I would have recovered had I been saying it from memory. As it was no one seemed to notice.

Oh my! I do not think I would have been able to stifle a laugh if I were in your shoes.

Whenever I have seen it, it has appeared to be the lector showing off. Your intentions may be pure, but there will be some who do not see it that way. Why lead your hearers into rash judgement?

Honestly, that’s probably what I would be thinking.

 

[excubitor]

Quite frankly, I am constantly amazed at the creativity and innovation of mankind. They even come up with problems to resolve where there is no problem. I am stunned that you would even come up with the idea. The whole point is that a Lector “reads”. If he is not reading then he is not a Lector. Lector means reader at least in Roman Catholic usage. It comes from the latin legere. = to read.

If you are doing it from memory then you are not a lector doing a reading. You are an orator reciting.

I would regard this practice as liturgical abuse. As someone said. “Say what’s black, and do what’s red”. How many woes would have been avoided in the last 50 years if this one simple maxim was followed. And priests are not always good guides in this. In fact the priests have been at the vanguard of leading with innovations and liturgical abuses for the last 50 years. If anything we should be standing up and opposing liturgical innovation, not asking for it.

 

[AJV]

I am Lector #2 for this Sunday’s Mass. I have memorized the entire reading from St. Peter.
I have talked with my pastor about this and I have his permission to give the reading from memory (not looking down at the book).

We did talk about his concerns:

1. That I am doing it for the right reason, that I have no ego in this.
2. That the people do NOT have an experience of “wow that lector had the whole reading memorized”.
3. That the people do have a experience of “St. Peter called me a ‘royal priesthood’…’”.
4. That these are not my words, they are St. Peter’s
5. I am lending my voice to God, I am not acting.
6. No mistakes, I must be accurate.

Also, for two previous lector assignments, I had half the reading memorized.

I am wondering what people here think about a Lector speaking the reading from memory?

Perhaps a solution, in view of some of the opinions expressed on this thread, would be for you to glance down every few sentences. As some people have said, I personally would find it distracting if the lector kept on looking at the congregation. On the other hand, I have heard that good lectoring is apparently looking at the congregation now and then and this is surely easier if it is memorized.