Question for anyone who was or is a lector

[dnomyaR]

I have some questions I need to have anwsered for this study packet I have. Of course I also find the subject personally interesting.

What do you experience when you read the Scripture in church?

How do you prepare for the readings?

Why did you want to be a lector?

Thank you for your help!!!

 

[Newbie2]

I used to read in our Protestant church on occasion.

When preparing, I go to the bible and read the chapter around the readings to get the context, if I’m not familiar with it already, or if it’s been a while since I’ve read it.

Then I practice it out loud a few times, checking inflection, tone, rhythm and volume, as well as making sure the names are pronounced correctly. I like to be familiar just up to the point of memorizing it.

Why? A bit of a ham, I’m afraid. It’s selfish, but I get a bit of a rush being God’s mouthpiece, even for a couple of minutes.

 

[Catholic1954]

I LOVE being a lector! The pastor just asked me day and I gave it try. When I am reading, I block out everything else (like the screaming child in the back row ), It’s just me and the Lectionary. I try to read as I imagine the orginal writer would want it to be heard. I look up the reading several weeks in advance (if possible) and read the paragrph before and after it, and look up all the hard to pronounce words! Then I read it to myself until I understand it. (I have a good Bible commentary). After that I practice reading it out loud. For a time, my parish offered a Bible Study just for the lectors. We studied the history of the readings and practiced reading them out loud to each other. Father also told us at a lector meeting one year, that we are the word made flesh; I try to keep that in mind.

 

[plato3]

I was a lector or reader as folks prefer for years. There are special books for each of the years. Years A-B-C for lectors. These workbooks are very helpful and once you have all three-you can use them in the cycle.I would recommend them highly. They have a good sound Catholic interpretation of the readings and hints about how to read each reading.If still available they are not expensive. Our pastor paid for one of the years.
God bless all the readers-sometimes we have no reader at Mass and they are missed.
Dcn Tony

 

[CKNICKERBOCKER]

Sometimes it is frightening, sometimes amazing-I think it is all in what you are reading at the time.

I review and practice from the Magnificat, and look up words for prnounciation, in the Bible Words pronouciation website.

I was asked to be one by another Lector. I thought I would try it. It helps me hear and understand scripture better, too.

I have some questions I need to have anwsered for this study packet I have. Of course I also find the subject personally interesting.

What do you experience when you read the Scripture in church?

How do you prepare for the readings?

Why did you want to be a lector?

Thank you for your help!!!

 

[Abbadon]

It gave me brownie points with my parents, and since I was going to mass anyway I though tI may as well. I just winged it, I’m a decent orator and the words are infront of me.

 

[jpjd]

My teenage son was asked to be a lector, and I became one at the same time to give him support. We are always scheduled together, so that he does one reading and I do the other.

We prepare by looking up the reading, reading the preparation book which explains what the reading is about, looking up pronunciations of the difficult words, and practicing reading out loud.

Speaking for myself, I always feel a little nervous when I go up to read, but the main thing I concentrate on once I’m up there is: 1. checking to make sure the microphone is directed properly so my voice carries loudly; and 2. not just reading, but proclaiming, so that their attention is drawn to the message.

 

[dnomyaR]

Thank you all very much.

I have never really considered beeing a lector, but because of what you have described I hope it is something I experience once in my life.

 

[japhy]

What do you experience when you read the Scripture in church?

On January 25th, the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, I actually broke down in tears at the very end of the First Reading (Acts 22:3-16). Of course, God got the “last laugh” because the Second Reading (1 Cor 7:29-31) contained the following: “From now on, let … those weeping [act] as not weeping”!

I don’t usually react like that while reading, but it happened, and I thank God for it.

How do you prepare for the readings?

Our parish has workbooks that provide the readings for the whole year, with pronunciation, emphasis, etc. If I need the context of a reading, I’ll look it up.

I also say the following prayer before Mass begins:
Te precor, Spiritus Sancte,
in corde meo es et labiis meis,
ut competenter digneque Verbum
quod intra prophetas apostolosque [praesertim N. et N.] inspiravit annuntiem,
ad glorificationem Dei et sanctificationem populi sui.
Amen.
+

(Holy Spirit, I beseech Thee,
be in my heart and on my lips,
that I may properly and worthily
proclaim the Word which you inspired in prophets and apostles (especially N. and N.),
unto the glorification of God and the sanctification of His people.
Amen.)

Why did you want to be a lector?

I enjoy reading and speaking, and I love Scripture, and I think it’s something God wants me to do right now, so that’s why I read at Mass.

 

[Jean_Anthony]

For this thread we will allow that the term lector is being used in the generic sense, not as a definition of an ordained office. Thank you all.

 

[mystified]

I was aked to be a lector once. Only once.
About a minute before Mass.
No preparation.
Not asked again.

 

[Sheeniac]

I have some questions I need to have anwsered for this study packet I have. Of course I also find the subject personally interesting.

What do you experience when you read the Scripture in church?

How do you prepare for the readings?

Why did you want to be a lector?

Thank you for your help!!!

I just started being a reader on Easter (what a Mass to have as my first…). We are given a workbook with readings that gives advice on tone and pronunciation. We’re supposed to practice reading it a few times before Mass so it can come out as a proclamation and not a new reading of something we are looking at for the first time. The book also gives background on the reading which I think would be great for everyone to be able to read.

I find that Mass is VERY short when I read. I also am an EMHC and I tend to get scheduled to do both if I am reading. That makes the Mass fly!

I subscribe to the Magnificat, so tend to read the readings during the week as well. Most of my thinking occurs when I am practicing. During Mass, to be honest, I focus on projecting my voice and keeping a good pace. I also drag my finger along the lines so I can easily find my place when I look up and look back down.

Sorry - but I guess I don’t ‘feel’ anything when I am up there. I am more focused on making sure everyone can hear and understand me!

Why do I do it? Because they need people to do it and I am there anyway. The harvest is ready, but the laborers are few… Not that I view myself as a laborer the same way I view the priests, deacon, etc.! Instead, I think of myself as being a helper to the laborers. It suits me just fine!

 

[Zooey]

Two things:

1. Decide ahead of time how you are going to pronounce those (frequently extremely strange) names, and keep on using the same pronunciation all the way through, even if you are sure you got it wrong.
   The truth is, that nobody else knows how to say them, anyway. Only if you stumble & try to correct yourself will they realize that you have no idea in the world how to say “Shalmonezer” or “Evelmerodaoch” either.
2. Always remember: This is not about you. This is about Him*.*
   Note: This second bit comes from the husband of a cousin. He is a very fundamentalist Baptist who didn’t even approve of a woman reading Scripture out loud in church, and it is the best piece of advice I ever received! (As long as I was thinking about me making an idiot of myself, I was scared to death. Once I put my focus where it belonged–on serving Our Lord–I was able to read without shaking in my shoes at the thought).

 

[AnnaRose]

When I read scripture in church as a Lector, I feel that I’m learning more about the Old Testament, “helping” to give the good news to others and feel closer to Christ.

I prepare by reading it over several times 3 days before hand. A friend gave me a small book called, “LECTOR’S GUIDE TO BIBLICAL PRONUNCIATIONS” by Joseph M. Staudacher, which has been VERY helpful.

I didn’t want to be a Lector…it was the last thing I ever wanted to do. It took me 2 yrs. to get up enough courage to be an Extraordinary Minister. I wanted to grow in faith so said yes, when our Pastor needed someone to replace a Lector that died. I started at daily mass. If I made a mistake it was only in front of about a doz. people and I knew most of them so I didn’t feel so bad. Between practice, speaking clearly and pronouncing each word and the help of my guardian angel, I received excellent feedback. This encouraged me to speak at Sunday mass. More people said I was really good.

I’m still nervous being the center of attention when I speak, but if it’s helping people to hear the word of God…I’ll keep on practicing and learning about the bible and serving God.

---

Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ.

 

[workingmomof3]

I have been a lector for 15+ years and I still get nervous. However, I want to serve God and this seemed a perfect fit. I try to allow the experience to help my spiritual growth with God’s grace.

I do best when I have practiced the reading a number of times aloud. I’m always worried about mispronouncing something.

 

[adowcday]

I have lectored for over 30 years. Also, for those thirty years (and more) I have read, studied and meditated on the scriptures. I think that my love for scripture and my belief in its importance has made my lectoring better over the years.

I always take lectoring seriously. I prepare by reading the readings for the weekend liturgy several times and try to spend time meditating on the scriptures so that the meaning sinks in and engages my heart and soul. I practice out loud: what words or phrases should be emphasized, what emotion should my voice convey, what pace should I adopt, where should I insert a brief pause, etc.? I focus on articulating each word so that it can be understood and try to make sure that my voice does not drop off at the end of a sentence. I look at the lectionary before mass to see where the text is on the page and where the line breaks are, so that I’m not surprised. I try to look up and engage the congregation while I’m reading, and I practice beforehand how I’ll do that as I read. Technique matters. But even more, I know that this is a godly work and that without God’s help, even the best technique will not bring the word to life. I pray for the congregation that the Holy Spirit help me proclaim the Word and that those who hear it would take it to heart and be changed by it. “Unless the Lord builds the house, in vain do the builders labor.” I take a saying of St. Ignatius of Loyola to heart: “Work as if everything depended on you, pray as if everything depended on God.”

I am not a dramatic reader – few if any gestures, no dramatic raising or lowering of the voice – but occasionally something special happens. I have had people come up to me in tears because something in the Word has had an impact on them. Sometimes a whole church goes silent. The Word of God has great power to save and to bring us into God’s presence.

Standing before a big crowd still gets me excited. But even more I feel privileged to be serving God in this way. It never gets old.

 

[jamesneiman]

I have been a lector for about 4 years now. It has transformed and deepened my life and faith. For me, the experience and goal is very straightforward - to faithfully deliver the readings in a way that conveys their context and promotes clear understanding to the extent possible. I prepare for this by using the workbook provided by the head lector and reading both readings aloud to ensure I am comfortable with the phrasing. I also read the Gospel as well as all the annotations so that I fully understand the context.

Before I deliver the reading, I say a prayer that the priest has provided - this prayer is about not being overly concerned with performance and with being an effective reader. When I deliver the reading, I do so while keeping in mind that it is not about me personally at all - I am and must be completely at the service of the mass. The reading must be delivered in complete humility and awe at the magnitude of the mass in which I am performing this ministry.

 

[gez722]

I never thought that I would become a lector because I was terrified of public speaking. About 4 years ago, I began to feel called to the permanent diaconate. I volunteered to become a lector and an EMHC (even though I was nervous). The Lord was definitely helping me, because I would always run from any public type of activity.

To make a long story short, I don’t feel like I’m called to the diaconate anymore (for the moment), but I’m still a lector and EMHC. It still boggles my mind, but I’m not nervous when I read. It’s almost as if I’m not the one doing the reading, so it’s not that scary. I truly feel that I am just letting The Lord speak through my lips and I like that!

I begin to prepare the week before I have to read, reviewing the reading, investigating pronunciation and reading out loud. I take it very seriously and don’t want to deprive anyone of hearing God’s word because I messed up.

God Bless,
Gary

 

[forever_always]

I have some questions I need to have anwsered for this study packet I have. Of course I also find the subject personally interesting.

What do you experience when you read the Scripture in church?

How do you prepare for the readings?

Why did you want to be a lector?

Thank you for your help!!!

I have been a lector for the past two years. I didn’t want to be a lector at first because I didn’t want to be up in front of everyone, but our priest asked me too because we were short on readers (its a military parish… people are always coming and going…)… but now, i love reading! i prepare for the readings with prayer and guidance. i ask that i am able to deliver the message well, without stumbling over my words or being distracting to those listening. When I read, I am thinking only of the reading. I forget that I was nervous and am in front of a couple hundred people

 

[EvelynEVF]

I was recruited as a lector before I even converted, because I was at a daily Mass where there was no one else suitable. I’m a good orator, so they asked me to stay on, and to also read at weekend Masses.

When I am in the pew, it makes a huge difference to me whether the lector does a good job or not. One of the daily Mass lectors (customary, not assigned) has a weird pattern of emphases that does not correspond to the text, and it is very hard to follow what he is saying, even when it’s a familiar passage. Sometimes the assigned person is someone with a speech impediment or just poor annunciation. Or a scared child reading because her cousin or little sister is being baptised and the family is doing all the reading and serving. I don’t want to be critical or prideful, but it really makes a difference. I do it because I enjoy it, and because I know I will prepare and do a good job, because God’s Word is important, and the homily doesn’t always make much sense if nobody heard what was proclaimed.

When I’m up there, it’s pure prayer. I pretty much forget to be nervous, unless I’m singing the responsorial psalm a cappella, which I think I’ve only done twice. It’s very exciting to proclaim many of the readings, where great stories are told and wonderful truths are announced, and they really deserve to be boomed out over a big crowd in celebration of the greatness of God.

I prepare by reading the passage(s) ahead of time, particularly in context. Whoever said to pronounce consistently even if you’re not sure you’re right is dead on! As a convert, there are some names that are just said differently by Catholics than what I learned, but people will figure it out if I’m consistent. And I figure it out when they are consistent