The Catholic Lector

If we get too familiar with a reading where we feel we've "got it" and no longer need to study it, we risk proclaiming from the top of our heads instead of the depth of our hearts, and lose our listeners.

In their book, Rebuilding Your Message, the authors note how St. Paul knew that the words he spoke were not where his message started, but with a demonstration of the Spirit; a wordless revealing of the way God was working in his life.

If you’re planning a lector meeting soon, do a little research first, talk with several lectors face to face and get a good feel for their sentiments and areas of need. Then put something together . . . just for them.

One of the most striking examples of the ultimate lector is from the Book of Nehemiah, describing how the prophet Ezra's deep knowledge and dedication to the Torah resulted in a delivery so powerful that he captured the full attention of the people,