Saint Gertrude Parish - Lasne
Saint Gertrude Parish
of Lasne
Training in public reading
"It is fundamental to make every effort to train certain faithful to be true heralds of the Word with adequate preparation, as is now customary for acolytes or extraordinary ministers of communion. In the same way, parish priests can find the most suitable way to present the Bible, or one of its books, to the whole congregation, in order to highlight the importance of continuing to read it in their daily lives, to delve deeper into it, and to pray with Sacred Scripture, referring in particular to Lectio Divina."
Pope Francis
How to... read the word of God
1. Feeling responsible
Getting up from one's chair, crossing the church, and daring to read the Word from the ambo is like going on stage: it's not a trivial or ordinary gesture. One steps out of the group to offer it something, something good to eat. It's both a risk and a responsibility. A powerful act! Hence the importance of knowing how to read well, of inhabiting and embodying the Word, without which it cannot be heard.
2. Mastering reading
How many of us use periods instead of commas! Yet punctuation is essential to the meaning of a text. While a comma leaves the reader in suspense, making them wait for what comes next, a colon opens up the scene, and a full stop delivers a powerful impact. Whether your sentence is three lines or just three words, remember to take a breath, because breathing is the beginning of an attack, thus restoring momentum. Emphasizing certain words makes them stand out and creates the rhythm of the sentence.
3. Be present with every word
When we speak with passion, unless we are lying, our words are alive because we are present in what we are saying. Reading demands the same commitment, the same presence, and the same rigor. Removing elisions—saying "I love you" rather than "I love you"—and liaisons is a simple way to inhabit each word so that it resonates and reaches the listener.
4. Keep nothing to yourself
No one listens to someone who speaks for themselves. But no one listens to someone who gives wholeheartedly, even if they give little, because they keep nothing for themselves. When you read at Mass, even with a microphone, think of the person sitting in the last row of the church. Project your words to them, and then energy will spring forth from your reading.
5. Make room for the Word
The Word is the divine breath that seeks to reach us, to shake us, to create a storm in our hearts or a gentle, refreshing breeze. It always blows; we must simply allow the Word to speak through you. Give it all the space, then, efface yourself, cast aside your pride and your certainties. Above all, do not try to overact the text, or even to act at all, but strive for the authenticity of the "I."
Claude Brozzoni
Interview with Alexia Vidot
Published on 09/07/2019 in La Vie
How to fulfill one's role as a "reader" at Mass: