The public reading of Scripture is a skill that can be developed with experience and practice. Becoming sensitive to the nature of the scriptural text and the way in which listeners hear public reading is also an important aspect of this skill development. This chapter prescribes a series of helpful approaches to Scripture reading and gives several examples for how a given passage may be brought to life through public reading.
Stress Verb Action
To sense the movement in the reading, underline all the verbs: “May I never boast of anything but the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ! Through it, the world has been crucified to me and I to the world. It means nothing whether one is circumcised or not. All that matters is that one is created anew. Peace and mercy on all who follow this rule of life, and on the Israel of God. Henceforth, let no man trouble me, for I bear the brand marks of Jesus in my body. Brothers, may the favor of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.”
Reread the entire passage aloud. As you do, push out the verbs which give a correct picture of what is going on. Sense the action and movement. Notice how the nouns, pronouns, and other words take their rightful secondary positions. Prepositions, which are the least important words (of, through, to, on, with, etc.), fall into the correct place as you catch the flow and movement in the reading.
Once you sense the movement, you are ready to interpret the emotions in the passage.
Express Emotions
Sunday worship becomes a shared belief when liturgical ministers openly express their feelings and emotions. But emotions scare some people who are still embarrassed by feelings displayed in a community setting.
The two writers of this handbook are convinced that Roman Catholics and other mainline Christian denominations are in no immediate danger of becoming overemotional in worship. If anything, we need to begin to express our honest feelings as a sign of our full relationships with God and with the community.
There is a legitimate variety of interpretations among lectors. What impresses one lector may not impress another. Taking that difference into consideration, how can lectors capture and express the emotions contained in the Scriptures? How do we proclaim with the intense feeling of a Jewish prophet? How do we convey the tenderness, anger, and worry often expressed in Paul’s letters?
In the previous section of this chapter, you learned how to emphasize verbs in order to convey the movement in Galatians 6:14–17. As you did, you may have also noticed Paul’s emotions, and, at the same time, how your own emotions were stirred.
Listen to what your feelings are telling you. Are you touched in some way? If so, stop and circle the emotion-filled words and phrases. Your task as a proclaimer is to unlock and express these emotions. Paul’s letters are quite a challenge for proclaimers who wish to capture his tenderness and concern for early Christian communities. Proclaim Paul’s letters as though it is as important for you to get the message across as it was for him to express it.
When you practice reading aloud, try to express the various emotions you feel. That is the way the Lord works through us. The way you are touched by a reading is the way you can proclaim it—if you give yourself permission to do so! Through you, the risen Jesus will touch others in the assembly.
During your proclamation, pause long enough to make certain you can shift gears emotionally. The proclaimer who takes the time to unlock the emotions in proclamation will do much to encourage the assembly to look up from their participation booklets and begin listening to God’s Word. Wouldn’t that be a nice change?
Become Sensitive to Hebrew Poetry
Read through Isaiah 66:10–14, the first reading for the fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C.
What difference do you detect in the way emotions are expressed by Paul and by Isaiah? Jesus, Isaiah, and all Jewish prophets expressed their emotions in a unique style found throughout the Bible, especially in the Old Testament. The style is called Hebrew poetry.
The lines of Hebrew poetry are balanced. The same idea, mood, or emotion is repeated over and over again in concrete images.
Jewish poetry is probably different from the poetry familiar to you. The key to understanding this poetry is an appreciation of the parallel, balanced structure. Dom Celestin Charlier gives an excellent description:
Parallelism is the natural mold for an idea that can only be evoked by repetition and suggestion. Its purpose is not only to enrich the primary statement by giving it precision but also to create a gradual and insistent rhythm. The result can be compared to a succession of waves, ebbing and flowing over a rock, or to a series of concentric circles rising in a spiral around an axis. (The Christian Approach to the Bible [New York: Paulist Press, 1967], 138)
Look again at the reading from Isaiah. How many different moods are expressed in parallel fashion? Basically, one emotion is expressed, that of jubilant rejoicing. In the five verses of the reading, that emotion is expressed several times. How many parallel expressions do you find? We find at least twelve.
If you proclaim the Isaiah reading as prose or narrative, you will completely lose its meaning. To proclaim biblical poetry effectively, first recognize and study the parallel lines. Sense the main feeling in the passage. Experience the emotion rhythmically, like ocean waves hitting a beach. In your proclamation, convey this same feeling in a deliberate, unhurried manner. Your timing is essential. Pause briefly between parallel images. As you proclaim the rhythmic lines, paint concrete images.
Another example of Hebrew poetry is the responsorial psalm for each Sunday. The main emotion is expressed in the refrain. The refrain for Psalm 66, the psalm for the Fourteenth Sunday, Cycle C, is “Let all the earth cry out to God with Joy!” This sentiment is repeated in all 15 or 16 parallel lines.
Let all the earth cry out to God with joy
Shout joyfully to God, all you on earth
Sing praise to the glory of his name
Say to God, ‘How tremendous are your deeds!’
And so forth throughout the psalm.
This rhythmic, balanced style is found in the Psalms, the prophets, and the Old Testament wisdom literature, such as Proverbs, Sirach, and the Book of Wisdom. Soon you will easily recognize and enjoy proclaiming the poetic structure of Hebrew poetry.
Nervousness—Friend or Foe?
Getting rid of nervousness is uppermost in the minds of most lectors, especially those who are beginners in the ministry. Only two lectors out of more than 2,000 that we have worked with even claimed they do not feel nervous. It is normal to experience the jitters before doing something in public, whether acting in a play, giving a talk, or proclaiming the Word. Professionals who earn their livings in the public eye tell us nervousness actually aids in their effectiveness.
In our proclamation workshops, we have heard many successful remedies for the proclaimer’s Sunday morning case of nerves. Here are some suggestions that have worked for others:
First of all, admit to being nervous. That admission will begin to take the edge off your nervousness. At least you are no longer in the denial stage.
It may also help you to know that your nervousness is largely undetected by the assembly. (By the way, it is sound advice not to make eye contact with your children when you are proclaiming.)
Thorough preparation is the best deterrent to run-away jitters. The better your preparation, the less nervous you become.
Arrive early. Coming to church just on time is unsettling for you and the other liturgical ministers.
Do you worry about difficult-to-pronounce proper names? During your preparation sessions, telephone someone who can help you with the correct pronunciation. You may prefer to check a Sunday Lectionary Pronunciation Guide. It is best not to wait until Sunday morning to settle on the pronunciation you will use.
Take some deep breaths before starting the proclamation—not through the microphone, of course!
Offer your proclamation as a gift of love to your assembled sisters and brothers. This prayer said silently right before the moment of proclamation has helped control the nervousness of several lectors: “Father, I proclaim your Word because I love you and I love your people.”
Another way to control the shakes is to hold the lectionary in your hands during the proclamation. As you hold the book, nervous energy is released without the notice of the assembly. When the lectionary lies flat on the stand, or when your hands are tightly gripping the side railing, you have no chance to relieve your nervous feeling. Try holding the lectionary. It will relax you.
Nervousness often indicates a preoccupation with self. What will happen if you make a mistake? Chances are you will survive, and so will the assembly.
What should you do when you make a mistake? If your mistake has not changed the meaning of the passage, relax. Continue the proclamation. If your mistake does change the meaning, relax. Without words of apology, simply go back and repeat the phrase or sentence.
No assembly has a right to expect perfection in the proclamation. In fact, a faith-filled proclaimer who occasionally makes mistakes is preferred over a perfect but lifeless lector.
Do you still feel nervous? That’s normal. Properly channeled, your nervousness will help you become a better proclaimer.
Your Body Speaks
Dress appropriately for the occasion. Your Sunday best will do. Choir robes or clerical vestments seem out of place for this ministry. The Word you proclaim is a Word that has become flesh in our world. Lay garb makes a statement to that effect.
In many parishes, the lector carries the lectionary in procession. Hold the book high enough to be seen, but not so high that you feel awkward. Be dignified. Walk with a purpose. Don’t rush. When carrying God’s Word, there is no need to bow or genuflect.
Proclaim from the large dignified lectionary, not from a flimsy paperback.
When you are at the podium, act natural. Be yourself. Stand with your two feet firmly planted on the floor or platform. Your parish liturgy committee may wish to provide a small stool at the podium so that shorter lectors can be easily seen.
Your body also speaks through eye contact and gestures, which will be treated later in this chapter.
Effective Breathing
Though our lungs have been taking in air all our lives, many of us do not know how to breathe deeply and correctly. The following exercises will help you breathe effectively.
Stand up. Place your hands on your sides, above your hips, just at the base of your rib cage. Breathe through your nostrils. Inhale deeply. As you inhale, your diaphragm expands, and you feel your hands being pushed away from your sides.
Exhale slowly and let the air completely out of your lungs. As your diaphragm contracts, you feel your hands sink into your sides.
Repeat several times, with your hands on your sides. Inhale deeply. Exhale deeply.
When you first attempt this deep breathing exercise, there is a good chance you may feel dizzy. If this happens, sit down and relax. The dizziness will pass. Through correct breathing, you have merely taken in more oxygen than you are accustomed to.
Continue the exercise. Inhale. Your diaphragm expands and your hands are pushed away from your sides. Exhale. Your diaphragm contracts and your hands sink into your sides. Inhale. Exhale.
In deep breathing, there is no reason why the sound of your breathing should be much louder than your normal breathing. When you are breathing correctly, you can take in a great deal of air without a whooshing sound picked up by the mike system.
When you breathe, your shoulders should remain level. Movement of the shoulders actually constricts breathing. In deep breathing, there is a great expansion of the diaphragm and some expansion of your chest.
Practice the breathing exercise until you have mastered it well enough to feel your diaphragm expand and contract without having your hands on your sides. Correct breathing will help you in volume and voice projection.
Volume and Voice Projection
Most new lectors have to learn to project their voices. Even the most excellent microphone system does not compensate for a lack of voice projection and poor volume.
Get familiar with the mike system in your church. Arrange to have a practice session with another lector. Turn off the microphone. Have one lector stand in the back of the church. That person asks the lector at the podium to repeat each line with greater voice projection until the lector can be easily heard by the person standing in the rear of the church. That is probably the level of projection needed with a live microphone when the church is full for Sunday liturgy.
Every word is important. Attack the first word: “A READING FROM.… ” When you project your voice adequately, the volume takes care of itself.
Voice projection is not the same as shouting. Projection is a skill everyone can learn, even people who are soft-spoken in normal conversation.
Be sure to ask someone for feedback after the liturgy. You will soon become aware of the progress you are making, and you will feel better about yourself as a proclaimer.
Clear Enunciation
Exaggeration is the key to good enunciation. Use your lips, your teeth, and the tip of your tongue. Guard against lazy lips and a lazy tongue. Your diction for ordinary conversation probably falls short of what is needed in your proclamation.
A tape recorder used during a practice session will reveal which sounds you tend to slur. Do you say “Peter and Paul,” or “Peter ’n’ Paul”? Do you habitually swallow final syllables? Try to distinguish between final “t” and final “d.” Is the word “lend” or “lent?”
Every lector needs to improve his or her diction to some degree. One lector who had had speech therapy received the following exercise to achieve clearer diction: Say “B D F L M P T V” as quickly and distinctly as possible.
Another diction exercise is to say quickly: “Use the lips, the teeth, the tip of the tongue.”
One lector recommended that as you drive to church make the “BBBRRR” sound that children use when they play with toy cars. That sound will get the blood flowing in your lips, thereby improving your diction.
Finally, we should mention that good diction is attainable only if you open your mouth sufficiently.
Try all these suggestions. Find out what works best for you.
Pace, Pauses and Eye Contact
Most lectors, regardless of experience in the ministry, are rapid public readers. Nervousness only compounds the speed problem. If your pace is too rapid, you will be unable to use pauses and eye contact effectively.
A tape recorder in a practice session will reveal your pace as rapid or slow. The best way to counteract rapid pace is to slow down deliberately, right from the first words of your proclamation: “A READING FROM.… ” Pauses and successful eye contact go hand in hand. Plan them during your practice session. Use a pause and eye contact at the conclusion of a thought so that your listeners have time to grasp the thought. You are familiar with the thought. The assembly has one chance to catch it.
Eye contact is also appropriate when a strong emotion is delivered. A few well-planned eye contracts are usually sufficient.
Some lectors avoid eye contact because they fear losing their place on the page. To keep your place, have one hand always on the lectionary page. Don’t run your finger back and forth across the page, but let your hand slide down the page as you go through the reading. Place your finger at the exact place where you will resume after making eye contact.
New lectors are generally at one of two extremes with regard to eye contact. Some try to use too much eye contact, which lessens its effectiveness. Others are wary of eye contact. All lectors can safely make deliberate eye contact in at least two places in each reading: Right after announcing the reading, “A Reading from the Prophet Isaiah,” and just before concluding with, “This is the Word of the Lord!”
Beware of too much eye contact. Some lectors look up too frequently and without reason. What results is the bobber effect? Meaningless eye contact distracts the assembly and causes the flow of thought to be lost. Pause briefly, with your head bowed, after each reading. No explanation is necessary for the assembly to understand the gesture. Your bowed head gently invites the assembly to reflect on the Word just proclaimed.
Any Other Gestures?
Occasionally, we hear of someone who argues in favor of free and extensive gestures for the lector. Only three gestures are appropriate: carrying the lectionary in procession; holding the lectionary during proclamation; and occasional well-planned eye contact.
Keep your eyes primarily on the lectionary page. You are proclaiming the Lord’s Word from the lectionary, not your own thoughts or ideas.
A completely memorized proclamation should also be avoided. Attention becomes focused on the performer.
Sharing Faith Convictions
From childhood, many of us have been discouraged from expressing negative feelings: Don’t be angry, fearful, or jealous. And so we are generally uncomfortable with negative reactions in ourselves and in others. The result is that when we turn off expressions of negative feelings, we also become unable to share positive feelings freely. Therefore, many of us have to learn how to share our faith with others.
Make the decision to share your faith as you proclaim the Word. Gradually you will improve in your ability to do so. If you become discouraged, keep trying.
How can you tell when you are making progress? Ask yourself the following questions: Am I expressing genuine enthusiasm when I proclaim the Word? Is my faith conviction transparent? Do I proclaim the readings as an urgent invitation to Eucharist?