Ministers of the Word

“The Word of God is alive and active!”

Members of the Parish Community are called upon to proclaim the Word of the Lord. The Word has a power to challenge, comfort and transform our lives. It is not surprisiing that in the 3rd century Origen wrote:

“Let us keep the scriptures in mind and meditate upon them day and night, persevering in prayer, always on the watch”

Those who are invited publically to share God’s Word are sometimes called “Readers”. A more suitable term is “Lectors”. The latter term emphasises the proclaiming of God’s Word rather than the reading of a Sacred Text. The lector assists the congregation to encounter Christ in the Liturgy of the Word.

It is therefore a privileged position to be a Minister of the Word. The final words belong to St Ambrose in 4th century:

“Drink from the spring of the Old and New Testaments, since in the one as in the other you drink Christ”