How I Became a Church Lector and Commentator - Part 2

(this is the continuation of Part 1)

Right after the Gospel Reading, everything else seem to flow normally as in an ordinary Sunday Mass. But I was still feeling sorry for the lady commentator who seemed to have been in a very awkward situation. All through it though, she seemed calm appeared to take it in stride.

The priest was, well, I didn't know his name at the time, but I know him as someone who wasn't always smiling. So whatever he was feeling was not evident on his facial expression.


Flashback of my Mass Reader Role in my Hometown

In the remaining parts of the Holy Mass, I kept thinking about the time when my sister and I used to proclaim the First Readings, Responsorial Psalms and Second Readings decades ago, albeit in a different parish in our hometown. We were probably college students at that time. I don't remember.

I do remember that, at that time, somebody (I suppose an usher or a lay minister) would go around at the front pews before the mass. He would be asking for folks who would like to volunteer to proclaim the readings. I think my dad was asked once and he accepted.

From then on, he encouraged us to accept and volunteer if we were asked to read. This was "on the spot" volunteering, and no time at all to practice.

It was that simple. My dad would even admire and comment on how well we did. At least that is how I remembered it.


Plan to Help the Mass Readers in our Parish

So commentator in our parish went through her usual routine in the mass.

During the lull after communion, I toyed with the idea of volunteering to read in the next masses. I broached the idea with my wife and she was supporting it. So, right after the mass, I planned on going directly to the sacristy to approach the lady commentator and ask her how I could help.

This is of course without an iota of knowledge what it takes to be a reader for the Sunday Readings. I was thinking I'd volunteer to read during Sunday masses, just like I used to do in my flashback story and that's that.


Angry Priest Giving a Sermon

So right after the final closing or exit song, I went straight to the sacristy. It was my first time inside the sacristy. I then approached the lady commentator. I gave her my proposal about volunteering. I was told that there are lectors during Sunday Masses and not volunteers. And that the only way to become a lector was to undergo a seminar that his held once a year. After the seminar, the participants become commissioned lectors.

Whoa! Really? No more "calls for reader volunteers" like in the olden days? I was shocked.

With a still puzzled look on my face, the officiating priest stormed inside the sacristy. He probably didn't see me or maybe dismissed me as a poor hobo (I was wearing a pair of walking shorts at that time).

(see Part 3 for the continuation)