By Patricia Wong
KUCHING — The Lectors and Commentators Ministry of Blessed Sacrament Parish had an overnight retreat, on the 7th – 8th March as an annual Lenten programme, at The Greccio Retreat Centre with the theme – Not many Words, but a Listening Heart.
Seventeen participants attended a series of talks by Father Delphin. Lectors and Commentators were reminded that at Mass, during the Liturgy of the Word, they personify the prophets – proclaiming the Word of God as in the Old Testament. The main focus when preparing the reading was to listen with their hearts to messages of God. As the words of the specific scripture for each missal reading reverberate in their minds, the Holy Spirit will help them to discern the messages. Lectors and Commentators were urged to prepare prayfully, listen deeply, proclaim slowly and speak faithfully. These are monumental tasks they are entrusted with and that is why when discharging their office, they must do it with sincere piety and decorum. The congregation can always gauge the sincerity of the Lector correctly from the way they discharge their duties.
In a session, The Parable of the Sower, Luke 8: 5 -15, was given to encourage the participants to discern the spiritual meaning, ie, the allegorical, the moral and the anagogical meaning of the parable in their life and share in a group of four. An intense and honest analysis of their life was then discussed and shared in the group. It is hoped that when Lectors are going to proclaim the Word during Mass, they will go through the whole preparation and in that process, the Word could be proclaimed in earnest.
Then in the late afternoon the atmosphere miraculously cleared at 5pm to enable all to go outdoors for the scheduled Stations of the Cross. A solemn walk – tracing the gruelling journey of Jesus, from leaving the house of Caiaphas, receiving the heavy cross, his three falls, meeting his grieving Mother, wiping of his face by Veronica, meeting the wailing women of Jerusalem, stripping of his garments, nailing to the cross, his death, taking down from the cross and putting Jesus in Mary’s arms and lastly laying Jesus in the Sepulchre were revisited. The journey around the vast garden included kneeling and standing at appropriate places giving us a glimpse of the unimaginable, excruciating pain Jesus suffered to die for our sins and his great love for us.
After dinner, each participant lit a scented candle and in the glowing candle light atmosphere, The Divine Mercy Chaplet was chanted prayerfully. Everyone prayed for mercy and compassion from Jesus’ fount of mercy, so that they may draw strength and refreshment and be given whatever grace to encounter the hardships of life and especially at the hour of death.
In that prayerful atmosphere, many participants gratefully went to receive the sacrament of reconciliation; coming out feeling refreshed and cleansed. Sleep eluded many as they pondered over so many insights and messages that had been revealed to them about how to live a righteous life in the reading of the Letter of St James.
In the morning after prayers and breakfast, Fr Delphin gave practical instructions on the roles of a lector in the context of the Catholic Church. The bowing, kneeling, carrying of the Gospel have come from a long Church tradition and decorum. Being respectful and reverent to the tabernacle, sanctuary, altar, the priest and holy statues and articles among others has always been a part of our practice of our faith. Then the rosary was recited.
At the climax of the retreat was the Celebration of the Eucharist for the third Sunday of Lent. With new insights into their important roles during the Liturgy of the Word, everyone was solemn and attentive throughout the celebration – which signifies again the perfect sacrifice of the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world – literally come down from heaven to be among us again.
After lunch, we left Greccio Retreat Centre, renewed and refreshed. During the review of the retreat, all the participants were grateful to Fr Delphin, Traci Tay and Davison for organising the programme and setting up the equipment thus ensuring the smooth flow of the retreat.
