Friar
Alfonso recounts receiving the ministry of lector
I received
the ministry of lector Sunday May 13 during the 10:30 a.m. mass in the Basilica
of St. Francis of Assisi. Concretely this means that the Church, through the
hands of father Giuseppe Piemontese, custos of the Sacro Convento who presided
in the liturgy, officially and publically gifted me with the responsibility of
proclaiming the Word of God during the liturgy, especially during the
Eucharistic celebration, and the missionary mandate of carrying the Gospel of
salvation to those who have not yet heard.
For me this ministry is gift that has its source in the love of God the Father. It is a sign of the trust and of the esteem that He has for me, and that requires of me a daily decision to meditate on, pray, and put into practice the Holy Scriptures, such that I can announce and testify to the Christian faith above all through my life, day after day.
This moment
of grace and personal commitment is the fruit of a journey that has lasted
several years, beginning with my service as a catechist for children preparing
for first communion in Silvi Marina (PE) and Brescia, then later in Assisi with
young people preparing for confirmation. Most recently in Cannara, Perugia, I
have served as the spiritual assistant to OFS, the Third Order Seculars founded
by st. Francis. In addition to these pastoral experiences, I have been formed
by serving during liturgical celebrations in the Basilica of St. Francis,
through my own journey of Franciscan formation, and through the diocesan
mission in Assisi and the mission in Pavia, during which I met many who were
fragile in the faith or who were not believers. Last but not least, my
interaction with Jehovah’s Witnesses, present in my own family, has influenced
me.
In
conclusion, I can say that the ministry of lector has caused me to grow in
enthusiasm to serve and do good for the Kingdom of God. And it has also
instilled in me a tiny sliver of pride, because the Church has placed in my
hands one of the greatest treasures that Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, has
given to the world: his Word! I entrust my service to the intercession of Mary,
especially to Our Lady of Fatima, whose memorial was celebrated the same day
that I received the ministry, as well as to the prayers of everyone who reads
this blog.
May the
Lord grant you peace and all good!
With much love,
fra Alfonso Di Francesco
