Speak your words

The other day I overheard a conversation about how important and necessary is the gospel reading during the Holy Mass.  More than the reading, the emphasis was on that it should be read by the Priest, from the ambo and blah, blah...

While not discounting the value of the gospel, to focus on everything else except the Word, that too as inspired, was something very odd. Last night came across this particular book titled Beware of the Abbot by Hugh Burnett in which I saw this cartoon.

One of the things that caught my attention the first time I heard the Rev. Cate, the Anglican priestess preside over the evening service at college a month ago, was her prayer before she commenced her sermon.

... that I may speak Your words. 

She then went on to read, yes read, her sermon. But that was enough proof that she had spent precious time, reading, reflecting and typing it out prior to her actual delivery.  That's the commitment, that's being open to the Spirit. Not doing no preparation, least of all knowing the readings, and yet speaking for hours.