‘A handy spot to put the book?’

Imagine being invited out to dinner and being fed twice, now wouldn’t that be great? That is what happens every time we come to holy Mass, we get fed twice. Once in Holy Communion from the altar, or the Table of the Eucharist, by which we ‘grow in holiness’ (Lectionary of the Mass, LM, #10). And once from the Table of the Word, the Ambo, by which we ‘grow in wisdom’ (LM 10)

The Ambo, or as it is sometimes, incorrectly, called the Pulpit, is not merely a convenient place to put down the Lectionary – the Lectionary is the name give to book that contains the readings for the Liturgy, it is not a Bible but contains readings from the Bible. The Ambo, is much more than a mere lectern or book stand. It is much more substantial than that. It may have carvings or engravings on it. These carvings may, for example, represent the Four Evangelists. The substantial nature of the Ambo, the carvings, it’s positioning in the sanctuary should serve to tell us that this is a significant piece of sanctuary furniture, it is important and it has meaning.

So why not just a simpler bookstand or lectern? Well, the Second Vatican Council says this: “He [Christ] is present in His word, since it is He Himself who speaks when the holy scriptures are read in the Church” (Decree on Sacred Liturgy, SC, #7). In paragraph 24, the same document says: “Sacred scripture is of the greatest importance in the celebration of the liturgy. For it is from scripture that lessons are read and explained in the homily and psalms are sung; the prayers, collects, and liturgical songs are scriptural in their inspiration and their force, and it is from the scriptures that actions and signs derive their meaning.” So just as Christ is present in the Eucharist and we give Him great reverence, we don’t use the Altar as a table, so too His presence in the proclaimed word requires an equal degree of reverence. The General Instruction on the Roman Missal (GIRM) says this: “From the ambo only the readings, the responsorial Psalm, and the Easter Proclamation (Exsultet) are to be proclaimed; it may be used also for giving the homily and for announcing the intentions of the Prayer of the Faithful” (GIRM #309) Just as the Altar table is reserved for the Offering of and receiving the Eucharist, the Ambo is to be reserved for these sacred functions, because “The celebration of Mass in which the word is heard and the Eucharist is offered and received forms but one single act of divine worship” (LM, 10). And the document on Divine Revelation of Vatican II says this: “The Church has always venerated the divine scriptures as she venerated the Body of the Lord, in so far as she [the Church] never ceases, particularly in the sacred liturgy, to partake of the bread of life and to offer it to the faithful from the one table of the Word of God and the Body of Christ.” (DV #21)

The Ambo is not just a convenient place to out the book down, it is much more than that and deserving of great respect.

(Taken from an original article by Denis R. McNamara on Adoremus.org)