Reading Aloud

I enjoy being a lector at Trinity Episcopal, especially on a day like today when I had a great story to tell and was later praised for the way I told it.

As those who follow the Episcopal liturgy know, one of the two choices for today's Old Testament reading was Genesis 18:20 - 32.  This is one of those terrific scenes between a Jewish holy man and his God in which argument occurs. Someone who understands performance sees a requirement for conversation.  This is part of the story of Sodom and Gomorrah.  God has heard that evil is occurring so he goes down to check it out.  

Abraham, currently residing near Sodom, meets up with God near the city.  God says he's going to destroy the city.  Abe says, "Well, what if there are fifty good men among the hundreds of corrupt people who live here, you won't destroy the city, will you?  I mean, that's not what you do, is it?  Punish the good the same as you punish the wicked?  Nah, you're not that guy, are you?"  As any good student of rhetoric knows, this is an example of a persuasive "identity appeal."  Abraham is reminding the Lord that He is just. 

God gets the concept and bows to the request.

Then Abie-babie pushes it -- "what if we missed the number 50 by 5?" and God responds that Yes, if there are just 45 good men, he will not destroy the city.  What follows is either an example of bartering common among tribal peoples OR a classic comedic move of excessive dialogue as Abraham, continuing to apologize for his effrontery, suggests that the Lord won't destroy a city with 40, 30, 20 or even, finally, just 10 good people.

"Suppose 10 are found there?"

It's a funny scene and I read it that way, with God getting more and more frustrated with Abraham, even sighing at one point.  I got some laughs.

AND, I got some nice praise during the announcements when substitute priest Rev. Jeff Bullock thanked me for an "excellent reading."  Later at coffee hour one of the Second Sunday Cinema regulars also thanked me for the reading, mostly for looking up as I read and making eye contact with the audience.

Will I someday build on my enjoyment of reading aloud?  I think about that as I wonder what I'm doing with the rest of my life besides going to church and getting high, not necessarily in that order.