I was the assigned reader in our church that day, and I puzzled over what to do to reduce the absurdity

When listening to a scriptural reading at Mass, it’s natural to assume that the words are a translation from the original texts of the Bible. But not all are. From time to time, we encounter a phrase at the beginning of a reading which has been added by a well meaning editor, in an effort to ease the listener’s way in to what is to follow. It’s technically called an incipit, from Latin, literally “[here] begins”, a term that’s been used to introduce a manuscript since the fourteenth century.

Take “At that time”, which introduces many Gospel readings. It’s a rhetorical trick, useful in that it provides a sort of context for the chosen passage. It’s not in the original text. Admittedly, it’s not a very meaningful piece of context, but it does help those who have to read aloud, as its three-beat rhythm is easy to master, and it also helps listeners, giving them a moment to focus their attention.

It also adds a note of conversational familiarity, as we often begin a sentence with an introductory adverbial phrase when starting a story or connecting between sentences. “Once upon a time …”, “Long long ago …”, “In those days …” The strategy is found in writing too. I used one in my opening paragraph. Did you notice? “From time to time …”

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