In The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (Canada), Article 274 indicates the following: "If, however, the tabernacle with the Most Blessed Sacrament is situated in the sanctuary, the Priest, the Deacon, and the other ministers genuflect when they approach the altar and when they depart from it, but not during the Mass itself." Article 274 then goes on to state the following: "Otherwise, all who pass before the Most Blessed Sacrament genuflect, unless they are moving in procession." This would seem to imply that the Lector should genuflect in front of the altar (with the tabernacle directly behind it) prior to approaching the ambo to read. In his book, Liturgical Question Box (1998), Peter J. Elliott, Auxiliary Bishop of Melbourne, states the following: “Lectors and cantors who come from the body of the church to the ambo in the sanctuary need to be reminded that they are only permitted to substitute a bow for the genuflection if they have some disability.” In another one of his books, Ceremonies of the Modern Roman Rite, 2nd Edition (2005), in Article 199 he reiterates the advice from the GIRM, but he then adds additional detail: “If the tabernacle is located on the sanctuary, the celebrant, deacons, servers, lectors etc., genuflect when approaching the altar at the beginning and leaving at the end of a liturgical celebration. But they do not genuflect when passing the tabernacle during a celebration. Otherwise, all who pass before the tabernacle genuflect, for example lectors and extraordinary ministers on entering and leaving the sanctuary. Only those who are physically incapacitated should substitute a bow for the genuflection.” There seems to be enough information provided by these sources to support the cause for Lectors to genuflect before arriving at the ambo to read. How should we interpret this? Should Lectors genuflect before arriving at the ambo to read?
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Fr. Francis : 

This is an area which the GIRM itself does not provide sufficient detail, and we must rely on the prevailing practice that has been handed down.

It is in general understood that the central focus of the Church is the reserved Sacrament in the tabernacle, to which we express our reverence by the gesture of genuflection. However, this focus is moved to the altar during the celebration of the Mass, especially within the sanctuary. Hence in the GIRM paragraph you quoted it instructs that genuflection to the tabernacle within the sanctuary is omitted during Mass, but only before and after the ministers enter the sanctuary. An exception to this is when the priest or a duly appointed minister approach the tabernacle to remove the reserved Blessed Sacrament for Communion and when afterwards replacing the Blessed Sacrament to the tabernacle; at which times the minister will genuflect.

It is my understanding that the “otherwise” in the subsequent paragraph refer to when it is outside of mass or when the tabernacle is not in the sanctuary.

I have never seen a lector genuflecting to the tabernacle as he approaches the ambo in Rome or any of the cathedral celebrations or any papal mass before. I have not seen it even with some of the most conservative congregations I have been to. So, either nobody has gotten it right or it is not supposed to be understood that way.