PRIESTS should aspire to be good
homilists. They should
try their best that with their homilies they manage to stir the
people's heart in such a way that they get moved to love God and
others more and more. For this, a review of what Pope Francis said
about homilies in his document, “Evangelii gaudium” (The joy of the
gospel) is definitely worthwhile making.
There he clarifies the nature and importance of the
homily. It should be “an intense and happy experience of the Spirit,”
he said, “a consoling encounter with God's word, a constant source of
renewal and growth.” (135) In any event, the homily can show how close
a priest is both with God and with the people. A bad homily would be
torture to both the preacher and the listener.
Since it is done within the liturgical celebration of the
Mass, it should not be so much a time for meditation and catechesis as
a dialogue between a God and his people, “a dialogue in which the
great deeds of salvation are proclaimed and the demands of the
covenant are continually restated.” (137)
As such, it cannot be a form of entertainment though it
should be engaging, able to give life and meaning to the celebration
of the Mass. He should be brief, avoiding the semblance of delivering
a speech or a lecture, and much less, a scolding. In this way, he can
manage to make Christ the center of attention, and not his own self.
He should make his homily assume the character of a mother
who speaks to her child, “knowing that the child trusts that what she
is teaching is for his or her benefit, for children know that they are
loved.” (139)
He engages in a dialogue where more than mere
communication of truths is involved. He should exude the joy of
speaking that expresses God's love for the people. He should not be
moralistic or doctrinaire in his tone and style. He has to make a
heart-to-heart communication.
Pope Francis made one good observation about a good
homilist. He said: “The challenge of an inculturated preaching
consists in proclaiming a synthesis, not ideas or detached
values...Where your synthesis is, there lies your heart. The
difference between enlightening people with a synthesis and doing so
with detached ideas is like the difference between boredom and
heartfelt fervor.” (143)
Of course, a good homilist prepares his preaching with a
prolonged time of study, prayer, reflection and pastoral creativity.
In fact, everything in his life and ministry should go into the
preparation of his homily. He therefore has to be true and faithful to
his vocation, living a unity of life and avoiding hypocrisy,
pretensions, etc. To be blunt, the effectiveness of his homily would
somehow depend on his level of holiness.
He should personalize God’s word by entering into its
spirit. In that way, he becomes a true witness of God’s word and can
relive what Christ said to his apostles: “Whoever listens to you
listens to me.” (Lk 10,16)
This is possible if the homilist reads, studies and
handles God’s word spiritually, the way St. Paul handled God’s word.
“We speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught
by the Spirit,” he said, “explaining spiritual realities with
Spirit-taught words.” (1 Cor 2,13)
One reassuring advice the Pope gives when the preacher
feels he is not yet ready to fulfill what God seems to be asking from
him at a given moment is to ask “from him what we ourselves cannot as
yet achieve.” (153) A preacher should not feel depressed at his
inability to do what knows God is asking from him. He just has to be
humble and patient and do whatever he can.
A good homilist also needs “to keep his ear to the people
and to discover what it is that the faithful need to hear. A preacher
has to contemplate his people.” (154)
This is very important and the preacher simply has to find
ways to know his people in an increasingly intimate way. This is
always possible since he often receives their confessions and gives
spiritual direction. Besides, there are now many other resources where
the temper and signs of the times and peoples can be discerned.
Finally, a good preacher gets down to brass tacks by
composing his homily, knowing how to deliver it. He should avoid being
verbose. He should try his best to be simple and concise. His homily
should have “an idea, a sentiment, an image.” (157)
try their best that with their homilies they manage to stir the
people's heart in such a way that they get moved to love God and
others more and more. For this, a review of what Pope Francis said
about homilies in his document, “Evangelii gaudium” (The joy of the
gospel) is definitely worthwhile making.
There he clarifies the nature and importance of the
homily. It should be “an intense and happy experience of the Spirit,”
he said, “a consoling encounter with God's word, a constant source of
renewal and growth.” (135) In any event, the homily can show how close
a priest is both with God and with the people. A bad homily would be
torture to both the preacher and the listener.
Since it is done within the liturgical celebration of the
Mass, it should not be so much a time for meditation and catechesis as
a dialogue between a God and his people, “a dialogue in which the
great deeds of salvation are proclaimed and the demands of the
covenant are continually restated.” (137)
As such, it cannot be a form of entertainment though it
should be engaging, able to give life and meaning to the celebration
of the Mass. He should be brief, avoiding the semblance of delivering
a speech or a lecture, and much less, a scolding. In this way, he can
manage to make Christ the center of attention, and not his own self.
He should make his homily assume the character of a mother
who speaks to her child, “knowing that the child trusts that what she
is teaching is for his or her benefit, for children know that they are
loved.” (139)
He engages in a dialogue where more than mere
communication of truths is involved. He should exude the joy of
speaking that expresses God's love for the people. He should not be
moralistic or doctrinaire in his tone and style. He has to make a
heart-to-heart communication.
Pope Francis made one good observation about a good
homilist. He said: “The challenge of an inculturated preaching
consists in proclaiming a synthesis, not ideas or detached
values...Where your synthesis is, there lies your heart. The
difference between enlightening people with a synthesis and doing so
with detached ideas is like the difference between boredom and
heartfelt fervor.” (143)
Of course, a good homilist prepares his preaching with a
prolonged time of study, prayer, reflection and pastoral creativity.
In fact, everything in his life and ministry should go into the
preparation of his homily. He therefore has to be true and faithful to
his vocation, living a unity of life and avoiding hypocrisy,
pretensions, etc. To be blunt, the effectiveness of his homily would
somehow depend on his level of holiness.
He should personalize God’s word by entering into its
spirit. In that way, he becomes a true witness of God’s word and can
relive what Christ said to his apostles: “Whoever listens to you
listens to me.” (Lk 10,16)
This is possible if the homilist reads, studies and
handles God’s word spiritually, the way St. Paul handled God’s word.
“We speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught
by the Spirit,” he said, “explaining spiritual realities with
Spirit-taught words.” (1 Cor 2,13)
One reassuring advice the Pope gives when the preacher
feels he is not yet ready to fulfill what God seems to be asking from
him at a given moment is to ask “from him what we ourselves cannot as
yet achieve.” (153) A preacher should not feel depressed at his
inability to do what knows God is asking from him. He just has to be
humble and patient and do whatever he can.
A good homilist also needs “to keep his ear to the people
and to discover what it is that the faithful need to hear. A preacher
has to contemplate his people.” (154)
This is very important and the preacher simply has to find
ways to know his people in an increasingly intimate way. This is
always possible since he often receives their confessions and gives
spiritual direction. Besides, there are now many other resources where
the temper and signs of the times and peoples can be discerned.
Finally, a good preacher gets down to brass tacks by
composing his homily, knowing how to deliver it. He should avoid being
verbose. He should try his best to be simple and concise. His homily
should have “an idea, a sentiment, an image.” (157)
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