Homily
Make use of the time until I arrive by reading to the people, preaching and teaching. You have in you a spiritual gift which was given to you ... when they laid their hands on you; do not let it lie unused (1 Tim 4:13‑14).
* * *
On certain days, the homily follows the proclamation of the Gospel. It is an integral part of the liturgy. It is said that the ideal homily is firmly based on the readings of the Mass, is not too long (7 ‑ 10 minutes), and sticks to the subject.[1]
* * *
In the synagogue, the Bible readings were always followed by an explanation of the sacred text. Our Lord took advantage of such instances to announce the kingdom of God (cf. Mk 1:21 and Lk 4:16 ff.). This custom was also observed in the primitive Church. The bishop himself, who normally celebrated the Mass on Sundays, spoke to the congregation. This was one of his main duties. We keep precious texts of homilies from St John Chrysostom, St Augustine, and even from popes like St Leo the Great and St Gregory the Great. They always took from the Scriptures the themes for the instruction of the faithful, and made good use of scriptural passages in tackling points of dogma and morals.
* * *
Homily means “explanation” in Greek. Its purpose is to develop, explain, and teach the way of transforming into life what has been proclaimed. Accordingly, the homily is to be given by the priest or the deacon.[2] No lay person is allowed to preside over this means of catechesis.
The homily usually dwells on some point of the readings or of another text from the Ordinary or from the Proper prayers of the Mass of the day, so that it becomes alive for us here and now. It takes into account the mystery being celebrated and the needs of the listeners. The mysteries of the faith and the guiding principles of Christian life are expounded during the course of the liturgical year.[3]
The importance and the source of this healthy nourishment for the intellect are pointed out in the recent documents of the Magisterium. We are told that:
Catechesis should always draw its content from the living source of the word of God transmitted in Tradition and the Scriptures, as from a single sacred deposit. It must be impregnated and penetrated by the thought, the spirit and the outlook of the Bible and the Gospels through constant contact with the texts themselves; but also, catechesis should be all the richer and more effective by reading the texts with the understanding and the heart of the Church and by drawing inspiration from the two thousand years of the Church’s reflection and life.[4]
The writings of the holy Doctors of the Church, of so many saints, are a treasure chest from which abundant inspiration can be drawn.
Indeed the homily is supremely suitable for the use of such texts, provided that their content corresponds to the required conditions, since it is one of the tasks that belong to the nature of the homily to show the points of convergence between revealed divine wisdom and noble human thought seeking the truth by various paths.[5]
Thus, the homily, based on Sacred Scriptures, should fulfill the following requirements:
· The Scriptural texts should be interpreted taking into account the unity of all of Scripture; today, this is called canonical exegesis;
· The living Tradition of the entire Church must be kept in mind, and
· The harmony that exists between elements of the faith must be respected.[6]
It is advisable to stress the essential subordination of the liturgy of the word to the Eucharistic liturgy during the homily. Then, the commentary on the scriptural texts becomes like a preparation for the Consecration and the Communion.
The homily should never be omitted on Sundays and holidays of obligation; and it is strongly recommended on other days, especially on the weekdays of Advent, Lent, and the Easter season.[7]
* * *
In order that it might more effectively move men’s minds, the priest should explain the word of God not in a general and abstract way, but rather by applying the lasting truth of the Gospel to the particular circumstances of life.[8]
The task is not an easy one for the priest, though, for he has to try to apply the Gospel’s doctrine to real life, without mixing private viewpoints or personal opinions, even involuntarily.
To avoid that risk, the priest always tries to lead all and each one to unity in charity and to the development of one’s own vocation. He tries to harmonize different mentalities so that no one feels like a stranger in the community of the faithful. In building the Christian community, priests are never to put themselves at the service of some human faction or ideology. Rather, they are to respect in the faithful that freedom with which Christ has made us free.[9]
Lay people, on the other hand, should correspond to the effort and zeal of the priest preaching the homily. They should not mind the obvious limitations and imperfections that accompany any human instrument. Rarely will a homily leave satisfied those who are shallow and mean. But it will always profit those who go to the essentials, while understanding and overlooking the human shortcomings of the preacher.
Footnotes:
[1]In On the Instruction of the Ingenuous, St Augustine declared that he had noticed that during the sermon, some yawned and others scarcely concealed their desire to be off. So, he advises, whenever signs of tiredness are noticeable, to divert the people with an anecdote or with a moving story which would reawaken their attention. But, he adds, above all, shorten the discourse. “If you wish to cure their boredom, be sparing with the medicine. Hurry, promise that you will soon finish, and finish very quickly.”
[2]Sacred Congregation for the Sacraments and Divine Worship, Instruction Inaestimabile Donum [=ID] on Certain Norms Concerning Worship of the Eucharistic Mystery, 17 April 1980, n. 3; GIRM3, no. 66.
[3]SC, no. 52; GIRM, no. 41; GIRM3, no. 65.
[4]John Paul II, Apostolic Exhortation Catechesi Tradendae on Catechesis in our Time, 16 October 1979, no. 27.
[5]DC no. 10.
[6]Cf. Benedict XVI, Address to the Synod of Bishops, October 14, 2008.
[7]GIRM, no. 41; GIRM3, no. 65.
[8]PO, no. 4.
[9]PO, 6.
* * *
On certain days, the homily follows the proclamation of the Gospel. It is an integral part of the liturgy. It is said that the ideal homily is firmly based on the readings of the Mass, is not too long (7 ‑ 10 minutes), and sticks to the subject.[1]
* * *
In the synagogue, the Bible readings were always followed by an explanation of the sacred text. Our Lord took advantage of such instances to announce the kingdom of God (cf. Mk 1:21 and Lk 4:16 ff.). This custom was also observed in the primitive Church. The bishop himself, who normally celebrated the Mass on Sundays, spoke to the congregation. This was one of his main duties. We keep precious texts of homilies from St John Chrysostom, St Augustine, and even from popes like St Leo the Great and St Gregory the Great. They always took from the Scriptures the themes for the instruction of the faithful, and made good use of scriptural passages in tackling points of dogma and morals.
* * *
Homily means “explanation” in Greek. Its purpose is to develop, explain, and teach the way of transforming into life what has been proclaimed. Accordingly, the homily is to be given by the priest or the deacon.[2] No lay person is allowed to preside over this means of catechesis.
The homily usually dwells on some point of the readings or of another text from the Ordinary or from the Proper prayers of the Mass of the day, so that it becomes alive for us here and now. It takes into account the mystery being celebrated and the needs of the listeners. The mysteries of the faith and the guiding principles of Christian life are expounded during the course of the liturgical year.[3]
The importance and the source of this healthy nourishment for the intellect are pointed out in the recent documents of the Magisterium. We are told that:
Catechesis should always draw its content from the living source of the word of God transmitted in Tradition and the Scriptures, as from a single sacred deposit. It must be impregnated and penetrated by the thought, the spirit and the outlook of the Bible and the Gospels through constant contact with the texts themselves; but also, catechesis should be all the richer and more effective by reading the texts with the understanding and the heart of the Church and by drawing inspiration from the two thousand years of the Church’s reflection and life.[4]
The writings of the holy Doctors of the Church, of so many saints, are a treasure chest from which abundant inspiration can be drawn.
Indeed the homily is supremely suitable for the use of such texts, provided that their content corresponds to the required conditions, since it is one of the tasks that belong to the nature of the homily to show the points of convergence between revealed divine wisdom and noble human thought seeking the truth by various paths.[5]
Thus, the homily, based on Sacred Scriptures, should fulfill the following requirements:
· The Scriptural texts should be interpreted taking into account the unity of all of Scripture; today, this is called canonical exegesis;
· The living Tradition of the entire Church must be kept in mind, and
· The harmony that exists between elements of the faith must be respected.[6]
It is advisable to stress the essential subordination of the liturgy of the word to the Eucharistic liturgy during the homily. Then, the commentary on the scriptural texts becomes like a preparation for the Consecration and the Communion.
The homily should never be omitted on Sundays and holidays of obligation; and it is strongly recommended on other days, especially on the weekdays of Advent, Lent, and the Easter season.[7]
* * *
In order that it might more effectively move men’s minds, the priest should explain the word of God not in a general and abstract way, but rather by applying the lasting truth of the Gospel to the particular circumstances of life.[8]
The task is not an easy one for the priest, though, for he has to try to apply the Gospel’s doctrine to real life, without mixing private viewpoints or personal opinions, even involuntarily.
To avoid that risk, the priest always tries to lead all and each one to unity in charity and to the development of one’s own vocation. He tries to harmonize different mentalities so that no one feels like a stranger in the community of the faithful. In building the Christian community, priests are never to put themselves at the service of some human faction or ideology. Rather, they are to respect in the faithful that freedom with which Christ has made us free.[9]
Lay people, on the other hand, should correspond to the effort and zeal of the priest preaching the homily. They should not mind the obvious limitations and imperfections that accompany any human instrument. Rarely will a homily leave satisfied those who are shallow and mean. But it will always profit those who go to the essentials, while understanding and overlooking the human shortcomings of the preacher.
Footnotes:
[1]In On the Instruction of the Ingenuous, St Augustine declared that he had noticed that during the sermon, some yawned and others scarcely concealed their desire to be off. So, he advises, whenever signs of tiredness are noticeable, to divert the people with an anecdote or with a moving story which would reawaken their attention. But, he adds, above all, shorten the discourse. “If you wish to cure their boredom, be sparing with the medicine. Hurry, promise that you will soon finish, and finish very quickly.”
[2]Sacred Congregation for the Sacraments and Divine Worship, Instruction Inaestimabile Donum [=ID] on Certain Norms Concerning Worship of the Eucharistic Mystery, 17 April 1980, n. 3; GIRM3, no. 66.
[3]SC, no. 52; GIRM, no. 41; GIRM3, no. 65.
[4]John Paul II, Apostolic Exhortation Catechesi Tradendae on Catechesis in our Time, 16 October 1979, no. 27.
[5]DC no. 10.
[6]Cf. Benedict XVI, Address to the Synod of Bishops, October 14, 2008.
[7]GIRM, no. 41; GIRM3, no. 65.
[8]PO, no. 4.
[9]PO, 6.