Being a riveting speaker is a gift that many priests and clerics simply do not possess. A short homily underlining the readings is really all that is called for. Also recall the immortal words of Edmund Gwenn: Death is easy, comedy is hard.
PopeWatch: When the Man is Right, he is Right
- Donald R. McClarey
Donald R. McClarey
Cradle Catholic. Active in the pro-life movement since 1973. Father of three, one in Heaven, and happily married for 43 years. Small town lawyer and amateur historian. Former president of the board of directors of the local crisis pregnancy center for a decade.
I never feel sleepy during an overly long homily, I get anxious and angry about my day going to waste when I could be productive somewhere else, Some homilies have no point, others have too many points. In either case, long homilies are seldom memorable except for their length. Ten minutes is enough time to drive home one really good point and one decent anecdote to illustrate the point.
The teacher in me wants to respond to this one with a novel length lesson, but the, “keep it under eight minutes” prevents that. Here goes: Homilies
1. They’re mostly adults and have heard it all their lives. Find a new twist on what they expect, and make them think.
2. The purpose is about getting them and God closer, never make it about yourself.
3. Speak the harsh truth, and never worry about their walking out. They didn’t Crucify Christ because He sweet talked everyone.
4. Surprise them every week, by asking them one question they would ask you, the Church, or God.
Eight minutes are up…..
If the speaker is at least capable, and the substance Catholic, I can take a longer homily. I think in our atheistic society and surroundings, this might be where most Catholics get their dose of Christian.
Most Catholic priests are incapable of giving a coherent homily, short or long. The only time most Catholic laity get ANY religious teaching is during the homily at Mass, so yes, the priest SHOULD be a coherent speaker able to keep the attention of the congregation. And often teaching points take more than just 5 or 10 minutes. You can’t expect people to respect and understand the Word in Sacrament if they are not taught to respect and understand the Word in Scripture, and that requires constant repeating Sunday after Sunday with GOOD and COHERENT sermons. I am just a nuke. I got no theological training. But often I know more about the Scripture readings for Mass (and New Testament Greek and Latin) than the priest giving the lackluster, milquetoast homily. There is NO excuse for that. 2nd Timothy 4:1-5 still applies:
1 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I solemnly urge you: 2 proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths. 5 As for you, always be sober, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, carry out your ministry fully.
Whatin the world would people today do if they had to sit through two hour sermons by St. John Chrysostom, and St. Paul’s all night sermon at Troas in Acts chapter 20. Yes, I know: like Eutychus they would fall asleep then fall out the window. My solution? Take notes during the homily! Bring a small notebook with a pencil and TAKE NOTES! You’ll stay awake!
Any sermon by Pope Francis would be waaaay too long!
I’d say it depends on the priest. If he’s got the spirit; if you will; I don’t mind sitting there 15 or so.
If he’s spouting heresy then even a minute is too much.
I would have bet that today’s PopeWatch would have been about Francis’s reported second use of the word “frociaggine”. Actually that’s what I assumed this article was about, given its title.
“If he’s got the spirit; if you will; I don’t mind sitting there 15 or so.”
I have no desire to endure even 5 minutes of a gospel revival meeting homily. Such typically offer almost all style, almost no substance. Quite boring, to be honest. During a parish retreat over a decade past, I recall the priest to have been …energetic. I well recall his bit about “John 10, John 10, John 10, 10, 10”. Regrettably, I remember not a whit about what John 10 actually says.
If my current pastor can sometimes be a bit dry and windy, he and his associate still manage to force me to think about my attitudes and actions.
That’s what I really need most.
I’ve found that Catholic priests are more capable preachers than their Episcopal counterparts (brevity being part of that). The finest preacher I’ve encountered was the late Fr. Julian Eliane of the Melchite Eparchy. He began building his file of homilies in the 1940s and they were all concise and precisely formatted. You encounter very few clergyman who proceed as he did, and more’s the pity.
A great many clergymen offer vague, meandering and often naval-gazing gas, none of it instructive.
The only time most Catholic laity get ANY religious teaching is during the homily at Mass, so yes, the priest SHOULD be a coherent speaker able to keep the attention of the congregation. And often teaching points take more than just 5 or 10 minutes.
One thing I have noticed is that the homilies breaking the 10-15 minute rule are often from younger, more conservative priests or deacons or priests from other parts of the world – especially Africa. Again, most often more traditional and conservative. At times they seem almost desperate to get as much out to the listeners as they can to counter the 99% atheism we are surrounded by in our modern society. I don’t know in our age that’s altogether a bad thing.
try listening to Fr Mike Schmitz. He talks fast and compelling. He is of the Fulton Sheen mold. I augment my weekly local homily with one of his and then I feel my mass is concluded.
I usually try to listen and learn . A highly educated and generous priest listening to a parishioner expound from his modernist viewpoint sets a good example – father kindly retaught the faith. Perhaps wondering how many in the pews were like that
“Death is easy, comedy is hard.”
I remember performing music at an open mic that also allowed comedy acts. Many of these guys trying to do stand up comedy weren’t very good, to put it mildly. I followed one of these guys who tried this “I just graduated from college.” skit. It didn’t get any reaction. Just before started my two song set, I quipped, “I just graduated from college too. You want fries with that?” The whole room busted out laughing. It was a stroke to my ego, but later I started feeling bad for the guy.
Stand up comedy is difficult. A good stand up comic has real talent. The one thing a good stand up comic understands is how important the element of truth is to comedy. The same with a good homily. If the homilist can succinctly preach about the readings or another relevant subject in a way the congregation can easily understand, he’ll be fine.
The best sermons are explanations on the first and second readings, gospel and then tie all 3 together with a common thread.
I’ve read “”that’s hard and it requires genius”, and I disagree -what it does require is Faith, that the Church chose those three for a reason on that particular day.
Quality not quantity I guess. A good speaker knows their audience and adapts. A good Priest knows a thing or two about what struggles would be affecting their congregation beyond the sound-bites they hear/see in the media. They should make it their job to know. Because then they can effectively relate the Gospel Reading and Jesus teachings and life to the struggles of the Faithful. Above all, always speak the Truth, the hard Truth, even if it is uncomfortable and unpopular. In a loving way. And believe what you are saying otherwise people will see through you. The Priests purpose is the get his flock to heaven. If a Priests focus always remains on this goal, he will always speak well from the pulpit, as the Holy Spirit will ensure his words get to the heart of the Faithful. We can’t forget that the Holy Spirit has a part in the Mass, even if the Priest has given a terrible Homily.
I wish that priests would give a good homily before state and federal elections. They should not name a candidate or a party but they should remind us what’s at stake morally. Or what cases are before the State or US Supreme Courts and ask for prayers.
Don’t preach to people who are not in attendance. Preach to people who are in the pews.
Every so often remind on how to receive the Eucharist. There is still a 1 hour fast before reception.
Often there is nothing noted in the homily about the First, Second readings and the Gospel.
The point of departure for the homily should be the Gospel. If you can work in some remarks on the other readings, that’s gravy.
You may have heard that there is a fine line between a long sermon and a hostage situation.