I'm a 1st year theology seminarian from the Philippines. presently, we are having our homiletics class. The day assigned to me to give a homily is for the 25th of December (Lk 2,1-14) and the other is for the Trinity Sunday (Prov.8,22-31; Rom 5,1-5 or Jn 16,12-15) Please give me some points in doing a clear, short, interesting and heart-warming homily. I'm not asking you to give me a homily sample of those but method or literary styles that could be of use to make my homily in a parish effective.
Thank you and God bless!
bong
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Dear Bong,
When they asked Fr. Ray Brown what priests could do to improve their homilies, he replied, "Think." I would add, think before the Blessed Sacrament. I find when I spend time in prayer, I am more likely to have a message in my heart. Cor ad cor loquitur. Heart speaks to heart.
I've been a priest for almost twenty-nine years and I do not know any way around the agony that comes before preaching. But there is also a great joy if you "connect," that is, be the Lord's instrument in reaching people with the message of salvation. I'm only a middling homilist, but persistence does more to endear people than sweeping them off their feet.
God bless. And prayers.
Fr. Phil Bloom
P.S. For more suggestions please see Four Purposes of a Homily.
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