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In his 2013 apostolic exhortation Evangelii gaudium (EG), Pope Francis bewailed the fact that both priests and laypeople “suffer because of homilies: the laity from having to listen to them and the clergy from having to preach them!” (135). The Holy Father went on to characterize this situation as “sad,” noting that the homily “can actually be an intense and happy experience of the Spirit, a consoling encounter with God’s word, a constant source of renewal and growth” (ibid.). This raises the question of what a good homily ought to look like. Here we’ll offer five pointers, drawing on official Church guidelines and the writings of recent popes.
If he wishes, the preacher may use also his homily to reflect on the Mass prayers which are specific to that day, as the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) explains: “[The homily] should be an exposition of some aspect of the readings from Sacred Scripture or of another text from the Ordinary or from the Proper of the Mass of the day and should take into account both the mystery being celebrated and the particular needs of the listeners” (65).
Continued below.
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1. Staying on Topic
In his apostolic exhortation Verbum domini (VD), Pope Benedict XVI cautioned that “[g]eneric and abstract homilies which obscure the directness of God’s word should be avoided, as well as useless digressions” (59). Generally speaking, the focus of the homily should be on the Scripture readings which have just been proclaimed. As the Code of Canon Law explains, “n the homily the mysteries of faith and the norms of Christian life are to be explained from the sacred text during the course of the liturgical year” (767 §1). The role of the preacher is to draw from the sacred text to instruct and encourage the faithful.If he wishes, the preacher may use also his homily to reflect on the Mass prayers which are specific to that day, as the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) explains: “[The homily] should be an exposition of some aspect of the readings from Sacred Scripture or of another text from the Ordinary or from the Proper of the Mass of the day and should take into account both the mystery being celebrated and the particular needs of the listeners” (65).
2. Not Going Too Long (Or Too Short!)
Continued below.
What Should a Good Homily Look Like? - St. Paul Center
In his 2013 apostolic exhortation Evangelii gaudium (EG), Pope Francis bewailed the fact that both priests and laypeople “suffer because of homilies: the laity from having to listen to them and the clergy from having to preach them!” (135). The Holy Father went on to characterize this situation...
