Anything wrong with not liking "dynamic" homilies?

[KofC660]

Personally, I don’t like getting “preached to”.

My favorite parish priest (as a celebrant of Mass, not as a person) is the new priest from Mexico that doesn’t speak good English. When he celebrates daily Mass there’s no homily and I LOVE IT! He reads the Gospel, then sits down for a few minutes, giving me time to think it over myself. I don’t need to be preached to, especially when 99.8% of every homily is so predictable!

My least favorite parish priest (once again, as a celebrant of Mass, I actually like this priest personally, and we always have great conversations) is a VERY “dynamic” speaker. His homilies go on for 20+ minutes, very detailed, very orthodox, and entertaining. However, I don’t care to hear it. Say a few words, tying the three (Sunday) readings together, and move on; no more than 5 minutes should be enough. Honestly, I feel a “preachy” priest takes away from the TRUE point of the Mass: the Consecration!

How does everyone else feel about this?

 

[andzy]

I think more preaching is what Catholics need today. Maybe not “you’re going to hell if you do xyz”, and certainly not those “it’s all love” sermons, but orthodox preaching informing and explaining to people what the Church teaches, and admonishing them to live faithful lives.
I’ve heard several times that people have never heard a single word against abortion, etc, from the pulpit, and didn’t even know that artificial birth control was a sin, because their priest(-s) hadn’t said a single word about it for years.
Of course, some people need to hear preaching more than others, but I believe that without preaching people won’t know the Truth, or at least will forget it (or tend to ignore it).

 

[puzzleannie]

The homily is required at Sunday Mass, even if only a few words about the readings. The mission of the priest, in union with the bishop, is to teach, preach and sanctify.

We frequently discuss the homilies after Mass, here (our pastor is one of the best preachers I have ever heard) and when we travel. We have concluded over the years that every homily, even the dryest, most boring, poorest delivered, has a gem within it, and has something to say that we need to here. I truly believe that any homilist if he speaks with intent to convey the truth, is guided by the Holy Spirit and that if we listen with an open hearts, we will hear what the Holy Spirit wants us to hear, even if the priest doesn’t “say it right.” In fact, I believe that is a dimension of speaking in tongues.

We have also learned over the years that the best homilies are those which make us uncomfortable, which make us feel indignant that we have been “preached at” as if there was some need for us to hear the preaching. In fact, the most disappointing sermons are those which are the most bland, comforting, reassuring and non-challenging.

Many times I have heard the priest or deacon preaching a bilingual homily, or one mostly in Spanish, and although my Spanish is week, I do get the sense of his message. I believe that also is a manner of speaking in tongues, that the Holy Spirit communicates through the priest.

Sometimes in a 20 minute homily (and our pastor would go on for an hour if there was not another Mass) there may be only a word or one theme or idea that stays with me, but it is always there, not necessarily the word the preacher intended, but what I needed to hear. When I start to resent what the preacher is saying, that is a sign that I really need to listen up, because there is something coming that I need to hear.

 

[zemi]

;2339386:

The homily is required at Sunday Mass, even if only a few words about the readings. The mission of the priest, in union with the bishop, is to teach, preach and sanctify.

We frequently discuss the homilies after Mass, here (our pastor is one of the best preachers I have ever heard) and when we travel. We have concluded over the years that every homily, even the dryest, most boring, poorest delivered, has a gem within it, and has something to say that we need to here. I truly believe that any homilist if he speaks with intent to convey the truth, is guided by the Holy Spirit and that if we listen with an open hearts, we will hear what the Holy Spirit wants us to hear, even if the priest doesn’t “say it right.” In fact, I believe that is a dimension of speaking in tongues.

We have also learned over the years that the best homilies are those which make us uncomfortable, which make us feel indignant that we have been “preached at” as if there was some need for us to hear the preaching. In fact, the most disappointing sermons are those which are the most bland, comforting, reassuring and non-challenging.

Many times I have heard the priest or deacon preaching a bilingual homily, or one mostly in Spanish, and although my Spanish is week, I do get the sense of his message. I believe that also is a manner of speaking in tongues, that the Holy Spirit communicates through the priest.

Sometimes in a 20 minute homily (and our pastor would go on for an hour if there was not another Mass) there may be only a word or one theme or idea that stays with me, but it is always there, not necessarily the word the preacher intended, but what I needed to hear. When I start to resent what the preacher is saying, that is a sign that I really need to listen up, because there is something coming that I need to hear.

Wow, I think many truths in what you said , puzzleannie. And I am amazed that you discuss the homilies after the Mass. Never heard people doing that… I wished it were so, but never met with that…

 

[puzzleannie]

Wow, I think many truths in what you said , puzzleannie. And I am amazed that you discuss the homilies after the Mass. Never heard people doing that… I wished it were so, but never met with that…

so, start this week, discuss the readings, or at least the gospel, in the car on the way home, or over breakfast, and discuss the homilies. Give the kids the chance to speak, too

 

[zemi]

so, start this week, discuss the readings, or at least the gospel, in the car on the way home, or over breakfast, and discuss the homilies. Give the kids the chance to speak, too

I’ve no kids yet I’m a bit over 20. It’s just that people (i.e. my peers) always discuss tons of things but I’ve never heard of homily being mentioned, hm. I know, I know… you think that maybe I am here to bring forward the topic, right?