Easter Sunday Homily

[NickyMaz]

Just felt like venting a little. The pastor of my parish is a great guy, retired USAF chaplain, but he is an awful homilitst. He’s a very good speaker it’s just that his homilies are jokes, and by that I mean he tells a joke that usually has nothing to do with the readings or any theological point and that’s pretty much the sum of his homilies. He’s an older gentleman and I doubt any feedback is going to change anything.

Today we were in the 7:30am mass and he begins telling a joke, my wife and I immediately recognize it as the very same joke he said at last year’s Easter Sunday mass. It makes me angry that on the biggest holy day on the calendar, with many people who rarely attend mass there, he can’t come up with something more profound to say than a recycled joke. I told my wife that it’s like being feed a diet of sugar, it may taste good but you’ll never grow of a diet of sugar.

 

[PaulfromIowa]

You should tell him this rather than posting it on the internet.

 

[Gorgias]

Here’s the thing: making the transition from career military chaplain to parish priest – let alone pastor! – is really difficult! There are vast differences in the demographics that a military chaplain and a parish priest ministers to, and perhaps you’re getting a taste of what worked for him during the bulk of his ministerial career as a chaplain.

I’d suggest two things: first, pray for him. He’s your pastor, and he’s been asked to take on a significantly different type of ministry. Second, let him know – gently – that although you smile at his jokes, you would love more content in his homilies. And, let him know that you appreciate his service and his continued ministry!!!

 

[Hereiam]

I know the OP doesn’t like jokes, but thinking that it is not a Homily that makes Easter, it reminds me of the old line:

“Other than that, how was the play, Mrs. Lincoln?”