Sunday Homily

[Spera_in_Deo]

It is my recollection that in the Sunday Homily the celebrant should, or is strongly urged, to select a topic that is related to the Epistle or Gospel for that Sunday. Could anyone assist me in this recollection? Has anyone else ever heard of this before or am I perhaps just daydreaming?

And, furthermore, if this recollection is true, is there a written source you might be able to refer me to regarding same?

Thanks.

 

[Ohana]

I have heard that too, but it seems to me there is adifference between a homily (based on the readings) and sermon, which may go farther afield. Both are valid use of the time after the Gospel for the priest to speak to us.

 

[Allegra]

I think priests do follow this for the most part, but I also think that if there is something particular that father wants to say, he will find a way to make it relate to the readings in some way. I’ve heard alot of, “It’s ironic that our Gosple reading for today is about charity because yesterday, in the parking lot…”

 

[Oneofthewomen]

It is my recollection that in the Sunday Homily the celebrant should, or is strongly urged, to select a topic that is related to the Epistle or Gospel for that Sunday. Could anyone assist me in this recollection? Has anyone else ever heard of this before or am I perhaps just daydreaming?

And, furthermore, if this recollection is true, is there a written source you might be able to refer me to regarding same?

Thanks.

This is from SACROSANCTUM CONCILIUM

1. That the intimate connection between words and rites may be apparent in the liturgy:

1. In sacred celebrations there is to be more reading from holy scripture, and it is to be more varied and suitable.

1. Because the sermon is part of the liturgical service, the best place for it is to be indicated even in the rubrics, as far as the nature of the rite will allow; the ministry of preaching is to be fulfilled with exactitude and fidelity. The sermon, moreover, should draw its content mainly from scriptural and liturgical sources, and its character should be that of a proclamation of God’s wonderful works in the history of salvation, the mystery of Christ, ever made present and active within us, especially in the celebration of the liturgy.

I had a conversation with a priest friend recently about the content of homilies. I was asking why we did not hear more on the “teachings” of the Church, especially in regard to this whole HHS mandate debacle here in the US. He, in a nut-shell, said that VII called for preaching to be more scriptural based, and it kind of hard to talk about contraception & abortion in the context of most of the readings.

 

[Spera_in_Deo]

After posting this question I did some research, which I admit I should have done earlier, into the subject of my question. That research reveals, in the manner in which I interpret it, that according to the recently released 2011 revised GIRM for the US, a homily should be related to the scripture read in the Mass. My conclusion is based upon Chapter II, Section II, paragraph 29 and Chapter II, Section III, paragraphs 35 and 66.

This helped me and, if you are interested, I hope it will help you.

God Bless.

 

[rhiannonh]

I don’t think it a written rule per se

as someone else suggested, if the priest has found they need to say something then they will do so though some may link it to the Gospel or something. The other week we had a refreshing sermon on the Collect of the Day. That was very different and ‘nice’

 

[Chatter163]

This is from SACROSANCTUM CONCILIUM

I had a conversation with a priest friend recently about the content of homilies. I was asking why we did not hear more on the “teachings” of the Church, especially in regard to this whole HHS mandate debacle here in the US. He, in a nut-shell, said that VII called for preaching to be more scriptural based, and it kind of hard to talk about contraception & abortion in the context of most of the readings.

Sorry, but that’s just an excuse for not teaching the faithful about what the Church teaches. It has largely contributed to the ignorance of the laity on why the Church teaches as she does.

 

[Oneofthewomen]

Sorry, but that’s just an excuse for not teaching the faithful about what the Church teaches. It has largely contributed to the ignorance of the laity on why the Church teaches as she does.

I tend to agree with you Chatter. However, how do we go about changing it?!

In the same conversation with my friend he told a story about a fellow priest,
who preached a very powerful homily regarding the rules for receiving communion, the importance of confession and how Church rules really are not “optional”.
The letters to the Bishop were 3:1 in favor of hanging this priest from the highest yard-arm!! :sad_yes:

It was all “Father is being mean!” “Didn’t Jesus say rules weren’t important so long as we loved each other?” yadda, yadda, yadda

I don’t have any answers, just a request that we pray for our priests…
I do not envy them one bit!! No matter what they do,
it seems that someone is not happy.

 

[johnthebaptist1]

When I go to Mass the priest Homily does go with the gospel of that day, but somtimes he says words that will help people understand the Gospel better,and bring closer to unstanding what Jesus is trying to say.

 

[Tarpeian_Rock]

Sorry, but that’s just an excuse for not teaching the faithful about what the Church teaches. It has largely contributed to the ignorance of the laity on why the Church teaches as she does.

Growing up in the 1950’s, we heard lots and lots about the perils of missing Mass, going to confession, the holy days of obligation, and not eating meat on Fridays. Of course, we heard very little about Scripture and the teachings of Jesus. Any homilist worth his salt should be able to deal with important moral issues in the setting of Scripture. Anyone who thinks “what the Church teaches” is somehow different than, or more important than, what Jesus taught in Scripture needs a mid-course correction.

 

[MariaGoretti88]

Whenever I went to Mass in Pittsburgh for Septuagesima Sunday, Father talked about the HHS mandate and had some very good reminders for all of us that he put a spiritual emphasis on. He also preached in his sermon about the Epistle and Holy Gospel. I guess some priests are good at tying it all in or doing a little bit of this and that. As long is the sermon is challenging and moving, praise God! Primarily they should be Scripture and doctrine based, though, but I feel like you can tie everything into Scripture and doctrine somehow as our Holy Scriptures are very powerful and universal.

In the same conversation with my friend he told a story about a fellow priest,
who preached a very powerful homily regarding the rules for receiving communion, the importance of confession and how Church rules really are not “optional”.
The letters to the Bishop were 3:1 in favor of hanging this priest from the highest yard-arm!! :sad_yes:

It was all “Father is being mean!” “Didn’t Jesus say rules weren’t important so long as we loved each other?” yadda, yadda, yadda

Yikes! This doesn’t surprise me, but I’m sure the Bishop basically just wrote them back and said thanks for the letters, but didn’t reprimand the priest (there would be not reason to reprimand him) and seems like the parishioners aren’t the most humble crowd

Hopefully I’ll be able to hear a sermon of this sort again soon, I love 'em.

 

[MariaGoretti88]

Anyone who thinks “what the Church teaches” is somehow different than, or more important than, what Jesus taught in Scripture needs a mid-course correction.

Luckily for us they’re one and the same teaching yayy!

 

[johnthebaptist1]

Growing up in the 1950’s, we heard lots and lots about the perils of missing Mass, going to confession, the holy days of obligation, and not eating meat on Fridays. Of course, we heard very little about Scripture and the teachings of Jesus. Any homilist worth his salt should be able to deal with important moral issues in the setting of Scripture. Anyone who thinks “what the Church teaches” is somehow different than, or more important than, what Jesus taught in Scripture needs a mid-course correction.

Well I tell you this, I was born in that time, and we were brought up by very strick parents. Ever Sunday we when to Mass, we when to confession more often than people do today,we never missed Holy days, because we were remined that today is a Holy Day and we are going to Mass Durning Lent, we didn,t eat meat on Ash Wednesday and GOOD FRIDAY,plus every friday, and if we were not listing to the Gospel, but looking around, my parents would say turn around and listen to what the priest is saying… Sunday was a day of rest,and being with the Family. The Scriptures that we listen to, are from the Bible, but put in a way we can understand.

 

[japhy]

This is the third installment in the current [Excerpti (The Cross Reference: excerpti) (extracts) series on the homily. This is Part III: What is the purpose of the homily?

Summary
First, here are two dynamite quotes:

• “The best catechesis on the Eucharist is the Eucharist itself well celebrated.” (Synod of Bishops, XI Ordinary General Assembly, Propositiones, n. 19)
• “Given the importance of the word of God, the quality of homilies needs to be improved.” (Pope Benedict XVI, Sacramentum Caritatis, n. 46)

There seems to be a common misconception that all the homily is, is an explanation of the Scripture that was read and an application of it to our lives. (Of course, there’s an equally common misconception that a homily is where off-topic jokes are told and valuable football-watching time is wasted.) A homily is more than that. In addition to exposition on Scripture, the homily teaches the faithful about the truths and mysteries of the faith, about proper Christian behavior, and about the liturgy itself.

• The homily teaches and illustrates the truths and mysteries of the faith as well as the norms for Christian living, touching upon the whole of Christian teaching. (Cf. CIC, can. 386 §1, 528 §1, can. 767 §1; CCEO, can. 614 §1)
• The homily provides liturgical catechesis. (Cf. GIRM, n. 13)
• The homily explains the texts heard in the liturgy. (Cf. GIRM, nn. 29, 55, 65)
• The homily is based on Scripture, Tradition, and the Magisterium. (Cf. Divino Afflante Spiritu, n. 50; GIRM, n. 65; Redemptionis Sacramentum, n. 67)
• The homily should be relevant to the liturgical celebration of the day or season. (Cf. GIRM, n. 65)
• The quality of homilies must improve: they must not be generic or abstract, they must not dwell solely on the profane and political, and they must not use pseudo-religious material as sources. (Cf. Redemptionis Sacramentum, n. 67; Sacramentum Caritatis, n. 46)

(Read more…)