“Every good homily always begins on your knees”

Photo by Michael Alexander/Georgia Bulletin

Some wise words from Atlanta’s archbishop to a group of diaconate directors last week, from The Georgia Bulletin: 

Speaking to a national convention of permanent diaconate directors in Atlanta, Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory said that priests and deacons may think it’s a modern problem to feel “utterly overwhelmed” in the ministry and all it entails.

“Haven’t we read Paul?” asked the archbishop, reflecting upon the apostle’s struggles in preaching the word of God in faraway places to diverse people.

Archbishop Gregory was a keynote speaker at the April 23-25 convention of the National Association of Diaconate Directors. The convention theme was “Preaching the Word of God.” Two hundred deacons and their wives celebrated the first days of Easter in Atlanta at the convention.

In keeping with the theme of preaching God’s word, Archbishop Gregory spoke about how daunting it can be to put one’s heart onto paper.

“Our words are always limited,” said the archbishop. “We who dare to preach must always attempt to be poets, artists, and mystics.”

Catholics, noted the archbishop, are “increasingly demanding better homilies.”

Archbishop Gregory told the deacons that a homily should not simply be information, can be clever, may at times make the listeners uncomfortable, but should never bore the listener.

“Preaching is an indispensable component of the church’s worship,” said the archbishop.

The homily is not a “commercial pause” between parts of the Mass, but a bridge, he said.

Deacons and priests should begin the process of a homily with prayer.

“Every good homily always begins on your knees,” said Archbishop Gregory. “Then you should return to the word of God.”

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