I often write and talk about the role of the arts in the church today, but one of the most broadly complained about is preaching in the Catholic Church. Bad experiences with homilies has been a prominent complaint I’ve heard among former Catholics and non-practicing Catholics.
Admittedly, the Church may not be converting 3,000 people through a sermon like our first Pope, St. Peter, did in the book of Acts, but we’re also blessed to continue celebrate the Mass given to us by the Apostles. Sometimes we just need a reminder of its power. Chris Williston wrote a great post a while back about this called Why is the Catholic Mass so Boring.
In full disclosure, I am blessed to be a part of a parish that has amazing homilist, but I’ve experienced my share of bad homilies while celebrating Mass in various places throughout my life. I’m in no position to tell priest or deacons how to be better preachers. Instead, I want to focus on 5 things to remember during and after hearing a bad homily.
1. Find additional spiritual nourishment outside of Mass.
Homilies are intended to help us expand upon and digest the scripture readings in the Holy Mass. In comparison to the amount of media we consume today, one homily a week will never be enough to feed your spirituality. Having a consistent consumption of spiritual resources will keep you fed, even if a good or bad homily does not.
2. Read the readings before going to Mass.
It helps to be better prepared for Mass and be familiar with the readings for that Sunday. Instead of using the homily to remind you which readings you just heard, it leaves your heart ready to learn and listen to the message. Spending even a few minutes with the readings will give you time to let the message speak to you personally.
3. Check your frustration/disappointment.
Remember that the Holy Mass is not about us. A good homily can comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. Sometimes we need a homily to move us to make changes in our lives, and acknowledging our faults is usually difficult and uncomfortable. The Holy Mass is about worshiping our God, and has nothing to do with how much we are entertained. There are also times when a very simple message from God comes in ways we don’t expect. Sometimes we just need to pay extra attention to find the message inside the homily.
4. Remember that it is part of the sacred liturgy.
The homily is often the most memorable because it is intended for those in the church at that specific time, but it is only one small part of the Holy Mass. The liturgy is rich with action as we participate in a supernatural event that goes beyond space and time and Heaven kisses Earth. If you feel like the homily was lacking, enter deeper into the prayers of the Catholic Mass. No matter how often you’ve heard them, there is power in the words of the prayer if you open your heart.
5. Pray for the priest and deacons.
Maybe you’ve tried all of these options and you still can’t get over the homily. Take a moment to remember that the priest and deacons are human too. They’re often busy keeping up with difficult schedules and overwhelming amounts of work. If you feel offended or ripped off, forgive and pray for them.
Ven. Fulton Sheen Preaching
The church and the sacred liturgy deserves quality homilies that convict and convert us, and we should charitably encourage our clergy to rise to the challenge. As tempting as it might be, please do not attack the priest or deacon to their face or when speaking with others. In the end, you’ll only hurt yourself and go back on any spiritual growth. Never underestimate the power of our prayers and loving support.
Very nicely done Cristobal… and thanks for the reference. We have to resist the urge to “church shop” for the priest we find most engaging and dynamic. The dynamism of the church is in the Eucharist (and other sacraments) and in community itself. If you’re looking to be “fed” by something other than those two realities, I think you’re bound to be disappointed.
Thanks Chris. I didn’t touch on that part because it deserves its own discussion, but I agree with you.
Great insights. The focus, though hard at times, should always be on others and not ourselves. 🙂
My go-to method for dealing with bad homilies is to remind myself why I’m at Mass in the first place. I don’t go to hear a good homily. Not every priest or deacon is a gifted homilist; his gifts might just lie elsewhere. That would be like giving up on me because I’m a terrible athlete—you’d miss out on my mad grammar skills. Thanks to the Internet, I have access to excellent preaching 24/7.
I go to Mass for two reasons: first, because God has commanded it; and second, because it’s the only way I can receive the Eucharist. Those reasons can get me through weak or nonexistent homilies, saccharine or illicit music, and even my own stubbornness.
That’s how I’ve had to look at things when I hear bad homilies. I think sometimes we try too much to be like our protestant brothers and sisters where their services I think focus almost entirely on the homily/sermon.
I had to deal for many years with bad preaching and a lot of your tips got me through it. I liked your suggestion about reading and finding other spiritual things outside of mass. That has always been really helpful for me.
Yes, I write this from experience. These have been some of the most helpful for me. Thanks for reading.
Indeed! St. Josemaria Escriva somewhere says to not be upset when we encounter bad preaching. In fact, he says, go to the church with little devotion, with impious tradition. Pray for them and suffer with them while in Mass with them. Be with them, lift them out of that darkness with your prayer and offering, with your participation in the Mass.
Temptation of mine: to ‘use’ the Mass to ‘get to’ Jesus, “just give me the bread and wine.” The Liturgy of the Eucharist AND the Word is God’s communication to us. The Second Person of the Trinity is identified as the Word. We cannot neglect his self-gift in the first part of Mass. I think what you said, Cristobal, about reading outside and receiving nourishment more frequently than one hour a week will help us see value and richness in the whole Mass.