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Archbishop Henning delivers his homily at Mass May 31, 2025. Pilot photo/Wes Cipolla

Formed in Christ

Friday, November 14, 2025Faith

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Homilists would tell you that they are surprised about the impact a homily may have on an assembly or an individual.

The General Instruction of the Roman Missal, or GIRM, gives the following 216 words about the homily in its instructions about the celebration of Mass:
"65. The homily is part of the Liturgy and is strongly recommended, for it is necessary for the nurturing of the Christian life. It should be an exposition of some aspect of the readings from Sacred Scripture or of another text from the Ordinary or from the Proper of the Mass of the day and should take into account both the mystery being celebrated and the particular needs of the listeners.
"66. The homily should ordinarily be given by the priest celebrant himself. He may entrust it to a concelebrating priest or occasionally, according to circumstances, to the deacon, but never to a lay person. In particular cases and for a just cause, the homily may even be given by a Bishop or a priest who is present at the celebration but cannot concelebrate.
"There is to be a homily on Sundays and holy days of obligation at all Masses that are celebrated with the participation of a congregation; it may not be omitted without a serious reason. It is recommended on other days, especially on the weekdays of Advent, Lent, and the Easter Season, as well as on other festive days and occasions when the people come to church in greater numbers.
"After the homily, a brief period of silence is appropriately observed."

Despite the rather terse treatment given there, the homily has given rise to millions of words addressing it from all kinds of directions.
It is commented upon theologically and canonically. It is examined generally and specifically from the view of the hearers and the homilists.
There are certainly studies from social sciences, especially surveys about the homily's content, effects, length, audiences, and logistics.
Resources for homily preparation abound.
Some homilies are so exquisite that they have been preserved for millennia and centuries. Some are terrific for a time but lose their appeal as generations pass. Some have an immediate and lasting impact on a community or an individual; some support and uplift the same, and get the assembly through the week. Some make the hearer want more. Others are just right for time and place.
A few words about the homily in general: Its style is meant to be conversational, down-to-earth, and easily understood by most of its hearers. It can instruct, but it is not a class presentation; it should move to action, but it is not a political speech; it should lead to examination of the life of an individual, community, parish, or society by considering the readings of the day, but it is not the forum for the denunciation of politicians or their platforms.
It is not a travelogue from the homilist. Nor is it a report on the latest happenings and a homilist's commentary thereon. At a funeral Mass, it is not a canonization decree, but a statement about Christ's redemption and promise of salvation. And at a wedding, it is not a cooing about love, rather a challenge for the couple to love one another as Christ has loved us, so we see some reflection of God's love in their married love.
Interestingly, the homily is defined by its preacher. The homily can only be given by a bishop, priest or deacon. The homily is a form of preaching, but it is not the only form. It may be the most obvious, but they are not the only ones, and some surveys suggest they're not the best.
Homilists would tell you that they are surprised about the impact a homily may have on an assembly or an individual. Often it goes like this: "I just didn't have time to work properly on the homily. So, I got up and 'winged it.' I was thinking this is the worst thing I have ever preached. The people line up at the rear of the church and more than usual stop to thank you for it. I really needed to hear that."
The opposite is also true. The homily had proper preparation, prayerful reflection, and was "perfectly" delivered at three Sunday Masses. The homilist "hit it out of the park." Archbishop Fulton Sheen would be envious. Yet, not a single word after Mass or all week long.
What happened? Or didn't?
Any homilist would likely say that each of these has happened once in his life.
Homilies are challenging both in their composition and presentation, and this is true for both the homilist and the assembly. They take work, prayer, thought, and familiarity with sources.
There will be two more columns on homilies to look at sources and methods, as well as what expectations are and should be.
As usual, I am happy to hear your reaction or comments. Email me at rmogrady@PilotCatholicNews.com.