The Priest as Preacher

“A sower went out to sow” (Lk 8:4). The seed that is planted is so small. It can fall on the edge of the path. It can settle on rock.  This will cause it to wither and die. However, there is also the rich soil that the seed can embed in that helps it to grow and flourish.

The priest as preacher is like the sower; his words are seeds from the Lord that must come from a deep rooted faith. The Priest at the ambo is someone who has read the scriptures, studied them and loves them. From this ministry, the Word of God must speak to his heart. Not only that, he must also observe and study the other disciplines of history, culture, the lives of those around him and the traditions of the Church. This is in order to be someone who speaks not just from or of himself but to others of the Lord and the challenges of the day.

There are different contexts for preaching: The daily Mass, Feasts, and Holy Days and most especially the Sunday Mass. The daily homily can be a small piece of reflection that comes from the scripture of the day, the saint celebrated or a particular prayer needed by the parish. The Sunday sermon needs more detailed work; reflection and prayer, study of the given readings and application of his other research can all be brought to bear. This is to plant the seed of the Lord in the souls of those who listen. Feast days and Holy Days require the same level of application. Funerals are a different reality for the Word to be heard. Here giving the comfort of the Resurrection and addressing the pain that family experience are central to the focus of the preacher. Often in these situations the time of the Liturgical year can act as a backdrop. The homily given will be conditional on the length of life, the cause of death and the anguish of those who mourn. These words of the priest can be very fruitful and find a deep soil in the hearts of those grieving. It is important to note that preaching is not just words given but the way the priest lives and acts. Many may be on the edge of life’s path but the example of a good priest can bring them to the rich soil of faith and hope once again. The preacher is also giving the message of Christ when he is with the sick, the young and the old as well as those in need.

So what is a failure of preaching for the priest? He must always be a sower of Jesus and not of himself. If sermons go on forever, have no preparation and speak only of his interests or of the secular, then his words are the rocky path that will allow nothing to take hold. He must always remember at a wedding he is to speak of marriage as given by God, at the funeral he is to give the hope of Christ Risen, the Sunday Mass he is to reflect the readings of the given day. To not do, is speaking and not preaching. He is the sower for the Word. His voice is for Christ. His aim must always be to plant God into the soil of faith that others have and to direct those on the edge of the path to become a rich ground for the Lord to grow into.