Bread of Life; On The Sacred Scriptures and Preaching at Mass – Father Antony's Homily Notes From January 23, 2011 - The Third Sunday In Ordinary Time

The following are excerpts from Father Antony's Homily on the great value and importance of the Word of God we share each Mass and the pastor's homily which helps us to truly experience that Word, apply it to our daily lives, and enjoy the good fruits and spiritual nourishment it promises;

There is often a misunderstanding regarding listening to the Sacred Scriptures and the priest's Homily at Mass.

These two vital aspects of the Word of God are not primarily a communication, it includes communication as a means to pass on a particular message, but it's primary focus is to help us to be filled and renewed by the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Sometimes people say we ought to be able to communicate the message in two minutes, but catechesis (teaching) is something deeper than mere communication and takes a greater effort. Think of families today in the world; a couple may date for more than 5 years, perhaps be engaged for two years and still find after marriage that their life together is not successful, even with all of this time to communicate. Something is missing, a true relationship. This is the hidden treasure of God’s word!

This Word we share at the Mass is a prayer; remember at Pentecost while listening to the preaching they all received Holy Spirit. Acts:2:1- 12. It is a Word that ought to bring peace.

This Word of God is not time bound, its theme based. Think of a restaurant when it is busy. I see people stay there waiting in line for as long as it takes until their name is called. We wait too at a car wash when the days get warm and we know we have to clean the car. Yet at Church we have created a false system that Mass should be finished with in 45 minutes or an hour and that is all I am willing to give.

Preaching heals you. When people listened to the preaching of apostles and disciples of Jesus they were HEALED; the Word of God takes away our guilt, softens the hard heart and readies it to receive healing and Love, strengthening us to forgive and Reconcile.

Preaching brings joy to life and home. Nehemiah: 8:2-4,5-6, 8-10. (read verse 10); after the people had spent the better part of a day listening to the Word of God and the Law they rejoiced and feasted!

The Word and the preaching make us eligible to receive holy Eucharist, the body and blood of Christ.

I encourage you to read the gospel of John 6: 22-69. Jesus, only the day before, had fed the crowds with just a few loaves and some fish. The next day they searched for him again wanting what? Jesus tells them, you did not come for my Word, but just for more bread to eat. He continues to preach to them, teaching them about the real bread that he offers in his Word. In verse 63 he tells them: “the words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life”, more even than the bread they came for. By the end everyone has left except his close disciples. “So Jesus asked the twelve, ‘Do you also wish to go away?’ Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.’”

The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) states: 29. When the Sacred Scriptures are read in the Church, God himself speaks to his people, and Christ, present in his own word, proclaims the Gospel. Therefore, all must listen with reverence to the readings from God’s word, for they make up an element of greatest importance in the Liturgy. Although in the readings from Sacred Scripture God’s word is addressed to all people of every era and is understandable to them, nevertheless, a fuller understanding and a greater effectiveness of the word is fostered by a living commentary on the word, that is, the Homily, as part of the liturgical action. After the Homily a brief period of silence is appropriately observed.

46. SACRAMENTUM CARITATIS, POPE BENEDICT XVI. Given the importance of the word of God, the homily is "part of the liturgical action" (139), and is meant to foster a deeper understanding of the word of God, so that it can bear fruit in the lives of the faithful. Hence ordained ministers must "prepare the homily carefully, based on an adequate knowledge of Sacred Scripture" (140). In particular, I ask these ministers to preach in such a way that the homily closely relates the proclamation of the word of God to the sacramental celebration (141) and the life of the community, so that the word of God truly becomes the Church's vital nourishment and support (142). The catechetical and paraenetic (exhortation) aim of the homily should not be forgotten. During the course of the liturgical year, it is appropriate to offer the faithful, prudently and on the basis of the three-year lectionary, "thematic" homilies treating the great themes of the Christian faith, on the basis of what has been authoritatively proposed by the Magisterium.

Peace and God Bless