精东影业

The Letter to the Hebrews proclaims that "the Word God of God is living and active, sharper than any two edge sword" (Heb 4:12). This means that scripture is not simply useful information about the relationship between God and the human family. Rather, scripture is sacramental. When scripture is proclaimed, God is made present and actively touches our lives. The following presentation develops the meaning of the sacramentality of the scriptures and explains how the sacramentality is unfolded in the Liturgy of the Word.

A mediator is one who stands between two parties to facilitate a level of accord between them. In their 1982 document, "Fulfilled in Your Hearing," the United States Catholic Bishops describe the preacher as a mediator. The bishops state:

"The person who preaches in the context of the liturgical assembly is ...a mediator听representing both the community and the Lord ...The preacher represents the community by voicing its concerns, by naming its demons, and thus enabling it to gain some understanding and control of the evil which afflicts it... [the preacher] represents the Lord by offering the community another word, a word of healing and听pardon, of acceptance and love...the preacher acts as a mediator making connections between the real lives of people who believe in Jesus Christ but are not always sure what difference faith can make in their lives and the God who calls us into ever deeper communion with himself and with one another."

This two-segment presentation offers practical suggestions to develop the preacher's proficiency as mediator. The first segment is entitled "Steps to Good Preaching." The second is entitled "Wisdom from Bishop Hedley."听

• What insights from Father Kelly and Bishop Hedley standout for you?听
• In what ways do these insights challenge you to change elements of your preaching ministry in order to be a more effective mediator of the Word of God?

A homiletics professor observed that while preaching is one of the most public of ministerial functions, homily preparation remains one of the most isolated of functions. How can a preacher break from the cycle of isolation? How can a preacher incorporate the spiritual wisdom of others into one's homily preparation process? In their 1982 document, "Fulfilled in Your Hearing," the United States Catholic Bishops suggest a collaborative process of homily preparation. The following presentation is step by step outline of the process. Please note that a weekly preparation process is included in touchstone six.

• What advantages do you feel the collaborative homily preparation process can contribute to your preaching?
• Would you envision establishing a homily preparation group to support your preaching?

Once the preacher has decided on the content of the homily, the next task is to organize the content into a sequence of ideas that will communicate the content clearly and engage listeners. Two forms for organizing or structuring the homily are the deductive method and the inductive method. This presentation outlines the two forms and identifies their respective strengths and limitations. The presentation also explains the difference between a homily and a sermon.

• Can you identify which homiletic form you customarily utilize: inductive, deductive or another?
• Are you willing to experiment with the inductive form if it has not been your customary homily form?

Preaching is a form of oral communication. A homily is given primarily by means of the preacher's voice. A homily is received primarily by means ofthe listener's ears. Therefore, the preacher needs to script the homily in a manner that appeals to the listener's sense of sound. The following presentation provides helpful tips for scripting the homily for the ear and not for the eye.

• Listen to some of your homilies. Do they sound conversational or do they sound like you are delivering a written essay?
• What concrete suggestions can you take from this presentation to apply to your own preaching?

One homiletics teacher suggests that the preacher's life consists of three interrelated activities: time preparing for the pulpit, time in the pulpit and time witnessing to what was said in the pulpit. In other words, the preacher's entire life is immersed in an on-going relationship with the Word of God. This three-part presentation develops some of the dynamics of that relationship. "The Weekly Process"听(03:19)听structures a homily preparation process within the framework of a full week. "Tips from the Trenches"听(06:36)听provides insights for integrating daily life and preaching.听"Receiving Feedback from Listeners"听(17:50)听suggests how a preacher can develop one's preaching skills by consulting the congregation.

• What insights stand out for you in "Tips from the Trenches?"
• What benefits do you see for your preaching in "The Weekly Process?"
• How does the practice of soliciting feedback on your homilies from parishioners strike you? Is it a practice you would consider?