The Gospel as Central Point of Homily - Essay Example

647075 Liturgy The Gospel as Central Point of Homily Introduction A homily is a public commentary or dis delivered behind what is called a lectern or a pulpit following the reading of the Scriptures. In religious services or masses celebrated in Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran and Eastern Orthodox Churches, the homily is an integral part of religious worship and is usually made at the first of two connecting liturgies, the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist (Beecher, 1910). A homily is invariably called a sermon. The Gospel as Central Point Aidan Kavanagh (1982), in Elements of Rite: A Handbook of Liturgical Style, wrote “The homily is always on the gospel of the day.” Considering the current universal trends and developments in worship, this statement is being tested for validity in the light of the Church of England’s Sunday Lectionary and Calendar of Common Worship. A lectionary is simply a list of Bible passages assigned to be read in designated days of the year. Although the Church of England does not prescribe which Bible translation to be used, the Common Worship Lectionary, which has a two-strand approach, is being adopted: one strand for special days and seasons and another strand for ordinary time (Horton et al, 2001). The church calendar being observed by the Anglican church is the same calendar being used by the traditional Christian churches. The calendar begins with the season of Advent in preparation for Christmas, followed by Christmas itself, then the Epiphany, then Lent with its conclusion at Pentecost (Common Worship, 2000). Common Worship The Common Worship was the result of the incorporation of the improvements in the Alternative Service Book of the Church of England and was done to achieve overall uniformity in worship down to the local congregation (Horton et al, 2001). Latest improvements pertained specifically to providing flexibility in the substance and form of worship at the local service level. The question that invites contemplation and deep analysis is: In the light of this flexibility, how does it affect the homily? Must the homily always be on the gospel of the day, following the guidance of the Lectionary and the Calendar? The Homily The homily is delivered by the presiding priest or pastor right after the proclamation of the assigned Scripture reading, usually a gospel passage, during a worship ceremony as in the sacrifice of the mass. Being characteristically subjective in form and substance, the homily can have the tendency to veer away from its original intention, depending on the frame of mind and emotional state of the preacher. In a number of instances, the homily has dwelt on issues other than those included in the order of events in the celebration. Within a Fourfold Action Pattern It is useful for appreciation and analysis to locate the homily in the overall organization of the mass. Clayton Schmit (2009) cites the historic wisdom of the church at worship as seeding the emergence of the fourfold action pattern in masses celebrated in all churches all over the world. The four action sequences are Gathering, Word, the Lord’s Supper and Sending. It is also appropriate to understand that the act of coming together for worship as a people was a biblical practice that may be patterned, as in Exodus 3:11-12 when Moses was instructed to go to Pharaoh and to bring the Israelites out of Egypt, or in Luke 4: 15-16 when Jesus came to Nazareth and began to teach in the synagogue, or in Matt 18:20 when Jesus proclaimed his presence in the midst of a gathering of 2 or 3 people. Gathering to Discern Christ’s Body It was from this historic wisdom that the mass was initiated for people to come together “to discern the body of Christ” (White in Schmit, 2009 p.62). And it was in such a gathering of people that the place of the Word was adopted as a central element in the act of worship (Schmidt, 2009). This centrality of the Word has been all the more emphasized by the accompanying discourse of the presiding elder or minister. Thus was instituted the homily or the sermon. The Mass as Worship If the Gospel is the story of the life of Jesus, the mass, then, taken as a solid whole, is a celebration of that life, climaxing in the common central point of His incarnation up to the Spirit descent. Christians should know that the two main parts of the mass are the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist, which parts are so closely connected with each other that they are but one single act of worship (Burghardt, 1987). If the mass is an act of coming together, following the fourfold action pattern, in order to feel the presence of God or to discern the body of Christ (Schmitt, 2009), it only means that the community is at worship from the moment it starts gathering together to the time it breaks out. Burghardt (1987) feels that for this gathering to be an expression of a conviction about a transcendent and active God, the faith of the faithful must be aroused or stimulated, and there is no more effective way to set this arousal up than by a homily. The faithful must be drawn and united into the mystery of the Eucharist (Burghardt, 1987). The Purpose of the Homily According to the Liturgy Training Publications (LTP, 2002 p xviii), the main purpose of the homily is for the spoken Word of God and the Liturgy of the Eucharist to come together as “a proclamation of God’s wonderful works in the history of salvation, the mystery of Christ.” It must always lead to an active collaboration of the Eucharist, which is all about Christ, so that the faithful may be able to hold fast in their lives what they grasp in faith (LTP, 2002). Burghardt (1987 p. 112) maintains that the task of the homily is to make the act of worship “not just some reality in their own right but acts of living people who feel involved in them.” A Good Homily The homily is that part of the mass that preaches. Preaching the Word of God has been an important role of the church since the time of St. Paul and the emergence of the first groups of Christians (Foley, 2010). For Anglicans, Catholics and most other churches, the homily after the proclamation of the Word is central to worship. It may not be the most important part (the most important part of course is the Eucharist), but it has the crucial characteristic or ability to draw people into the overall act (Burghardt, 1987). Must the homily always center on the gospel? “The Gospel of Jesus Christ is at the heart of Common Worship,” according to Common Worship (2000). Common Worship refers to the services and prayers for the Church of England. If the Word is Jesus Christ and the Eucharist is His mystery, the only viable bridge that can connect the two parts and make it a singular act and experience is the homily. Kavanogh (1982) feels that the homily must be submerged in the meaning and context of the gospel. He looks at the homily as an opportunity for the presider to speak out the gospel in terms that the assembly can understand and internalize (Kavanogh, 1982). Burghardt (1987) adds that the homily must create an understanding and appreciation of faith, of how the life of Jesus can be intertwined with daily life. Foley (2010) similarly suggests that a good homily should draw its content from Scripture and be nourished by it. This should align with the assembly’s expectations to hear the presider speak about the gospel and to relate the gospel to life, not only because it is traditional but because it follows structurally right after the gospel reading. It goes without saying that beyond the positional role of the preacher in the mass, he is likewise expected to awaken the people to the creative power of God’s love leading to their transformation. The presider is expected to provide answers to questions such as: What impact does the Gospel have on people’s lives today? On the world we live in? On our community? On our families? And because the mass is a ceremony designed to be experienced as a singular act of worship, the homily must help to invite the people into the awesome and joyful state of holiness as promised by Jesus (Burghardt, 1987). Conclusion Must the Gospel always be the central point of homilies? If the Gospel of Jesus is at the heart of Common Worship, if the main purpose of coming together is to experience the saving power of God, if the Word is Jesus Christ and about Jesus Christ and the Eucharist is His mystery, if the aim is to lead the assembly one step closer to the Father, then the homily must always dwell on the Gospel. Even in the light of the recent improvements at the service level where flexibility and creativity is encouraged, the homily must maintain its essential role of promoting the Gospel in relation to life in any gathering of the faithful (Horton et al, 2001). References: Beecher, P. (1910). Homily, The Catholic Encyclopedia, New York: Robert Appleton Company. Accessed March 10, 2012 for New Advent: http://newadvent.org/cathen/07448a.htm Burghardt, W. (1983). Preaching: The Art and the Craft. New Jersey: Paulist Press Common Worship (2000). Services and Prayers for the Church of England. London: Church House Publishing Foley, C. (2010). Hungry for the Homily, Proclaiming the Good News, Liquorian. Accessed March 7, 2012: www.liquorian.org Horton, A., Earey, M. and Gay, P. (2001). Understanding Worship. London: Mowbray Kavanagh,A. (1982). Elements of Rite: A Handbook of Liturgical Style. New York: Pueblo Publishing LTP (2002). The Weekly Lectionary. Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications Schmit, C. (2009). Sent and Gathered. Michigan: Baker Academic Read More