Gold Tested in Fire by Witherup Ronald

Author:Witherup, Ronald [Witherup, Ronald]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780814634400
Publisher: Liturgical Press
Published: 2012-01-23T05:00:00+00:00

Preaching the Lectionary

An aspect of preaching that should not be forgotten is the role of the lectionary. The layout of the lectionary virtually demands a poetic vision in preachers. Finding legitimate connections between the readings as they are designed in the lectionary requires a sensitivity to imagery and themes, comparisons and contrasts. Effective preaching from the lectionary also demands that the priest take the time needed for prayerful reflection on the readings of the day. One must sit at length, carefully reading and observing the movements in the text, in order to perceive how the Word of God speaks today. This action, a form of lectio divina, should really be a part of the priest’s daily spiritual life. The Eucharist provides the setting wherein the priest himself is nourished by the very sacrament he celebrates for his people, as Vatican II describes it:

Those actions by which Christians draw nourishment through the Word of God from the double table of holy Scripture and the Eucharist hold a preeminent place above all spiritual aids. Everybody knows how important their continuous use is for the personal sanctification of priests. (PO, 18)

Regular and careful reflection on the lectionary readings can consequently sharpen one’s poetic skills of observation.20 It should also be noted that the Synod on the Word of God (2008) devoted a considerable amount of energy on the question of lectio divina, which is a favorite topic of Pope Benedict XVI. This topic was an aspect of the pope’s post-synodal apostolic exhortation Verbum Domini, which appeared in late 2010.21 Among the many interesting teachings in this lengthy document are the call for more lectio divina (86–87), meditation on the Scriptures, and the expressed desire for the design of a “Directory on Homiletics” as an aid to preachers (60). The exhortation also emphasizes throughout that the Scriptures are God’s Word in human words, implicitly acknowledging the need to understand the value of the human communication to which the Bible bears witness and yet which also brings to us God’s own message. If we preachers can answer the call to improve our preaching, we will go a long way to fostering the vision of appreciating God’s Word proclaimed by this latest church teaching.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.