Preaching Better by Ken Untener

Author:Ken Untener [Untener, Ken]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

An Example

One of the homilists in our sessions talked about winning the "gold medal" of life (it was during the Olympics) and toward the end asked a number of questions:

During our lifetime, did we learn to love one another? Did we learn to forgive one another? During our lifetime, did we learn to help the needy? During our lifetime, did we learn to encourage each Other? During our lifetime, did we learn to walk that second mile?

Did we learn to turn the other cheek? Did we learn to become more committed?

We applauded the effort but noted that, speaking of going the extra mile, it didn't. It stayed with generalities that hovered just above the fray. Here is a rewrite using the same material, thought by thought:

During our lifetime, did we manage to bite our tongue when we wanted to swear at the driver who didn't signal a left turn? When we had a falling out with our in-law or "out-law" or anyone, did we let it fester, or did we let go of it and try to mend the fence? Did we try to put ourselves in the shoes of poor people, think about them, help them, even defend them when people made sweeping statements about "welfare cheats"? In conversations, were we the ones with the positive words or the ones with the negative words? Even when things on the job or at home didn't seem 50-50, were we willing to go the extra mile to try to make things work? If family and friends were to write our biography, which would be our trademark: to hit back or to give some slack? Granted that we can't become involved in everything, were we involved in some things? Think about it: What are we involved in beyond our own personal or family concerns?

If homilies at times don't connect with life, it's not necessarily because homilists don't know the score. Most do. It simply takes a lot more effort to go from generalities to real life, and homilists who are married, raising families, and/or working in the marketplace (e.g., permanent deacons, lay preachers) have just as much trouble doing it. It's easier to talk about the scriptures, make some general applications, and leave it at that.

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