Today is Thursday, February 9, 2023.
I mention this because on Sunday, February 12, 2023 I will be in the pulpit at St. Barnabas Church in Bay Village. I will have about 10 minutes to present a bunch of words to a large group of people who are expecting to hear Words For The Ages. I’m sure that they all come in high anticipation of some oracular pronouncement that will change the world and align the Earth with the Cosmic Graces of God. They arrive hungry for the wisdom of Solomon, himself. We who pontificate on the great mysteries of the Creator are expected to be authorities. We are, after all, experts on all things Spiritual! (Spoiler alert: we aren’t. We’re lucky we put our pants on with the fly in the front. That IS where it belongs, right?)
In our tradition a homily is a brief observation, usually on whatever Scripture lections are read that morning. It is not the main focus of our gathering. The Eucharist is that. But, that’s not to say that a homily is a useless appendage that has hung on for millenia. It isn’t.
What else it isn’t is an opportunity for some preacher to ramble on for an hour. I spent most of my adult life in one of those churches. We weren’t offered a “sermon.” No, we had “teachings.” Yeah, I guess that makes it more important. How can a person possibly know which group of people God hates unless they are taught? These men, they’re always men, rattle on and on. They pull proof texts out of their behinds to PROVE what God thinks, who God likes, and more importantly, how we are always RIGHT! Usually, the audience is lost after the first 5 minutes. They are thinking about the roast in the oven or who’s gonna win the Super Bowl, or something. These guys could take a lesson from the 10 minute homily. But, then, they couldn’t impress their flock with their ignorance.
No, I have a finite amount of time to make a point. A point that may enlighten or inspire. It could offer freedom to someone shackled in unbelief. It could simply make space for someone to smile. The homily is not a place to dazzle with brilliance, or like those other preachers I mentioned, baffle with bullshit. It is a place to offer hope and understanding. The words are words of welcome and peace.
There are places where words have other purposes. Words must be used in order to “speak truth to power.” They shine a spotlight on injustice and hatred. Words are Power for the Powerless.
There was a movie made in the 1970s. The story was about St. Francis of Assisi. If you’re interested, the title is “Brother Sun, Sister Moon.” Warning: it is a truly bad movie. The only thing good was the music by Donovan Leach. Take that for what it’s worth. In the movie the Francis responds to a friend’s offer of help with,
“Words, Bernardo. There was a time when I believed in words.”
The gist of that response was that words without action are simply empty air. Profound, right? Like I said, the best part was Donovan.
I do have to confess, there was a time when I believed that. In fact, from the time I joined the fundagelical world of faith, I was indoctrinated with the idea that actions are stronger than words. If our work did not match the faith that we professed with our mouths we were missing the mark by a wide margin.
Can I hear an Amen!
As I have gotten older, and become more of a writer, preacher, and teacher, I have come to see that as only partially accurate. At Best. Words are powerful. Word are active. Even the Scripture uses words to introduce people to the God Who loves us. Words create worlds and spawn change in human lives.
Words can also destroy and kill. They can be a combustible substance that sets the world on fire. Not believe in words, Frankie? Take a look around and you’ll see what words are capable of.
I handle words with the same care that I would handle nitro glycerin. I take my calling very seriously because I know that what I say is able to affect others. That’s why it’s Thursday, February 9, 2023 and I’m preparing to fill a 10 minutes slot of time this Sunday. I’m not even sure that this will be enough time to prepare properly.
But, I hope so.