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One of the problematic tendencies for
some parishioners is, when attending Mass, to judge the
Mass' value by the quality of the homily presented by the
priest or deacon. To do this is to seriously misunderstand
the role of the homily and to succumb to what is known as
the "cult of personality"-where we honor the homilist
and misunderstand its proper role within the context of
The Liturgy.
Generally there are four recognized ways of
treating the homily, but not all to be equally commended.
The first method consists in treating separately
each sentence of the Gospel. This was the uniform method
at one time in the Church. It is not to be recommended,
for it gives, at best, but a fragmentary and scattered treatment
of the Gospel.
The second method is quite the opposite; it
focuses the entire content of the Gospel in a single idea.
It is clear that only certain Gospels can be treated in
this way.
The third kind selects some virtue or vice
arising out of the Gospel, and treats one or the other to
the exclusion of all else. This kind of homily is commonly
called a "prone".
The fourth kind is that which first paraphrases
and explains the entire Gospel, and then makes an application
of it. This method seems, except where the "higher
homily" applies, to be the best, because it can guard
against the besetting defect of the homily, namely, a tendency
to lack of unity and continuity.
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