Homily Preparation Process

Abstract

The author of the article first of all stresses in the light of homiletics an important meaning of proper preparation to God’s word proclaiming—which especially concerns homily as a significant form of preaching. So it is worthy to say with joy that pope Francis in his exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (EG) has dedicated a lot of attention to homily and to all careful preparations that allow to preach it. The most important element of creative work of homily preacher is the “cult of truth” (EG 146) which leads to reliable knowledge and exposes the biblical kerygma. To pursue a defined goal the preacher should first of all be himself the listener of God’s word, he must unreservedly be devoted to it, hiding it in the bottom of his heart—which pope de-fines as “Word’s interiorisation” (EG 149). The process of interiorisation may be obtained by Lectio divina (EG 152)—the prayerful, spiritual Bible reading. Recognizing God’s word and listening to it the homily preacher should also “listen to people” (EG 154) to solve properly problems of his listeners. Then his homily will be the mature and actual word for the people being in a concrete existential situation. That is why it is necessary for the preacher to perfect all his skills—to reach the spiritual maturity allowing him to preach the homily as an authentic witness of Jesus and faithful herald of his Gospel.