The Value and Depth of Your Sermon
The Value and Depth of Your Sermon
The sermon is not merely a spiritual word that you say to people, in a meeting or in a liturgy, but rather it is the essence of all your thought and also your heart.
It is a word that brings together all your spiritual readings, all your knowledge, and all your experiences. It also contains the knowledge you have acquired from the lives of the saints and from the history of the Church. And if, during the sermon, there is an occasion for any theological, doctrinal, liturgical, or canonical reference, it can also be mentioned. Thus, the sermon becomes comprehensive of everything.
And this is the difference between a rich sermon and a superficial sermon. And the people who listen can feel and know exactly whether the preacher has prepared his sermon or whether he is simply saying anything..!
Hence, people were drawn to one of the priest-fathers, coming to him from everywhere and being eager to hear his sermon, feeling that they benefited from his words with a treasure that filled their minds with knowledge and filled their hearts with emotion and a desire for a better life.
And when the priest preaches, he does not influence only through his words, but also through his spirit, through the warmth of his feelings and his conviction. The faith within him, he transfers to the hearts of the listeners, and his conviction convinces them.
Therefore, the sermon heard is often more influential than the printed sermon. Because in addition to its meanings, it is enhanced by the effect of the voice, the spirit of the speaker, his tones and feelings, and also his facial expressions.
It is a great opportunity that God gives you, to serve people through preaching, so do not let this opportunity lose its spiritual benefit as a result of your lack of concern, or your lack of preparation, or your reliance on previous information.
Our apostolic fathers gave preaching the greatest attention, to the extent that they said: “But we will continually devote ourselves to prayer and the ministry of the word” [Acts 6:4].
This is the ministry of the word, the work of the holy apostles.
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