Formal Homiletics T-KAP-SJ>homfor-w-9

The preached word has a profound power of influence. Gorgias of Leontini, the most notable sophist, in his famous speech entitled „Encomium of Helen” already emphasized that „speech is a powerful ruler”. In all its insignificance, delicacy and fragility on the one hand it is a real strong power that can work wonders, heal, raise somebody’s spirits, inspire. On the other hand, it can be a mighty destructive power able to poison human’s life, destroy it and even kill. A human word excessively grows when it is used by somebody being a great authority for a listener. Thinkers and writers differ from each other as it comes to the assessment of the length of the existence of a word. The American poet Emily Dickinson presents it in the most radical way by saying that „a word is dead when it is said”.
Christianity, the religion of „The Word that was made flesh” (John 1, 14), see the Word as the gift from God. Moreover, the Word of God uses the word of a man to show the mysteries of God Himself and the Kingdom of God created by Him. However, contrary to the unstable word of a man, the Word of God, as St. Peter teaches, is „living and enduring” and „it endures forever” (1 Peter 1,23-25) and when it is preached it becomes the source of life. For The Word of God is authorized by God Himself. As God, it lasts forever. It is alive and efficient, which is illustrated by the lives of saints, such as: St. Anthony the Hermit or St. Augustine of Hippo.
Preachers, „the servants of the word” (Luc 1, 1) should meditate over its mystery and preach the Word of God in a well-considered manner from the very first sentence, with confidence, concisely, with love, happiness and sense of humour as well as using a clear and beautiful language.