Pope Francis asked priests to preach homilies that shake the heart with the Word of God and not “impeccable conferences” just before the recitation of the Angelus 23 January, Sunday of the Word of God.
“Sometimes, impeccable conferences are heard, well-constructed speeches, but they don’t move the heart, and so everything remains as before. Also – I say it with respect, but with pain – many homilies are abstract that, instead of awakening the soul, lull it to sleep”, warned the Holy Father before numerous faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican.
In this line, the Pope pointed out that “when the faithful begin to look at the clock” during the preaching of the homily, there is a risk of “numbing the soul” because “without the anointing of the Spirit the Word of God impoverishes, falls into the moralism and abstract concepts; presents the Gospel with detachment, as if it were out of time, far from reality -and this is not the way” because if “a word that does not throb the strength of today is not worthy of Jesus and does not help the people’s lives.”
“For this reason, whoever preaches, please, is the first to experience the today of Jesus, in order to be able to communicate it in the today of others. And if they want to hold schools, conferences, let them do it in another place, not at the time of the homily, where the homily should be given, so it shakes the heart”, the Pope affirmed.
Likewise, the Holy Father thanked “all the preachers and announcers of the Gospel who remain faithful to the Word that shakes the heart, who remain faithful to today” and asked “let us pray for them so that they live the today of Jesus, the sweet power of his Spirit that makes Scripture alive.
“The Word of God, in fact, is alive and effective, it changes us, enters into our affairs, illuminates our daily life, consoles and puts order. Let us remember: the Word of God transforms any day into today in which God speaks to us”, he said.
In this way, once again, Pope Francis encouraged to take “the Gospel in hand, every day a small passage to read and reread, carry it in your pocket in the Gospel, in your bag, to read it on the trip, at any time.” and read it calmly” because “with time we will discover that those words are made on purpose for us, for our life. They will help us to welcome each day with a better, more serene look, because, when the Gospel enters today, it fills it with God”.