The length of a…
Homily.
How long should a homily be? I read on another blog how a woman and her husband had to sit through a 40 minute homily at Sunday Mass yesterday, without possibility of escape, since they were seated in the front row. Not always, but sometimes newly ordained priests can be as long winded with their homilies as they are with the advice they offer in the confessional. For some folks, it can be a bit too much to sort out after the dissertation is over, especially if they happen to be the impatient types.
While reading Rorate Caeli I noted Archbishop Malcolm Ranjith Patabendige had this to say concerning long homilies:
” As for the homilies, they must relate, as the Pope has underlined, exclusively to the catechetical aspect, avoiding sociologisms and useless chatter. For example, priests often veer towards politics because they have not prepared well the homily, which must, instead, be scrupulously studied. An excessively long homily is synonymous with a scarce preparation: the correct time for a sermon must be of 10 minutes, 15 at most. It must be acknowledged that the culminating moment of the celebration is the Eucharistic mystery, which does not mean downplaying the Liturgy of the Word, but clarifying how a correct liturgy must be applied.”
Looks like those who don’t like long homilies have friends in high places. I wonder if the Pope could shorten up his? Remember how JPII would go on and on? ;)