Part II, Chapter VI: Further Suggestions on Sermon Topics

Further Suggestions on Sermon Topics

IN ADDITION to the topics suggested in the preceding chapter, the following rules should be observed by those who are called to the divine ministry of preaching.

They should have a sufficient knowledge of the doctrines they preach, though it is not necessary for them to be outstanding theologians. They should be careful not to discuss or preach any subject with which they are insufficiently familiar. "A preacher knows enough," says St. Francis de Sales, "when he does not pretend to know more than he really does." (1)

Too many quotations from Scripture or from the Fathers of the Church should be avoided; likewise, lengthy scriptural texts which merely confuse the listener. Let quotations be short and to the point. Interpret the Scriptures faithfully according to the teachings of the Catholic Church, the Fathers and the Doctors of the Church. If there is diversity of opinion on any point, do not include this in your sermon because the pulpit is not the proper place for theological disputation.

Examples from the lives of the saints make excellent sermon material, for the deeds of the saints represent the Gospel in action. Short stories drawn from nature can be most helpful, for the world brought into being by the Creator's fiat proclaims the greatness of the word of God. This world of nature was St. Anthony's great book, from which he preached the glories and perfections of the Maker. Similes and other comparisons also can be very helpful if they are appropriate. Logical reasoning is an excellent adjunct. This can be found in abundance in the Summa Theologica of St. Thomas Aquinas. Profane (1). Letter to the Archbishop of Bourges.

authors should be quoted sparingly if at all. So-called miracles and visions should never be mentioned unless officially accepted and ratified by the Church.

The truly humble preacher will not seek his own glory, nor will he hesitate to preach on subjects that have been treated time and time again by other preachers of the day.

A preacher should not indulge in idle descriptions and irrelevant details. If he is discussing the sacrifice of Abraham, for instance, it is useless to,waste time describing Isaac's comeliness, Abraham's sword or the topography of the place of sacrifice. Similarly he should not introduce imaginary conversations between People involved in a Biblical narrative unless these be well-founded and to the point. It would be far-fetched, for instance, to describe Isaac weeping at the altar and plaintively imploring his father's compassion, or to picture Abraham arguing with himself in the act of doing God's will.

If ideas come suddenly to the preacher while he is preaching, ideas which he has not studied and digested beforehand, he must be wary of giving utterance to them. It is possible that the devil may be seeking to delude him through vanity and lead him into the trap of making statements that he may regret. I f spontaneous thought suggests well-founded principles and truths which he had not included in his preparation but which are obviously apt, he should by all means make use of them.

When addressing an ordinary congregation, it is useless to discuss contemplation or other stages of exalted perfection which they seldom attain. On the contrary, such topics may serve only to discourage souls for, finding themselves so far from the suggested goal, they are tempted to cease to lead an ordinary Christian life.

A preacher, therefore, should select topics that the ordinary Christians can understand and practise; he should give utterance to principles and maxims that can be followed; he should make virtue loved and vice detested. He must always avoid extremes, saying neither too much nor too little. He must neither be too strict nor too lenient. He must never indulge in prophecies concerning the coming of the Anti Christ. He should not promulgate new indulgences unless they have been authorized by the Ordinary.

Further Suggestions on Sermon Topics 93

He should at all times encourage the faithful to pray for our Holy Father the Pope, for the Bishops and Priests, for the civil rulers and for all fellow Christians and Catholics.

Nothing provides a better ending for a sermon than a good story, provided it is not too long and has a definite bearing on the subject matter of the discourse. Biblical stories are excellent. A preacher who would draw the greatest fruit from his labors would be well advised to make frequent use of such stories.

The preacher should avoid making the sermon too long, lest he tire his congregation and render God's word fruitless. 94-