Part II, Chapter IX(*): Delivery of the Sermon

Delivery of the Sermon

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL thoughts and the most carefully written discourse if poorly delivered may represent a waste of time, whereas a very ordinary sermon if delivered with fluency, sincerity and warmth may produce the most efficacious results. These qualities contribute in no small measure to the preacher's success.

Pronunciation and correct use of language constitute a most important part of the office of preaching. No priest can afford to be negligent in these matters, One of the most efficacious means at the disposal of the preacher is to play on the listeners' hearts, affections and emotions by the use of the human voice. He should spare no trouble to learn to modulate and inflect his voice properly, suiting it to the subject, now speaking softly, now forcefully, as occasion demands, with affection when speaking of virtue and with animation when preaching on sin. Never let the sermon become sing- song nor monotonous, sounding like a school-boy reciting a lesson by rote. Let the words flow naturally and simply, without affectation or studied attempts at oratory.

The preacher should be careful not to speak too slowly for fear of boring the faithful, but, on the other hand, he must not speak too fast as if he were trying to rush through the sermon. Otherwise, the whole discourse will have failed in its purpose.

On going into the pulpit, he should pitch his voice according to the size of the church, speaking neither too loudly nor too softly but so as to be heard by all.

(*). This chapter includes the most practical suggestions as found in the French edition, Oeuvres Complètes, Vol. IV, P. 71 11.

In order to speak with fluency and feeling, the speaker must carefully learn the sermon, especially the beginning of each successive topic; otherwise he will stumble or grope for words and will not hold the attention of his hearers.

Though inflections of the voice must be made as the sermon progresses, the speaker should never drop it so low as not to be heard nor reach such a pitch as to end in a scream.

When using such terms as 0 my God, 0 Mother of God and longer aspirations, let the warmth by the preacher's tone bespeak the fire of love in his heart.

Inexperienced preachers should give great attention to the matter of gestures and train themselves not to give the appearance of being wooden or stilted. On the other hand, the opposite extreme of affectation must be avoided. All gestures should be simple and natural as those used in ordinary conversation.

Do not use the same gestures throughout the sermon. Do not beat on the pulpit or play with a book that may happen to be there. Do not drop your head so low that the words are lost on your breast. Do not roll your eyes continually or raise them to heaven, but look at the congregation in general and at no individual in particular. Do not wave your arms or cross them on your bosom. Do not preach with your arms folded o r with one hand holding the other. In a word, do nothing that is unbecoming to so holy and divine a function as the preaching of the word of God.

St. Francis de Sales says: "Let gestures be free, noble, generous, strong, holy, grave and measured. They should be free from restraint; noble as opposed to those of an uncultured person or a novice; generous as one who would speak to one's children; strong in the sense that they are convincing; holy, not seeking self- glorification; grave, not given to worldliness; measured and not used to cause ridicule or amusement." (1) (1). Letter to the Archbishop of Bourges. 109-