July 30, St. Peter Chrysologus

Lord, in your great love, answer me. — Psalm 69:14 

Mass Readings: Jeremiah 26:1-9 / Matthew 13:54-58 

‘Golden Speech’ 

The Church gave St. Peter, a fifth-century bishop and Doctor of the Church, the name Chrysologus, or “Golden Speech.” According to one of his biographers, his sermons were “all very short, for he was afraid of fatiguing the attention of his hearers.” Good advice for any homilist. 

For more than 20 years, I’ve belonged to a Dominican parish. Not all the preachers have been of “golden speech,” but most have delivered well-crafted homilies Sunday after Sunday. I don’t know how they do it, because the one time I spoke before the congregation — as part of a Good Friday liturgy when seven parishioners meditated on the last words of Christ — I spent hours writing and practicing, and still flubbed it. May the spirit of St. Peter continue to inspire our homilists! Theirs is not an easy task. 

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for the preachers who have helped open the word of God for me.