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Heard a good sermon lately?
Fortunately, I have. Most recently, last Sunday in fact, at the Parish Church of our Lady of the Abandoned (“OLA”) in Marikina City. Since a good sermon these days is as rare as a pearl of great value and therefore just as precious, I thought I would share with you this rather exhilarating and refreshing experience.
To begin with, he was a young priest, at least he looked that way to me from where I usually sat (at the rear where like me sit most sinners, publicans and tax collectors). I had always thought that young (read that as “inexperienced”) priests should not be assigned the formidable if daunting task of delivering the Sunday sermon. Still wet behind the ears (or “uhugin,” to use a grossly graphic local term) and lacking exposure in the vicissitudes of life, the anguish, disappointments, “the heartaches and thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to,” I was almost convinced that most young priests lacked the depth and breadth to impress especially the elderly folks in the audience; and therefore a whole waste of limited if precious time for these people in the “pre-departure lounge.”
Their initial attitude would ordinarily be typical of most old folks. “Bata ka pa. Wala ka pang alam tungkol sa mga bagay bagay na iyan.” Then they shut off their hearing aids, take their mandatory daytime nap or walk out for a smoke.
Indeed, therein lies the basic problem: how to address a congregation composed of people from all walks of life, social status, with ages betwixt 1 and 100 years, and facing a whole range of problems or preoccupations. Whoever said that what sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander has obviously never tried being a gander.
As it happened, it was just a day before Valentine’s day, a day when most Filipinos twixt ten and sixty seem to lose their mind for their heart. In other words, all thought is about affairs of the heart and therefore such people cannot be bothered with any other matter except affairs of the heart. On the other hand, the prescribed Liturgy of the Word for that Sunday had to do with absolute, ultimate or perfect “holiness.” How then to combine issues of the heart with the issue of perfection as Christ enjoined on that particular occasion (Mt.5:17-37.
It turns out that this young priest (a security guard informed me later that his name is Fr. Jose “Rock” Cabral Berdos, an Asst. Parish Priest at OLA) may have found the way. He began by serenading us with a love song “KUNG MULA SA PUSO.” I must admit that he also had a good singing voice, and he knew it. He was generously applauded when he finished singing. After that he could do no wrong. And, mercifully he did not. Instead, he tackled the matter of Valentine, the assigned readings, the current political issues and the so-called RH bill pending in Congress – all in a matter of five (5) minutes. When he finished, you were almost tempted to ask for more.
Was it a good sermon because it was brief? Well, that too, but a little more than that. I know it’s been said that “a good sermon should be like a woman’s skirt – long enough to cover the essentials and short enough to keep you interested.”
I like to think this young priest came prepared. It must have taken quite a bit of thought to think of all these current events and put in his two-cents, all in a matter of a few minutes. From experience, I know that when a speaker is not prepared, he is usually long-winded. He is wont to take his audience on a grand tour before he finally finds his way. Unfortunately, it almost seems that many a preacher thinks the only way to be effective or convincing is to brainwash the audience to surrender.
Is it a matter of preparedness then? Well that too and a lot of substance. But in the end, one must acknowledge talent, charisma. They either have the basic instincts and talents for the job. Some people are just meant to be great speakers, just as others are violin virtuosos, boxers or tennis players. We cannot all be Paganinis, Michael Jordans, Tiger Woods or Pacmen. Fr. “Rock’s” sermon last Sunday was like a Pacman punch. It was a knockout.
But finally, I submit that a sermon to be good should not sound like a sermon. Gone are the days of fire and brimstone preachers. People nowadays like to think they are just as well-informed as any cleric. They don’t appreciate being talked to, like some ignorant Catechumens. Unlike in the Middle Ages when only aristocrats and the clergy had a monopoly on knowledge, in this day and age of the Wikipedia, there is hardly anything that most people cannot find out or analyze for themselves. It has given a whole new meaning to the term “intelligence and free will” as every man’s God-given right which must be recognized and respected.
So, a good sermon is best presented in powerpoint style – the presenter suggesting a few talking points, points to ponder, or food for thought, if you will. And, like most good food, it does not have to be shoved down one’s throat but savored with gusto. Like good food, the guest cannot help but go for second servings. Is it any wonder then that sermons are now called homilies? What’s a homily, anyway, but a sermon in disguise? Anyway, congratulations, Fr. “Rock” Berdos. May your tribe increase.! – Bro. James D. Lansang (jeemsdee@yahoo.com).
Good topic, Kuya James. It's strange how delivery of effective sermons or homilies seem to be severely neglected and botched nowadays. People go to church only once a week or even rarely and the sermon is the rare opportunity for priests to pitch Jesus wonderful message of unconditional love. Kuya, post this in newspapers so priests can be challenged.
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This is a professionaly hazard of priests saying Mass. It has been ingrained into them that the Mass works ex opere operato, and that the enormity and mystery of the transubstantiation process is the main act in the whole scenario. Subsequently, they have the attitude that if the Mass is so grand, then that is the main part of the menu, and their sermon is just a poor second. Hence, they do not prepare for it as well as they should.
On the other hand, in ceremonies without the Mass, the preaching takes centerstage. Hence the preachers really prepare for their homily. That is the difference. I know that the transubstantiation takes center stage. And that priests should make efforts in their homilies to match this grand event. But the mindeset is there. Let Christ increased, and oneself decrease. Hence we get poor homilies. |
Ok ang ok mag-sermon o mag-deliver ng homily. Pero mas ok ang pari na isinasabuhay ang isine-sermon. Bakit? Actions speak best. Alam at nadarama ng mga tao kung isinasabuhay ng "preacher" ang kanyang pini-preach. Oo, kailangan nating lahat ang mga "reminders" in the form of inspiring and touching sermons/homilies ng mga kaparian sa simbahan man o hindi. Pero kung nakikita ng mga parishioners na talagang mala-Kristo ang kanilang pari, malamang kaysa hindi, na sila din ay magpapaka-kristiyano sa kanilang sariling pamumuhay. |
Hi, a few days ago, Fr. "Rock" emailed me the ff reply:
"Peace! I received your letter last Tuesday, and i don't know if you are expecting me to reply. But whether you expect me to reply or not, i guess it would be proper for me to say thank you for that letter (blog). Thanks for the compliment! Nakakataba po ng puso ang inyong papuri and for exerting the effort to convey it to me. Compliments like that inspire us priests more to do our responsibilies especially our homilies well. May you continue to be kind and generous in expressing your appreciation into something you think is good. Muli po, maraming salamat! In Christ, Fr. Rock" |
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