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The homily
46. Given the importance of the word of God, the quality of homilies
needs to be improved. The homily is "part of the liturgical action"
(139), and is meant to foster a deeper understanding of the word of
God, so that it can bear fruit in the lives of the faithful. Hence
ordained ministers must "prepare the homily carefully, based on an
adequate knowl edge of Sacred Scripture" (140). Generic and abstract
homilies should be avoided. In particular, I ask these ministers to
preach in such a way that the homily closely relates the
proclamation of the word of God to the sacramental celebration (141)
and the life of the community, so that the word of God truly becomes
the Church's vital nourishment and support (142). The catechetical
and paraenetic aim of the homily should not be forgotten. During the
course of the liturgical year it is appropriate to offer the
faithful, prudently and on the basis of the three-year lectionary,
"thematic" homilies treating the great themes of the Christian
faith, on the basis of what has been authoritatively proposed by the
Magisterium in the four "pillars" of the Catechism of the Catholic
Church and the recent Compendium, namely: the profession of faith,
the celebration of the Christian mystery, life in Christ and
Christian prayer (143).
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