When I was in the seminary, I took a homiletics class -- a course that helps seminarians prepare themselves for preaching homilies. We priests and deacons all have different styles of preaching -- some are wonderful preachers, but some may struggle with delivering a good sermon. Anyway, once during a homiletics class, our teacher gave us a very simple homework assignment. He said that for the next class, each of us needs to recall a preacher whom we think is the best, someone from whom we could learn how to deliver a good sermon -- it could be anyone. So, I remember that we were talking about Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict, St. Peter, St. Paul, someone mentioned the name of Doctor Martin Luther King, and one student was inspired by one of his parish priests. There were many exemplary preachers that came to our minds. However, nobody mentioned the name of Jesus Christ. Jesus was the one who showed all those preachers who came after Him how to deliver the best homily, how to grasp an audience’s attention, how to make them understand the message. Jesus was the greatest storyteller; He used wonderful stories and beautiful images in His parables to make them easy to understand. He didn’t use difficult vocabulary, nor deep theological terms. Jesus spoke in parables so everyone not only could understand, but also be lifted up by His preaching.
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