Take Me To Church

I have always been really interested in the homilies and sermons you can hear at places of worship.  Growing up in the Catholic tradition, the homilies at Mass usually range from 5-15 minutes.  I have heard my share of them.  Some are boring.  Most are forgettable.  Many are thought provoking. 

More and more, Americans are church shopping and are often attracted to places of worship that have a dynamic and entertaining speaker.  Traditionalists may balk at this.  But one thing's for sure:  there's a worship service out there for everyone nowadays.  And there are valuable lessons for public speakers at these services.

I was thrilled to be able to attend a Catholic Mass recently at the Dahlgren Chapel at Georgetown University.  I attended a Jesuit University and have fond memories of attending Mass on campus.  In addition, the celebrant, Fr. Greg, was someone I have known since childhood.  And while the true highlight of a Catholic Mass is the Liturgy of the Eucharist, or the part of the Mass in which bread is transformed into what is believed to be the Body of  Christ, I was most looking forward to the homily, or the 5-15 minutes when the priest speaks  to the congregation about that week's Scripture or whatever else is on his mind.

When it was time for his homily, Fr. Greg came bounding down the steps from the altar to be closer to the congregation.  The first words out of his mouth were about our love of superheroes and how they are rarely all good or all bad.  He went on from there to talk about Star Wars Episode 4 (the first movie made, for those of you who get confused by the numbering) and the character Han Solo.  From there, he talked about a Netflix series he had binged, The Good Place.  He tied it all together by talking about the need for more good in the world.  And for us to do good for that reason alone, and not for personal gain.  In all, it was memorable and inspiring. 

As a public speaker, Fr. Greg hit it out of the park.  He was theatrical, genuine, thoughtful, humorous and interesting.  He made a point to establish eye contact with all four sides of those seated around (and even behind) the altar.  He related his main message to the lived experiences of those in the congregation.  He made his message real for us.

Effort was apparent in everything he said and did.  The audience could see that he spent time crafting his remarks and making them relevant to those gathered there.   Audience members know when a speaker has made the effort or if he or she is just phoning it in.

Whether at a church, synagogue or mosque, consider taking the time to check out the oratorical skills of a spiritual leader.  There are many lessons to be learned.