I am the pastor of a Catholic parish. It is easy and unchallenging to offer a homily every Sunday that is never challenging, but tells people that "You are wonderful just the way you are." A former seminary professor of mine, Cardinal John Foley, told us, "The role of the priest in his homily is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable." There are times when I give a challenging homily that makes people stand up and walk out of church. I'm never comfortable with that, because I seldom have the opportunity to look that person in the eye and converse about the issues. So each week I choose whether God asks me to challenge His people or comfort His people. Am I the coward if I never challenge from the pulpit, or is the coward the one who walks away silenly without challenging me?

2/10/2012

Msgr. William J. King