A listener named Robert asks a question about two words we might use interchangeably: homily and sermon. He wonders, “Why do we call the homily a homily? Other denominations call it a sermon, just curious if there’s a difference.”
Father Dave explains that while even those who are well-educated may use these words synonymously, there is a technical difference between them. There are even times when a Catholic priest may preach a sermon and occasions when Christian ministers give a homily, even if they don’t use those terms.
The defining difference is in the usage of Scripture. “Technically, a sermon is a talk given that is supported by the Scriptures,” Father Dave says. “Meaning, typically a pastor or preacher would come up with a theme or an idea for the given sermon, and research to find places in the Bible that would augment and support that.” He likens it to a lawyer finding precedents to support a case.
“A homily is a talk preached on a predetermined passage from the Scriptures,” he continues. These passages come from the Lectionary, which the United States Council of Catholic Bishops says is, “composed of the readings and the responsorial psalm assigned for each Mass of the year (Sundays, weekdays, and special occasions). The readings are divided by the day or the theme (baptism, marriage, vocations, etc.) rather than according to the books of the Bible.”
Father Dave elaborates, saying, “[Catholics] don’t leave it to the local priest to decide which Scripture readings will be chosen and read that day and preached upon; that was decided a long time ago for us.” He notes that our current Lectionary was put together in the late 1960s and formalized in 1970.
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However, it is not only Catholics that use a Lectionary. “Many of what we call main-line Protestant denominations will use what’s known as the Revised Common Lectionary which…very closely parallels our Catholic Lectionary,” Father Dave says. “Meaning that many Sundays, your friends in a Presbyterian church, a Methodist church, or several other denominations would be hearing the same readings that you’re hearing in the Catholic Church.”
There are also some situations in the Catholic Church where the line is blurred between homily and sermon, such as weddings or funerals. Father Dave explains how he meets with engaged couples before their wedding and will discuss why they’ve chosen particular readings. “Technically that would really be more of a sermon, because we’re taking the topic of this couple and them getting married, and we’re finding places in the Bible to [reference].”
In common usage though, we don’t tend to closely adhere to these definitions or correct those around us. “It’s two somewhat opposite ways of approaching something that the end product is very similar,” Father Dave says. “The end result is really the preacher breaking open God’s word so that it comes alive in the hearts and lives of the people in the congregation.”