The Deacon

In October 2005, I completed my doctoral degree in preaching and communication. Since that time, I have been blessed to be able to teach deacon candidates and seminarians the ars praedicandi, the art of preaching. Preaching is one of the greatest joys and most significant responsibilities of ordained ministry. In the introduction to the U.S. bishops’ post-conciliar document “Fulfilled In Your Hearing: The Homily in the Sunday Assembly,” words of the Second Vatican Council are highlighted: “The primary duty of priests is the proclamation of the Gospel of God to all” (Presbyterorum Ordinis, No. 4). The gift and charge to preach are not to be taken lightly.

Deacons and priests are called to be “men of the word.” We are tasked with interpreting the word, both gazing back to the world in which it was originally written and considering it in light of the world we live in today. One of my favorite biblical verses to share with aspiring preachers is 2 Timothy 3:16: “All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness.”

It is crucial to recognize that when the apostles and Jesus were preaching, the Scriptures they referred to were the Tanakh: the Torah (the Law), the Nevi’im (the Prophets) and the Ketuvim (the Writings). Preachers need to be aware of the variety and amount of New Testament literature, in addition to the entire Old Testament and the Gospel writings. Each helps us to see salvation history.

Often enough, the readings selected for any given Sunday are small sections from a much larger passage of Scripture. In order to understand what the pericope means, it’s helpful to read the whole chapter to better understand the context. A short book by the biblical scholar Regina Boisclair, “The Word of the Lord at Mass,” is very helpful for appreciating the difference between how an individual person might read the Bible — for spiritual growth, comfort, direction or hope — and how the Lectionary has been constructed. As she explains, “The readings in our Lectionary for Mass have been selected and arranged to highlight specific themes and mysteries of the faith, so their message may be somewhat more focused than their meaning in the Bible.”

The first reading and the Gospel selection are paired so that there is a common theme or focus between them. Sometimes we reflect and pray on a Gospel passage differently because it is coupled with a specific portion from the Hebrew Scriptures. The liturgical season also plays a part in how we might preach on a certain passage. For example, imagine preaching Matthew 1:18-24 on the Fourth Sunday of Advent and then expounding on the exact same passage a few days later on Christmas Eve. Same Scripture, but instead of waiting in anticipation, we are now celebrating the arrival of the Christ Child.

This relationship between the Lectionary readings and how we develop our homilies intrigues me, so I’ll be exploring the topic at the annual Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology Preaching Conference in January 2026, “Words that Bind Us: The Connection Between the First Reading and the Gospel.” As you prepare for your next homily, spend a little extra time with the first reading and see if the Lord is calling you to focus on that connection to the Gospel passage of the day.

DEACON STEVE KRAMER, D.Min., is director of homiletics and professor of pastoral studies at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology in Hales Corners, Wisconsin.