Preaching Sparks

Lent 5 A ~ John 11:1-45 Exegesis, Homiletic Reflection & Strategies ~ Rev. Richard Eslinger

Mar 21
20 min

Lent 5 A ~ John 11:1-45 Exegesis, Homiletic Reflection & Strategies ~ Rev. Richard Eslinger

Once again, John is faithful to the literary structure of a sign narrative. By now we expect some sort of need or lack to be stated at...

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Lent 4 A ~ John 9:1-41 Exegesis, Homiletic Reflection & Strategies ~ Rev. Richard Eslinger

susan mcgurgan

Mar 14
15 min

Lent 4 A ~ John 9:1-41 Exegesis, Homiletic Reflection & Strategies ~ Rev. Richard Eslinger

With the arrival of the Fourth Sunday in Lent, we encounter a Johannine sign for the first time in our forty day journey. Therefore, it...

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Lent 3 A ~ John 4:5-42 Exegesis, Homiletic Reflection & Strategies ~ Rev. Richard Eslinger

susan mcgurgan

Mar 8
14 min

Lent 3 A ~ John 4:5-42 Exegesis, Homiletic Reflection & Strategies ~ Rev. Richard Eslinger

This profound and detailed story follows upon a sequence of events that function in differing ways to shape the reader’s expectations as...

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The Multiple Feasts of the Transfiguration

susan mcgurgan

Mar 1
3 min

The Multiple Feasts of the Transfiguration

This article was researched by Kendall McCabe for Rev. Richard Eslinger's Commentary on Lent, Year A, in the New Proclamation series,...

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What's the Problem with Catholic Preaching? What Can we Do About It? II ~ Rev. Michael Connors, CSC

susan mcgurgan

Feb 21
6 min

What's the Problem with Catholic Preaching? What Can we Do About It? II ~ Rev. Michael Connors, CSC

Rev. Michael E. Connors, CSC, is the Director of the Marten Program in Homiletics and Liturgics at the University of Notre Dame. In the...

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"Know What You're Doing in Preaching and Why You're Doing it" ~ Rev. Michael E. Connors, CSC

susan mcgurgan

Nov 22, 2022
5 min

"Know What You're Doing in Preaching and Why You're Doing it" ~ Rev. Michael E. Connors, CSC

Rev. Michael Connors, CSC, is the Director of the Marten Program in Homiletics and Liturgics at the University of Notre Dame. In the...

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"The Via Dolorosa via Municipal Court" ~ Rev. Jim Schmitmeyer

susan mcgurgan

Jul 25, 2022
2 min

"The Via Dolorosa via Municipal Court" ~ Rev. Jim Schmitmeyer

Jesus did not shun the work of the dock, the dust of the field or the din of the marketplace. His preaching rang with references to the...

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"Homilies that Spark" ~ Rev. Jim Schmitmeyer

susan mcgurgan

Jun 13, 2022
2 min

"Homilies that Spark" ~ Rev. Jim Schmitmeyer

Can I Get an Amen?: A Survey of Homiletic Strategies that Engage the Listener This is the second in a series of five brief essays that...

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The Eye of the Homily ~ Rev. Jim Schmitmeyer

susan mcgurgan

May 12, 2022
2 min

The Eye of the Homily ~ Rev. Jim Schmitmeyer

Can I Get an Amen?: A Survey of Homiletic Strategies that Engage the Listener “Did you see that?” “Did you notice the look on his face?”...

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susan mcgurgan

Mar 17, 2022
9 min

Taking Risks: First Person Preaching ~ Susan McGurgan

First person preaching is an approach that takes one of the characters from the Bible, from Church History, from the communion of Saints...

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susan mcgurgan

Oct 13, 2021
3 min

"It’s About Time: A reflection on homily preparation" ~ Susan McGurgan

In 1940, my Uncle Ray, a young Methodist pastor, was named interim pastor of a thriving community in Kansas, an assignment that usually...

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susan mcgurgan

Apr 6, 2021
4 min

"To Manuscript or Not to Manuscript..." ~ Susan McGurgan

This article was published in "Preach" Magazine, which alas, had a short publication run and no longer exists. Since there is no one to...

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"Hunter, Athlete, Soldier, Savior" ~ A blog post about Priesthood, shared by Fr. Jim Schmitmeyer

susan mcgurgan

Mar 22, 2021
3 min

"Hunter, Athlete, Soldier, Savior" ~ A blog post about Priesthood, shared by Fr. Jim Schmitmeyer

I had a brother who wasn’t from my family. We worked a ranch down by the border where the rain clouds aren’t ever seen. Ol’ Rocko got...

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The Transfiguration & "Generic Homilies" ~ Rev. Richard Eslinger

susan mcgurgan

Feb 11, 2021
3 min

The Transfiguration & "Generic Homilies" ~ Rev. Richard Eslinger

As we approach the Feast of the Transfiguration, it may serve us well to revisit “generic homilies.” Texts in multiple attestation...

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susan mcgurgan

Feb 5, 2021
4 min

Remembering Santa~ Susan McGurgan Reflecting on the Paschal Mystery in the Time of Covid

During the pandemic, pastors who may have preached a dozen funeral homilies over the course of typical year, are now presiding over...

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The Torn Veil ~ Fr. Jim Schmitmeyer Preaching in the Time of Covid

susan mcgurgan

Feb 5, 2021
5 min

The Torn Veil ~ Fr. Jim Schmitmeyer Preaching in the Time of Covid

In “Preaching as a Social Act,” Don Wardlaw offers a homiletic schema that includes three over-lapping spheres: the world of the Bible,...

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susan mcgurgan

Jan 20, 2021
4 min

The Bible in One Hand, Headlines in the Other: A Reflection Exercise ~ Dr. Susan McGurgan

In 2013, Pope Francis spoke to the Holy See Diplomatic Corps, saying, “One of the titles of the Bishop of Rome is Pontiff-- that is, a...

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susan mcgurgan

Jan 18, 2021
4 min

Preaching in Three Dimensions ~ Fr. Jim Schmitmeyer

God’s Word offers space to explore, not lessons to bore. Keeping an eye out for the three-dimension properties of a biblical text enables...

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