How to Give a Home Run Homily: A Hard-Hitting Guide for Preachers, Teachers, and Soul-Reachers

“When I think of the greatest homilies I have heard in my lifetime, they all have one thing in common: they didn’t just hit home with me, they went home with me.”

What is the secret to a great homily? Best-selling author and popular preacher Deacon S. James Meyer maintains that great homilies are fundamentally born of listening to the needs of the people in the pews.

In this one-of-a kind exploration, Meyer offers parish-tested advice to help preachers develop a fresh and memorable homily―from the best way to incorporate humor and storytelling, to tips for delivery that are sure to help your message resonate well beyond the liturgy. With his signature wit and deep, abiding reliance on the Holy Spirit, Meyer reminds us that “you can’t fix the world with a homily, but you can help people refocus the lenses through which they see the world.” This wholly original book is a must-read for new and seasoned priests and deacons alike.

S. James Meyer co-founded StreetLights Outreach and Whatsoever You Do, Inc., served as President of the Ecumenical Partnership for Housing, and sits on the Board of Regents for the St. John’s University Graduate School of Theology and Seminary. He is a permanent deacon in the Diocese of Green Bay and best-selling author of God Plays a Purple Banjo and Jesus Wears Socks with Sandals (Twenty-Third Publications).