How to Listen to the Homily- Bishop Asare Offers Spirit- Filled Guidance
Most Rev. Anthony Narh Asare, one of the Auxiliary Bishops of the Catholic Archdiocese of Accra, has offered deep and practical insight on how the faithful should listen to the homily during Mass.
Delivering his message during his pastoral visit to Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Sowutuom, on Sunday, July 6, 2025, Bishop Asare emphasized that the homily is more than just a routine part of Mass, describing it as a divine encounter.
“In our Church, we have so many readings before the homily, so by the time the homily comes, many of us have already lost focus,” he observed.
He reminded the faithful that the homily is not a speech to remember or a lecture to memorize.
“The homily is God’s word, inspired by the Holy Spirit, using human voices as instruments to speak directly to our hearts,” he said.
Bishop Asare explained that truly listening to the homily means opening your heart to God’s voice.
“When you listen to the homily, you are saying, ‘God, speak to me deeply.’ And something will stand out, a line from a text, an example, or even a song. When it touches your spirit, stay with it. That becomes your message for the week.”
He added that Catholics don’t need to recall every word the priest says, but rather to hold onto the personal message the Holy Spirit reveals through the homily.
He noted, “What you take with you is not a summary of the priest’s words, but a spiritual takeaway. You should be able to say, Today, this is what the Holy Spirit taught me”
He also encouraged them to “Put everything else aside and give your full attention to the homily. Listen and let the Word of God touch you.”
By Theresa Kpordzo
DEPSOCOM Accra
