Sermons and Snickers Bars

by Fr. John A. Peck

This little article recounts an important object lesson, given at a St. Herman Seminary homiletics class in 1996.

I attended St. Herman Seminary in Kodiak, Alaska. At that distant outpost of theological instruction, we took homiletics very seriously, as we knew that on any given day or week, we might be called upon to travel to a local village and provide not only readers’ services, but a basic homily. We also knew that the bishop delighted in calling on clergy and students, spur of the moment, to preach from the Gospel reading of the day. We knew we had to be ready.

My favorite class was the “Snickers bar” lecture, as it became known. Read more