The Word

In the Judeo-Christian tradition, God often makes Godself known through sound: be it a voice from a burning bush, a resounding clap of thunder or the blast of a trumpet. “God is revealed through sound,” affirms Ed Foley, O.F.M. Cap. “I think of a homily as sound theology,” he adds, “it’s acoustic engagement.” When preparing to preach, Ed, the Duns Scotus Professor Emeritus of Spirituality and a retired professor from the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, first writes his homilies word for word in poetic form. Then, he meticulously annotates his manuscript, like a conductor’s score. “Where’s the crescendo?” he asks himself. “Where’s the pause? When do the trumpets come in?” Practice extends beyond the art of the homily, permeating life itself. It is, perhaps, a vital Christian practice as we enter the Easter season of Christ’s resurrection. “The followers of Jesus practiced resurrection,” Ed says in his homily on “Preach” for the Mass of the Day this Easter Sunday. “Their dogged commitment to living an Ea