Twice now I’ve been to Mass in Denver where the sermon was preached by a member of the Order of Preachers and each time the sermon has been among the worst I’ve heard. Isn’t that odd?

The first one was an elderly priest holding forth on how things had changed since he was a boy. No connection to the readings for the day or the situation of the parishioners. Since he was such an old man, though, I didn’t think much of it.

The most recent one was bad because it was so rambling and disorganized that I couldn’t figure out what his point was. The good father was probably in his early 40s and very enthusiastic. I’ve no doubt that he’s a devoted and holy priest. He has a fine voice. I would encourage him, though, to get some feedback from his fellows on composing a sermon that’s cohesive and that addresses the readings of the week. In many ways this is more frustrating than a well-composed but poorly delivered sermon by a foreign priest. We all know many people who’s grasp of the language has improved over time. It’s rarer to find someone who’s progressed from muddled thinking to clarity.