Preacher’s Sketchbook:

Each week, a Dominican member of the Province of St. Joseph’s Preaching Advisory Board prepares this Preacher’s Sketchbook in anticipation of the upcoming Sunday Mass. The idea of the Preacher’s Sketchbook is to take quotations from the authority of the Church–the Pope, the Fathers of the Church, documents of the Councils, the saints–that can help spark ideas for the Sunday homily. Just as an artist’s sketchbook preserves ideas for later elaboration, so we hope the Preacher’s Sketchbook will provide some ideas for homiletical elaboration.

St. Leo the Great, Sermon 25

Although He filled all things with His invisible majesty, [Christ] came nevertheless to those who had not known him, as if from a very remote and deep seclusion. At that time, he took away the blindness of ignorance.

St. Eusebius of Caesarea, Commentary on Isaiah

For He wills that those who were deemed worthy of the great light of the saving theophany should produce fruit of the spiritual drink through works…. Those who were without knowledge were in darkness before they received the illumination of Christ, “the true light.” And those who were in the darkness of death were “those who committed mortal sins,” as it is written, “the soul that sins, this one shall die” (cf. 1 John 5.16, Ezekiel 184.20).

Origen

The visible Church is a mixed body, consisting of both righteous and unrighteous people. This is why St. Paul praises some of its members and criticizes others. The person who agrees with the right doctrine and the Church’s teaching concerning the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as well as with the dispensation concerning us, with resurrection and judgment, and who follows the rules of the Church, is not in schism.

Thedoret of Cyrus, Commentary on 1 Corinthians

Anyone can baptize… but preaching is a gift given to few…

St. Cyril of Alexandria, Fragment

“Zebulun” may be interpreted as a sweet smell and blessing, while “Naphtali” is a sprouted stump, that is to say, a spreading plant. And such things have believers in Christ become.