After being called in and prepared in the Introductory Rites, and given a great gift in the Word of God, the congregation now sits for what is ultimately the most interesting—or most excruciating—part of the mass: the homily.

Theologically speaking, the homily is far from the most integral part of the Mass (it may even be omitted for serious reason); surely the reading of Christ’s words and receiving the body of Christ are more essential to the act of worship than what the priest comes up with each week. And yet, survey after survey marks the homily as one of the most important aspects of a good worship experience for church goers, and one of the most common reasons people choose to stop coming to Mass if they’re lackluster. It is something that pope Francis has spoken of multiple times:  our homilies must be more engaging.

It is a shame, frankly, that more people do not hear great homilies on a regular basis because it serves such an important role in the liturgy. In the words of the priest (or deacon), the world of Scripture intersects with our own worlds. It is his duty as the homilist to explain what we have just heard, giving context to the reading, while also showing how the readings are not simply 2000 year old stories but living accounts of God’s work in our world today.

For that is what this entire section of the liturgy is meant to do: to send us out. The homily, Creed, and General Intercessions serve to connect our own personal experience, in our own worlds, to the living Christ. In hearing the homily, actualizing our faith in the here and now, and calling to mind the places in the world that need Christ, we are given an opportunity to take what we’ve heard and put it into practice. While we do not physically leave the church just yet, our focus at this point is outward.