Proclaiming the Power of Christ: Classic Sermons

“One of my earliest predecessors in the office of ‘papal preacher’ in the sixteenth century used to say to his students of homiletics, ‘When after your preaching people crowd around you, telling you how much they have enjoyed your sermon, go to your room and cry: you failed. On the contrary, when after your sermon people leave the church in silence, pressing their hat upon their head and stealthily beating their breast, rejoice and give thanks to God: you succeeded.‘ After reading the sermons of Bishop Barron gathered in this book, many times I felt like one of these last ones and I am sure many others will feel the same.”

—Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM Cap., Preacher of the Papal Household

“Bishop Barron’s poetic expounding of the Word through his sermons evokes a stylistic throwback to the early Fathers of the Church. His lyrical erudition and thoughtful relatability provide meaning and context to the Scriptures in ways that both provoke and encourage us to explore more profoundly our own personal relationship with Jesus. His writing not only conveys the intellect of our rich, storied, and sacred tradition but prominently reminds us, without a doubt, of the true nature and heart of God’s love for his people. These sermons/essays glimmer like jewels with the fiery truths of faith and have led me to grow exponentially in my understanding of what it means to be a devoted follower of Christ.”

—Jonathan Roumie, Actor (“Jesus” in The Chosen), producer, director

“Jesus Christ formed many of his disciples through the art of story-telling. Bishop Barron’s sermons are effective precisely because he imitates the model of Jesus in his approach to proclaiming the Word of God. Through engaging the reader with stories about the lives of the saints and using insights from the early Church Fathers, philosophers, theologians, mystics, and artists, Barron invites the reader to a deeper intimacy with God in the Sacred Scriptures through his unique method of telling the most important story in salvation history.”

—Fr. Josh Johnson, Director of Vocations for the Diocese of Baton Rouge, author of Broken and Blessed, and host of the “Ask Fr. Josh” podcast

“A great homily from a great homilist takes the greatest truths and makes them radically accessible and applicable to the hearer in a way that draws them more deeply into the mystery of Trinitarian life and divine love. Through the pages of Proclaiming the Power of Christ, Bishop Barron makes thousands of years of Judeo-Christian tradition and timeless truths of God’s love available to those willing to read and reflect on these messages. The reflections found in these pages will certainly lead the restless heart of the reader more deeply into the peaceful mystery of Christ’s redeeming love.”

—Fr. Stephen J. Gadberry, Diocese of Little Rock and Fellow of the Word on Fire Institute