Effective, significant preaching requires a Vision and a pondering of the question, How can I do what the Church expects of me?" The homily offers preachers a chance to live this question. Drawing from official Roman Catholic documents (1963–1995), Written Text Becomes Living Word summarizes this Vision for the homily as having five characteristics: personal, liturgical, inculturating, clarifying, and actualizing. DeLeers integrates and develops homiletic practice into this Vision by a detailed process for effective preparation and preaching. Written from the author's work with preachers, Written Text Becomes Living Word will help re-inspire the homiletic Vision as well as the spiritual life of those preaching.

Chapters are: *Repairing the 'Accidents of History': Roman Catholic Restoration and Embrace of the Sunday Homily, - *The Evolution of the 'Restored' Homily,1963-93, - *A Roman Catholic Contribution to the Vision of Sunday Preaching, - *The Homily as Personal Word: Responsibility, Faith, and Love, - *The Homily as Liturgical Word: The Assembly and Its Sacred Ritual, - *The Homily as Inculturated Word: Correlating Experience and Tradition, - *The Homily as Clarifying Word: One Good Point, Clearly Made, - *The Homily as Actualizing Word: Written Text Becomes Living Word, - *Arriving at the Sunday Message: Three Necessary Encounters with the Word, - *From Message to Homily: Content, Structure, and Delivery, - *Ten Suggestions for Becoming a Better Preacher, - and an Appendix: Roman Catholic Documents on the Homily. Also includes an Index.

Stephen Vincent DeLeers, DMin, is an author and consultant in homiletics. He has taught and lectured widely, and among his writings are those in The Bible Today, New Theology Review, andThe Theology of Priesthood, al published by Liturgical Press. He maintains a presence on the web at www.betterpreaching.org.