Pope Francis in Evangelii Gaudium offers some qualities to which the good preacher might attend:
140. This setting, both maternal and ecclesial, in which the dialogue between the Lord and his people takes place, should be encouraged by …
- the closeness of the preacher,
- the warmth of his tone of voice,
- the unpretentiousness of his manner of speaking,
- the joy of his gestures.
Even if the homily at times may be somewhat tedious, if this maternal and ecclesial spirit is present, it will always bear fruit, just as the tedious counsels of a mother bear fruit, in due time, in the hearts of her children.
This last bit is an experienced insight. People will forgive the occasional clunker if they know the preacher is both loving and connected to the Body, the Church.
Catholic Sensibility 