Origin of "Break the Word"

[gwyn]

I've heard the expression "Break the Word" a bit lately. To me it suggests failing to keep one's promise. Any thoughts?

[Southern Comfort]

I have heard "breaking the bread of the word"; but by far the most common phrase seems to be "breaking open the word", which I like. Having said that, I'm not sure that "break the word", as opposed to "break one's word", would necessarily imply failing to leep a promise, certainly not in a context such as "Let us/We break the word together".

[docmattc]

Its a phrase that gets to the heart of what the homily should be about. It should be an exegesis on the readings just heard, not any other subject.

[presbyter]

It should be an exegesis on the readings just heard, not any other subject.

With respect, not quite doc. Exegesis implies something of a critical analysis/explanation/interpretation of texts and that's best left to Scripture study. The verb homilein, at its root, means to have a familiar conversation with someone (hence a homily is not a sermon) - and the "topic" of the conversation need not necessarily be based solely on the what has been proclaimed - see GIRM 65.

[presbyter]

and the "topic" of the conversation need not necessarily be based solely on the what has been proclaimed....

Dear me - I'm having a bad hair day - I mean "on what has been proclaimed" (retires back into hole in ground from whence he came........)