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Definition
a sermon, inspirational saying, or short story meant to be instructional- The patriarch of Constantinople died in exile for criticizing the imperial court in his homilies.History of Christianity - Wikipedia -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Christianity (retrieved 05/20/06)
- These words at a certain level have the quality of a strapping homily.William Styron -- Sophie's Choice
- The chaplain moved up the ramp, and as the coffins moved forward, he began his homily.Marcus Luttrell -- Lone Survivor
- I have composed many a homily on her back, to the edification of my brethren of the convent, and many poor Christian souls.Sir Walter Scott -- Ivanhoe
- It shows itself in acts rather than in words, and has more influence than homilies or protestations.Louisa May Alcott -- Little Women
- It isn't done with subscription files, I got a homily from the woman in Special Registry about it—Bream—no discussion, no questions.John Le Carre -- The Spy Who Came In From The Cold
- She ended with a short homily on the dignity of work, which is a doctrine bred into the bones of every white South African.Doris Lessing -- The Grass is Singing
- —What tedious homily of love have you wearied your parishioners withal, and never cried 'Have patience, good people!'William Shakespeare -- As You Like It
- Put me in mind, Louisa, to lend him the homily 'against peril of idolatry,' at his next visit."James Fenimore Cooper -- The Pioneers
- The bishop who had confirmed P.J. back in Brooksville had delivered a homily mainly about the perils of premarital sex.Tracy Kidder -- Mountains Beyond Mountains
- Bennington delivered a homily based on this scene.Pat Conroy -- The Water is Wide
- The author had recast the principles of physics into basic homilies to remind people of self-defeating behavioral patterns.Amy Tan -- The Bonesetter's Daughter
- Alessandro s homily was a success, and Nicolo was beginning to get fiery himself.Mark Helprin -- A Soldier of the Great War
- Bessie supplied the hiatus by a homily of an hour's length, in which she proved beyond a doubt that I was the most wicked and abandoned child ever reared under a roof.Charlotte Bronte -- Jane Eyre
- No company, a walk, a family dinner of four, and an evening of looking over books and pictures; Miss Murdstone with a homily before her, and her eye upon us, keeping guard vigilantly.Charles Dickens -- David Copperfield
- He poises his pen over a blank sheet of notebook paper and searches for inspiration, running over old sayings and homilies, memories of awards he's won and names of memorable teachers.Ron Suskind -- A Hope in the Unseen
- Haphazard among the sermons and homilies, the travels, the lives of the Saints, the Fathers, the histories of the church, were oldfashioned novels; and these Philip at last discovered.W. Somerset Maugham -- Of Human Bondage
- From General Peckem's office on the mainland came prolix bulletins each day headed by such cheery homilies as 'Procrastination is the Thief of Time' and 'Cleanliness is Next to Godliness.'Joseph Heller -- Catch-22
- It was only one splendid breath they had, in spite of their brave mockery at the winter outside the glass; and it was a losing game in the end, it seemed, this revolt against the homilies by which the world is run.Willa Cather -- Paul's Case
- Today, I was supposed to be writing a homily—if I could get it down to seven minutes, I knew the older members of the congregation wouldn't fall asleep—but instead, my mind kept straying to one of our youngest members.Jodi Picoult -- Change of Heart