What kind of Christian wisdom and character are required to hear and speak the Word of God with authenticity? How does the person of the preacher his or her spiritual life, moral formation, wisdom, and virtue affect the spoken sermon? / Following Augustines assertion that the preacher must become a living sermon a person whose language and life are one with the truth of God incarnate in Christ Michael Pasquarello here puts forth a vision of preaching that is grounded in personal character, wisdom, judgment, and discernment. Pasquarellos holistic vision draws deeply from the Christian tradition, especially retrieving the wisdom of the great Dominican preacher Thomas Aquinas. / Distinctive for its expansive, interdisciplinary approach to preaching as opposed to the how-to, technique-driven programs prevalent today Pasquarellos We Speak Because We Have First Been Spoken deals with some of the most significant yet neglected concerns related to preaching and pastoral leadership in our time.