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What if Lent Could Rekindle Your Faith? Exploring the Kerygma
Life can take us on unexpected paths, and sometimes our faith journey can feel like it’s taken a detour. If you’ve found yourself distant from your faith, or if you’re simply curious about exploring it again, this Lenten season offers a gentle invitation to reconnect. These daily reflections focus on the Kerygma, the core message of Christianity – a message of love, hope, and new beginnings. We’ll be exploring eight key “Acts” of God’s story, from creation to our present call to partnership with Him. There’s no pressure, no judgment, just an invitation to consider a different perspective and perhaps rediscover a connection you thought was lost.
The Kerygma
At the heart of the Kerygma lies the core belief that God, out of boundless love and mercy, sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to save us from sin and death. Jesus willingly embraced the Cross, sacrificing Himself for our redemption. Through His resurrection, He conquered sin and death, offering us eternal life. Furthermore, the Kerygma proclaims that Jesus ascended to Heaven and sent the Holy Spirit to empower His Church to continue His mission of restoring all of creation.
The Suffering Servant and the Restoration of Creation
Isaiah 52:13—53:12
See, my servant shall prosper,
he shall be raised high and greatly exalted.
Even as many were amazed at him—
so marred were his features,
beyond that of mortals his appearance,
beyond that of human beings—
So shall he startle many nations,
kings shall stand speechless;
For those who have not been told shall see,
those who have not heard shall ponder it.
Who would believe what we have heard?
To whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
He grew up like a sapling before him,
like a shoot from the parched earth;
He had no majestic bearing to catch our eye,
no beauty to draw us to him.
He was spurned and avoided by men,
a man of suffering, knowing pain,
Like one from whom you turn your face,
spurned, and we held him in no esteem.
Yet it was our pain that he bore,
our sufferings he endured.
We thought of him as stricken,
struck down by God and afflicted,
But he was pierced for our sins,
crushed for our iniquity.
He bore the punishment that makes us whole,
by his wounds we were healed.
We had all gone astray like sheep,
each following his own way;
But the Lord laid upon him
the guilt of us all.
Though harshly treated, he submitted
and did not open his mouth;
Like a lamb led to slaughter
or a sheep silent before shearers,
he did not open his mouth.
Seized and condemned, he was taken away.
Who would have thought any more of his destiny?
For he was cut off from the land of the living,
struck for the sins of his people.
He was given a grave among the wicked,
a burial place with evildoers,
Though he had done no wrong,
nor was deceit found in his mouth.
But it was the Lord’s will to crush him with pain.
By making his life as a reparation offering,
he shall see his offspring, shall lengthen his days,
and the Lord’s will shall be accomplished through him.
Because of his anguish he shall see the light;
because of his knowledge he shall be content;
My servant, the just one, shall justify the many,
their iniquity he shall bear.
Therefore I will give him his portion among the many,
and he shall divide the spoils with the mighty,
Because he surrendered himself to death,
was counted among the transgressors,
Bore the sins of many,
and interceded for the transgressors.
Reflection
On Good Friday, we are drawn into the deepest mystery of love — a love that does not recoil from pain, a love that does not count the cost. Jesus, the Suffering Servant, bears in His body the fullness of our rejection, our brokenness, our guilt, and our sin. And still, He chooses us. He gives Himself freely, not because we are worthy, but because we are His — beloved from the beginning.
In the silence of this day, we are asked to gaze on the Cross — not simply to grieve, but to remember that this is the place where mercy triumphed. The death of Jesus was not the end, but the beginning of restoration. It is here that our Baptism finds its meaning: we were baptized into this death, so that we might rise with Him into new life. Good Friday is not about mourning a tragedy, but about entering into a covenant love that restores all things. Today, let us say “yes” again to our baptismal call — to love as He loves, to forgive as He forgives, and to let ourselves be shaped into vessels of healing for a world still aching with wounds.
Prayer
Jesus, my Savior, how can I begin to thank You for the love You poured out upon the Cross?
You saw my sin and did not turn away. You embraced the nails so that I might be free.
Give me the grace to stand with You in love, to carry my cross in union with Yours,
and to live each day as a witness to Your mercy and hope. Amen.
Action
Spend a few moments in silent contemplation before a crucifix today.
Let your heart be still and simply gaze.
Ask Jesus to show you one way you can offer your life in love for someone in need — then do it quietly, without recognition, as He did for you.
The Kerygma
When Time Allows Reflect on the Posts in Library and Musings
Sharing
Jesus last words on Earth were to his disciples, can be found in Matthew Chap 28 when Jesus told his disciples, “Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
Jesus calls all of us to share in his redemptive mission here on Earth. I would ask you to share this Scripture reflection with your family, your friends and your acquaintances, and then share it with a couple of individuals that you may may not be comfortable sharing with, keeping in mind always the words of Jesus, And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age
Author was assisted by AI in the drafting of this Post