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.
Act 1: God’s Creation and Gift of Love: “In the beginning, out of nothing, God created everything. God freely created out of love, a love that wants to share the very life of God with us, his beloved children.”
Theme
Act I of the Kerygma, “The Invitation,” emphasizes God’s initiative in seeking a relationship with us. He doesn’t wait for us to find Him; He actively reaches out, offering His love and inviting us to draw closer. This invitation is a gentle call, a loving whisper, not a demand. It’s a free will choice to respond to His love.
Matthew 11:28-30 (NABRE)
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”
Reflection
This passage from Matthew’s Gospel perfectly embodies the essence of “The Invitation.” Jesus speaks directly to those who are weary and heavy-laden. Lent, as a time of reflection and repentance, often brings to the surface our own burdens: our sins, our struggles, our anxieties. Jesus’ words offer a powerful antidote to these burdens. He doesn’t ignore our pain but acknowledges it and offers Himself as a refuge. “Come to me,” He says. This is the core of the Kerygma – God reaching out to us, inviting us to find rest and solace in Him.
What does this passage reveal about God’s character? We see His compassion, His gentleness, and His humility. He presents Himself not as a distant, demanding God, but as one who is “meek and humble of heart.” He understands our struggles because He Himself experienced human life. He offers us His yoke, not as an additional burden, but as a way to share His load, to learn from Him, and to discover true rest.
This invitation is not a one-time event but an ongoing call to deepen our relationship with God. Lent is the ideal time to respond to this invitation anew, to draw closer to Jesus, and allow Him to lighten our loads. Through baptism, we have already accepted this invitation, but we must continue to live it out daily, choosing to walk with Him, to learn from Him, and to trust in His unwavering love.
Prayer
Jesus, thank you for your invitation. I come to you today, perhaps feeling weary and burdened. Help me to learn from you, to trust in your gentle love, and to find true rest in your presence. During this Lenten season, draw me closer to yourself, that I may truly experience the lightness of your yoke. Amen.
Action
Today, take a few moments to reflect on the burdens you are carrying. Offer them to Jesus, trusting that He will give you rest. Spend some time in quiet prayer, simply resting in His presence and allowing Him to speak to your heart. Perhaps journal about what you are carrying and how you feel God is inviting you to lay it down.
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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