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
God’s initial outreach to humanity, creation, and desire for relationship. Remember that God’s original creation of humanity stemmed from boundless love and a deep desire for intimate relationship with each of us. This foundational truth reminds us of our inherent worth and the purpose of our existence: to reciprocate that love and connect with Him.
Genesis 1:26-28
God said: “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the cattle, and over all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that crawl on the ground.” God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them: “Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and all the living things that move on the earth.”
Reflection
Today, as we begin Lent, we are reminded of our origins in God’s loving plan. Genesis 1:26-28 reveals that God created humanity “in his image, according to his likeness.” This speaks directly to the first act of the Kerygma: God’s Original Intent, His Loving Plan for Us. God did not create us as an afterthought, but with deliberate intention. He breathed his own image into us, creating us for relationship – with Him and with one another. He blessed us and entrusted us with dominion over creation, a position of co-creatorship reflecting His own creative power. This demonstrates God’s inherent love and desire for a deep and meaningful connection with each of us. We were not created to be alone or to live without purpose; we were designed to know God’s love and share it with the world.
God is revealed here as a loving Creator, generous and overflowing with goodness. He doesn’t hold back; He imparts a part of Himself, His very image, into us. This points to a God who desires intimacy and partnership. He is not a distant deity, but a Father who pours out his love upon His children.
This Lenten journey calls us back to this original design. We are invited to examine how we have allowed our relationship with God to become obscured. Have we forgotten our identity as beloved children made in His image? Lent is a time to remove the obstacles that prevent us from fully reflecting God’s love. To truly live out our baptismal promises, we must strive to live in accordance with this inherent dignity and purpose, not in the ways of the world that distract us from it.
Prayer
Loving Father, you created us in your image and likeness. Forgive us for the times we have forgotten our identity and our purpose. Help us to return to your original intention for us, to live in love and communion with you. Open our hearts to your grace and help us to reflect your love in all we do. Amen.
Action
Take some time today to reflect on the inherent dignity you have as someone created in God’s image. Look in a mirror and remind yourself that you are a beloved child of God. Consider one area where you can more fully live out this truth this Lent.
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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