Friday, September 26, 2025
Feast of Saints Cosmas and Damien

My sisters and brothers in the Lord,

Welcome to week thirty-nine of BMW, Be My Witnesses. Even as Sunday has brought us both rest and participation in Heaven, so also it forces us to take in and make our own the Kerygma. What is Kerygma? Let’s find out.

Learn: Embrace the Kerygma

Pope Saint John Paul II, in  Catechesi Tradendae ( #25) gives this definition of this Greek term, kerygma: “the initial, ardent proclamation, by which a person is one day overwhelmed and brought to the decision to entrust himself to Jesus Christ by faith.”  

This is different from catechesis which is teaching aimed at getting someone to understand, that is, it is an approach to the mind. Kerygma, on the other hand, is a proclamation, a shout, by someone who has firmly been grasped by God in faith and shares it with another; it is heart speaking to heart.

If proclaiming by our voices and enthusiasm and conviction is what kerygma means, then by what is it that we are grasped? That is really quite simple: we really believe God loves us; we are sinners who all too often turn away from that love; but God’s love has lead to the gift of his Son, Jesus Christ; and Jesus has saved us from our sinful ways by his death and resurrection; we believe in this Jesus as our Savior and Lord. That is really good news. When we grasp this and let this truth grasp us, we cannot but go forth and tell someone else. We do this because we believers are filled with the power and push of the Holy Spirit.

The apostles, after Jesus ascent back to heaven, “went forth and preached everywhere” (Mark 16:20). This is “proclaiming,” and is what Paul says is needed for the faith to spread: “But how can they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach?” (Romans 10:14). This is where we come in. We preach with our lives and with our words. We know that we are sinners, that we need a savior, and that we have found him in Jesus Christ, our Lord.

The Acts of the Apostles has six of these kerygmatic proclamations, five by Saint Peter and one by Saint Paul.

My Weekly Challenge

For our challenge this week, read these with your small group. They are Acts 2:14-36; Acts 3: 12-26; Acts 4:8-12; Acts 5:29-32; Acts 10:34-43; and Acts 13:16-41. With your small group, jot down the common elements and then test yourself. Do I believe this? Do I believe this enough to proclaim it by my life and my words? If my faith is weak, Lord, strengthen my faith.

Until next week, may God Bless you.

+ Earl Boyea
Bishop of Lansing

P.S. Here is a video version of this week’s Be My Witnesses. Please do share with friends and family. Thank you.