ABSTRACT
In the Church there are kerigma and catechesis. Catechesis illustrates the contents of faith and also
becomes preaching, formation, exhortation. Kerigma is the announcement of the saving event: Jesus
is risen, Jesus is the Lord. The early Christians proclaimed kerigma with parresia (frankness) and
added some catechesis. Over the centuries the Church has ceased to announce the kerigma to do
catechesis. But in fact, few Christians come up with the decisive announcement. If I tell a young
man how to prepare for the notary’s examination, I’m doing a catechesis. But if I come to know that
he passed the exam and call him to tell him, this is an announcement that changes his life.
Pope Francis in Evangelii gaudium, No. 164 says that it is always necessary to resurrect the
announcement. However, generally, the announcement consists in proclaiming that Jesus is risen,
Jesus loves you, Jesus saves you. But true kerigma also says that Jesus is the Lord and refers to the
Kingdom. The announcement of Jesus is the Kingdom. The early Christians insisted on “Jesus is the
Lord” so that the new believer immediately entered the church of Jerusalem (three thousand on
Pentecost).
Kerigma must be engaging in a path of holiness, in charismatic primary communion,
otherwise it will remain dangling in the air. The Kingdom has as its constitutional law the new
commandment, that is, a bond of charity operated by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Without a
primary ecclesial involvement there is no Kingdom. Kerigma becomes: Jesus is risen and is alive in
our midst. Do you want to join us and follow him? If there is no concrete proposal that faces a
choice of life, it is not kerigma!
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