Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear family, 

I’m so excited about the emphasis Archbishop Checchio has been putting on evangelization lately. Yes, you are qualified to spread the Gospel! As you will notice on the cover of the latest edition of the Clarion Herald, Archbishop Checchio has given us our mission for next Sunday, August 16, for this year’s Welcome Home Sunday. That mission is: Bring one person to Mass with you whom the Lord has placed on your heart, who you know has not been going to church recently. It doesn’t have to be a Catholic, because everyone’s home is in the Catholic Church (that’s why it’s called “catholic,” meaning universal or for everyone), but it might be easier on such short notice to think of someone who has already been Catholic but just hasn’t been going to church. I plan to have some refreshments in front of church next weekend for y’all and for any guests you brought with you, to help them feel welcomed back to church! 

Since we’re talking about evangelization, by request I am including here the two suggested summaries of the “kerygma,” a fancy word for the summary of the core message of the Gospel that we give people when we evangelize. I got these off the internet a few years ago, so I can’t take credit for them, but I may have reworded them a little. Some of you might find it easier to remember 4 longer sentences. For others, 7 short sentences is easier. Memorize one of these sets, or one of the many other good ways of summarizing this that you can look up for yourself. 
Four Elements of the Kerygma: 
1. God made us for relationship with Him. (He has a loving plan for your life.) 
2. We sinned and then broke the relationship we were intended to have. (Through sin we rejected God’s plan; separation is the consequence of sin.) 
3. Jesus (who is God and man) came to heal that relationship, through sacrificing his life, rising again, and giving us the Church. 
4. We have the opportunity to respond, by choosing to have Jesus be our Lord and Savior (and to be joined to Him, not separated, by belonging to His body the Church). 
Seven Elements of the Kerygma: 
1. God loves you and has plan for your life. 
2. Sin will destroy you. 
3. Christ Jesus died to save you. 
4. Repent and believe the Gospel. 
5. Be baptized and receive the Holy Spirit.
 6. Abide in Christ in His body the Church. 
7. Go make disciples!