Once we Dominicans realize our distinct approach to preaching as contemplative, incarnational, communal, and sacramental, we can zero in on what is known as Kerigmatic preaching. This is the way we fuse these elements together: We gaze in wonder at this Word-in-our-flesh, in the humanity of the entire human family, as he daily transforms us, just as he transforms the bread into his living presence. This is the kerygma. The early Christians worded it simply by saying, “Jesus is Lord.”
Pope Francis describes the kerygma in this way: “Jesus Christ loves you; he gave his life to save you; and now he is living at your side every day to enlighten, strengthen and free you.” (The Joy of the Gospel, 164) How is it that throughout our catechesis no one ever proposed these most basic truths to us? Or if they did, the truths were ‘out there’ not ‘in here’ finding a home in my deepest heart? This is the basis for a personal relationship with Christ Jesus. Kerigmatic preaching leads the listener to this personal relationship with Jesus. Most of us in our religious instruction were taught about Jesus. There is a very great difference.
Kerigmatic preaching should give the hearers the impression that this Jesus is someone the preacher knows personally. This authentic type of relationship comes from immersion in the Word, scripturally and personally. It plunges the person into ongoing conversion, the daily transformation that is most explicitly experienced in Eucharistic transformation. We do not leave the Eucharistic Liturgy the same. We are different as we seek to influence the communities in which we move and live and have our being.
We proclaim the Word in our praise-prayer (laudare), in our presence (benedicere), and in our formal verbal preaching (predicare). We are a person in relationship with Christ Jesus. We are women and men of the Word. As such, we preach always from the pulpit of our lives, even when we are in a hospital bed. This is the heart of the Gospel.
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