Called to Kerygma and Didache – St Fidelis of Sigmaringen
(Acts 11:19-26; Ps 87; Jn 10:22-30)
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Do the words Kergyma and Didache resonate with you?
These two words capture the dynamic of the activity of the early church and invite us to do the same today: proclaim, and teach about, Jesus to the world.
If the resurrection of Jesus is the spark that ignited Christianity, Pentecost is the wind that fanned that spark into a torch, and persecution the force spreading that flaming torch of faith far and wide through the dynamic of kerygma and didache, as we see in today’s first reading.
Kergyma has the meaning of proclaiming something new and fresh while Didache has the meaning of deepening through ongoing instruction and teaching what was proclaimed.
We see both dynamics present in the reading from Acts. We know after the martyrdom of Stephen a severe persecution began that sent the first disciples of Jesus out of Jerusalem, except for the apostles. In today’s reading, we are told they travelled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, “proclaiming the Lord Jesus” at first to Jews, and eventually to Greeks. That news reached back to Jerusalem, and when Barnabas came to see for himself, we are told “a great many people were brought to the Lord.”
That proclamation of Jesus as Risen Lord, as the long-awaited Messiah, as one who forgave his enemies and revealed the depth of the Father’s love for all of humanity, is the kerygma. Each in our own way, we are charged to keep that good news fresh in our lives and share our excitement at this new way of life with others not just by our words, but by the way we live that message of forgiveness.
The reading goes on to tell us Barnabas went to Tarsus to bring Saul to Antioch, where “for an entire year they met with the church and taught a great many people.” The people were hungry to learn more about Jesus of Nazareth, his life, his passion, death and resurrection, the kingdom of God that he came to inaugurate, and the new way of life preached. That on-going formation and education is the didache, a deepening of what was proclaimed.
In the movie Paul, Apostle of the Christ, we see that dynamic applied to Saul. His encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus was his kerygma, his first experience of Jesus as Risen Lord and as one who identified himself with the followers of The Way Saul was persecuting. The healing of his blindness by Aeneas, and the experience of being forgiven unconditionally, transformed Saul the murderer into Paul the evangelist, one who would tirelessly proclaim that same kerygma to many communities and nations, travelling apparently ten thousand miles in the process.
St Paul
After this transformation, Paul states he went to Arabia for three years (Galatians 1). When questioned why by Luke in the movie, Paul answers simply, “The apostles spent three years with Jesus – I had to do the same, to learn who he is, and to learn how to forgive.” I suspect he also went to be tempted as Jesus was in the desert. That was his didache.
Recently, I had the pleasure of hearing from two women about their experience of being baptized and received into the Church at Easter. Their excitement and joy were palpable – one even stated she was on fire for the Lord! She and her husband then enrolled in a lector formation program and attended a Marriage Encounter. Her experience of the community of faith leading her to join the Church was her kerygma. The Rite of Christian Initiation she participated in to prepare for her initiation was her didache – deepening her knowledge of Jesus and what a life lived in him, and for him, entails. The Mystagogia stage that follows her initiation is designed to unfold her experience of being baptized and received into the Church, and also serves as didache for her.
These two women, and I think all newly initiated, stand in stark contrast to the Jews in the gospel gathered around Jesus on a cold winter day in the temple, questioning him, testing him, demanding signs yet consistently refusing to believe in his kerygma, that he truly is the Messiah sent into the world to fulfill all the prophecies and promises of their own faith.
It is fitting we honor today St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen, a martyr much like Stephen. Born Mark Roy in Swabia (Germany) in 1578, he held doctorates in philosophy, canon law and civil law (his didache), and served as a tutor to nobles in France, Italy and Spain. Known as the ‘lawyer of the poor,’ he gave up practising law to enter the Capuchins in Freiburg, Switzerland, in 1612 and accepted the name Fidelis of Sigmaringen. A dynamic preacher, he was appointed by the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith to preach to the Calvinists in Switzerland (kerygma). He met with much resistance, was assaulted and slain in 1622. He is patron of lawyers.
The Eucharist is food that has sustained believers, including countless martyrs, for over two millennia. As Ron Rolheiser writes, it is our one great act of fidelity. Jesus said to do this in memory of him, and we have faithfully obeyed him ever since.
May our celebration be both kerygma (a personal intimate encounter with Jesus as Risen Lord), and didache as we listen and break open his word. May it also empower us to be fearless in doing both kerygma and didache – proclaiming who Jesus is to the world and teaching the world all about Jesus by our words and witness.
Once we are baptized into the church , we would experience the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ with us. He would lead us to a journey that is full of joy and happiness and experience his life and understand his word . Jesus wants us to spread the news to the people and explain to them his teachings. I usually felt the heat and fire and light during Easter celebrations and the Pentecost since last year when I experience the Holy Spirit and God. I received these gifts early last year with the shaking and singing/ speaking in tongues during special celebrations like the Pentecost. I already develop a deep intimate encounter with Jesus Chrst which is kerygma and didache . I am still learning about the break open his word. We have to evangelize and teach people who is the Risen Lord and why is he here in today’s society. Amen
Thanks for the inspiring message about the Risen Lord and how we should teach people about him. Rejoice ! Many Blessings! Bishop