Archbishop George Lucas discusses the centrality of the Resurrection in the Christian life. He reflects on the transformative power of encountering the risen Christ, using the story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus as a model for how Jesus meets people in their confusion and sorrow. This personal encounter, available through the Church and its sacraments, is not dependent on perfect understanding or worthiness. Instead, it is a gift offered through the Holy Spirit, calling each person to live in the reality of Christ’s presence here and now. The Resurrection isn’t just a past event to remember—it’s a living truth that invites a response of joy, relationship, and witness.

He also speaks to the responsibility of parishes to support new members entering the Church through the Easter Vigil. These neophytes, full of zeal and spiritual gifts, should be welcomed as vital parts of the community, not left to navigate the life of faith on their own. Parishes must foster a “clear path of discipleship,” continually encouraging growth and deeper conversion. While many might relate to spirituality in a general sense, the Resurrection proclaims a concrete truth about God’s love and power. He urges us to carry the joy of Easter beyond the season and into their daily lives, staying connected to Christ not only through Lenten penance, but through an ongoing relationship nurtured in prayer, community, and the sacraments.

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Archbishop Lucas and Kris McGregor discuss Easter as a season for joy within our lives and within the church, focusing on the joy found in the devotion to the Divine Mercy.

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Archbishop Lucas and Kris McGregor discuss Easter as a season for joy within our lives and within the church, drawing back upon the Kerygma as shown in the Gospel readings throughout the Easter Season following Jesus’ resurrection.

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Archbishop Lucas and Kris McGregor discuss the “Journey of Faith”, a new way to bring together parishes within the Archdiocese, helping to meet the challenges and new reality facing parish life. While the conversation primarily addresses what is happening within the Archdiocese of Omaha, Archbishop Lucas’ words can be of great benefit to other Dioceses across the country facing similar challenges as well.

From the Archdiocese of Omaha’s Website:

“The challenge is to see this as an opportunity, to have a deeper experience in the activity of the Holy Spirit, and to respond really in faith, and to trust God.” – Archbishop George Lucas

Why does this Journey of Faith matter so much right now? Think about how you have experienced or struggled in your own journey of faith. As one church, we must respond to changes in our Catholic community and the world around us.

Our shared vision for the archdiocese guides our Journey of Faith over the next three years. It comes directly from the hopes and spiritual desires of Catholics shared in listening sessions across the archdiocese.

What we’ve learned over the last few years, will help us understand how to embark on a new journey to live our Catholic faith in new, more outgoing ways.

Amen.

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Archbishop Lucas and Kris McGregor discuss living the joys and challenges of the Christmas Season authentically.

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

525 Jesus was born in a humble stable, into a poor family. 202 Simple shepherds were the first witnesses to this event. In this poverty heaven’s glory was made manifest. 203 The Church never tires of singing the glory of this night:

The Virgin today brings into the world the Eternal

526 To become a child in relation to God is the condition for entering the kingdom. 205 For this, we must humble ourselves and become little. Even more: to become “children of God” we must be “born from above” or “born of God”. 206 Only when Christ is formed in us will the mystery of Christmas be fulfilled in us. 207 Christmas is the mystery of this “marvellous exchange”:

O marvellous exchange! Man’s Creator has become man, born of the Virgin. We have been made sharers in the divinity of Christ who humbled himself to share our humanity. 208

Notes:

202 Cf. Lk 2:61.203 Cf. Lk 2:8-20.

204 Kontakion of Romanos the Melodist.

205 Cf. Mt 18:3-4.

206 Jn 3:7; 1:13; 1:12; cf. Mt 23:12.

207 Cf. Gal 4:19.

208 LH, Antiphon I of Evening Prayer for January 1st.

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Archbishop Lucas and Kris McGregor discuss the events leading up to the celebration of Christmas and how the coming of Christ experienced in our lives today.

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus

Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields

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Archbishop Lucas and Kris McGregor discuss the heart of Kerygma as Peter addresses the Jews gathered in Jerusalem, reminding them that the events they have just experienced were foretold by the prophet Joel (Acts 2: 14-21), and proclaiming Jesus as Lord and Messiah (Acts 2: 22-36)

Some of the takeaways for us is that there is no replacement for authentic first-hand witnesses. As Christ’s witnesses, we are encouraged to:

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Archbishop Lucas and Kris McGregor discuss the season of Advent and its particular nature in relation to the Kerygma (the pronouncement of the Good News).  In this episode, they discuss the gospel reading found in the First Sunday of Advent.

When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees

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Archbishop Lucas and Kris McGregor discuss the season of Advent and its particular nature in relation to the Kerygma (the pronouncement of the Good News).  In this episode, they discuss the gospel reading found in the First Sunday of Advent.

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Archbishop Lucas and Kris McGregor begin the discussion of the first announcement, more formally known as KERYGMA

From the APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION EVANGELII GAUDIUM OF THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS

164. In catechesis too, we have rediscovered the fundamental role of the first announcement or kerygma, which needs to be the centre of all evangelizing activity and all efforts at Church renewal. The kerygma is trinitarian. The fire of the Spirit is given in the form of tongues and leads us to believe in Jesus Christ who, by his death and resurrection, reveals and communicates to us the Father’s infinite mercy. On the lips of the catechist the first proclamation must ring out over and over: “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.” This first proclamation is called “first” not because it exists at the beginning and can then be forgotten or replaced by other more important things. It is first in a qualitative sense because it is the principal proclamation, the one which we must hear again and again in different ways, the one which we must announce one way or another throughout the process of catechesis, at every level and moment.[126] For this reason too, “the priest – like every other member of the Church – ought to grow in awareness that he himself is continually in need of being evangelized”.[127]

165. We must not think that in catechesis the kerygma gives way to a supposedly more “solid” formation. Nothing is more solid, profound, secure, meaningful and wisdom-filled than that initial proclamation. All Christian formation consists of entering more deeply into the kerygma, which is reflected in and constantly illumines, the work of catechesis, thereby enabling us to understand more fully the significance of every subject which the latter treats. It is the message capable of responding to the desire for the infinite which abides in every human heart. The centrality of the kerygma calls for stressing those elements which are most needed today: it has to express God’s saving love which precedes any moral and religious obligation on our part; it should not impose the truth but appeal to freedom; it should be marked by joy, encouragement, liveliness and a harmonious balance which will not reduce preaching to a few doctrines which are at times more philosophical than evangelical. All this demands on the part of the evangelizer certain attitudes which foster openness to the message: approachability, readiness for dialogue, patience, a warmth and welcome which is non-judgmental.

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