All hearers of the gospel make the decision, within the scope
of their free will, as to whether or not to accept the truth
that Jesus offers to each of us. The kerygma,
however, as Pope Francis points out, has a
social dimension: “The kerygma has a
clear social content: at the very heart of
the Gospel is life in community and
engagement with others. The content
of the first proclamation has an
immediate moral implication centered
on charity” (no. 177).
We may accept the kerygma as
individuals, but we cannot possibly “live
out” the kerygma without recognizing the
communal dimension within which our “yes” places us.
When we choose to receive the gift of God’s love, we
must recognize the undeniable connection between the
divine love we enjoy and “genuine fraternal love” (no. 179).
Francis dramatizes this point by explaining that “our brothers
and sisters are the prolongation of the incarnation for each
of us” (no. 179). According to Francis, there is a “profound
connection” between our missionary work and human
advancement. Our acceptance of the kerygma requires that
we love God “in return,” which becomes concrete in what he
describes as our primary response “to desire, seek and protect
the good of others