The Mysteries of Christ's Life: The Incarnation

Jesus' Revelation of God and Call to Discipleship

What does God "look like"? Jesus says simply: "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father... I am in the Father and the Father is in me" (Jn. 14: 9–10).  Jesus is one with the Father (Jn. 10:30), and he is also the way to the Father.  That way is discipleship.  Dr. Schreck discusses what it means to be a disciple of Jesus: its necessity, its joy, and the sacrifice and suffering—the cross—it requires.

Jesus' Public Ministry Begins: The Kingdom of God Proclaimed

Jesus' "hidden life" ends and his public ministry begins with his baptism in the Jordan River by John.  Jesus' proclamation that "the kingdom (or reign) of God is at hand" is the key to his mission and ministry.  But what is this kingdom, and how does Jesus bring it about?

What the Gospels Say About Jesus' Identity and His Infancy

As author C.S. Lewis noted, Jesus as he's revealed in the Gospels is either God, a lunatic, or a liar. Jesus differs from all other religious founders in that he is God Incarnate, revealing God as love and reconciling the human race with God by his passion and death. Dr. Schreck talks about the Gospels' narrative of Jesus' life, starting with his infancy and "hidden life" in Nazareth.

Jesus as One Divine Person in Two Natures: His Knowledge, Will, and Sacred Heart

The Council of Chalcedon clarified that Jesus was one person in two natures, divine and human. Dr. Schreck explores this mystery and how it relates to Jesus' knowledge and his will. He also reflects on Jesus' Sacred Heart as a reflection and expression of God's love.

The Mysteries of Christ's Life: The Incarnation

Some recognize Jesus as a great teacher but don't accept the Gospel accounts of Jesus' mighty works or miracles. Dr. Schreck explains how all the central Christian beliefs about Jesus are miraculous, and their purpose is to reveal God and bring about the redemption of the human race and communion with God.  The first miracle or mystery of Christ's life is the Incarnation—Jesus as one divine person in two natures: fully God and fully human.