Seeds of Truth Ministries

Joseph Hollcraft

Rediscover Jesus: An Invitation

I first became aware of Rediscover Jesus: An Invitation, while listening to a podcast interview with Matthew Kelly. While I am very familiar with Matthew Kelly’s work and his writing, I was particularly struck by what he had to say on the way he framed Rediscover Jesus. That is to say, each chapter is only three to five pages with prompts for reflection at the end of each chapter. They come in the form of a point to ponder, a verse to live by, a question to consider, and a prayer (Its forty chapters and purple color no doubt serve the purpose of this book being a Lenten read).

In his chapter on Jesus as The Greatest Teacher Ever, Matthew Kelly observes that “Experts have a special talent for complicating things. But the stand-out genius in any field is always the person who is able to take what is incredibly complex, break it down to what is essential, and present it in a way that makes it seem simple” (50). Interestingly, as Matthew Kelly remarks about what makes Jesus the greatest teacher ever, he indirectly affirms his own writing as he makes difficult topics more readily comprehensible (Chapter Thirteen on the child as the greatest is deeply inviting).

What’s more, Matthew Kelly does a beautiful job of sequencing these forty chapters in a way that invites the reader to consider not only who Jesus is, but who we are in the light of who Jesus is as the Son of God.

All throughout the pages of this book, you find this constant interplay between the “radical love” of Jesus Christ and its implications upon your life in word and deed.  In other words, Matthew Kelly is steady in his message: in order to be generous and forgiving as Christ was generous and forgiving, we must “rediscover Jesus” in and through a living relationship with Him. In this way, your life will begin to reflect the light that is inside of you--the light of Jesus Christ.

In arguably his two most important chapters, The Heart of the Gospel (57-59) and The Soul of the Gospel (60-62), Matthew Kelly challenges us to be “the most generous person in our sphere of influence” (57) and to not only forgive, but adhere to Christ’s call to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you (Mt.5:44). Mathew Kelly reminds us, this call is as radical as saying we must love, forgive, and pray for the likes of “Emperor Nero, Adolf Hitler, Osama Bin Laden, and child molesters” (61). Here, Kelly affirms that one cannot possibly rediscover radical love if we are not first taking up the seriousness of Christ’s radical love. Is this unconventional? Yes, but everything about God is unconventional. God likes to turn things upside down to turn them right side up (cf.105).

In the aforementioned interview, Matthew Kelly said that he wrote this book for every Christian, Catholic, and anyone who yearns to grow spiritually. At the time, I was unsure if that was even possible—to write a book for every Christian and Catholic. After reading it (and praying with it), I wholeheartedly recommend this book to every Christian and Catholic. Indeed, you will be invited to rediscover Jesus!

Get book online at http://dynamiccatholic.com/rediscoverjesus/

View Dr. Hollcraft's author profile on Amazon
Unleashing the Power of Intercessory Prayer - Book Cover

“Hollcraft's book engagingly integrates his personal experience with the luminous witness of Scripture and the overflowing holiness of the saints to help you maximize the effectiveness of your intercessory prayer.”
Bishop Liam Cary
Diocese of Baker, Oregon

“With this book, Hollcraft opens the door to the humble act of praying for others and invites us, through practical and accessible tips, to step through that door with trust.”
Dr. Anthony Lilles
Author and Academic Dean of Saint Patrick's Seminary, Menlo Park (CA)

"As I read through these pages, I am reminded of our beautiful calling to pray for others, and Dr. Hollcraft explains here how to do so in deepest intimacy with Jesus Christ!"
Fr. Dave Pivonka T.O.R.
President of Franciscan University of Steubenville

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A Heart for Evangelizing - Book Cover

“Evangelization is never about numbers, and never about programs. It’s one heart setting another on fire. With this book, Dr. Hollcraft helps us keep the home fires burning—even as we set the world ablaze with Christ.”
Mike Aquilina
Award-winning author of more than 40 popular books

“Hollcraft wonderfully displays the tapestry of Catholic life and evangelization by weaving solid Catholic teaching, its application to the modern world, and clearly expressed examples that bring out the light and shadows of this beautiful picture.”
Fr. Mitch Pacwa, S.J.
Author, television host, Senior Fellow of the St. Paul Center
for Biblical Theology

"In a world of burgeoning textbooks and media, the reminder that  catechesis is inescapably a personal task to which we are all called, through a cooperation with the redeeming and educative work of the Person of the Holy Trinity, is a timely and important one."
Dr. Petroc Willey
Professor of Catechetics, Franciscan University of Steubenville

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