More Than Redemption: How Jesus Restores Our True Humanity

One of the most profound lessons I’ve ever learned came from a teacher who taught about the Trinity in a way that stuck with me. She once said something that completely surprised me: “Jesus didn’t just come to save us from our sins.” I remember all of us being shocked. Isn’t that why He came? But she went on, “He came to teach us how to be fully human, because humanity forgot how.”

That statement hit me hard. Humanity forgot how to love God, how to trust, how to surrender, how to truly live as we were created to live. And so, Jesus, being fully God, became fully human to show us the way back. He came to restore what was broken in us.

Take the Gospel story where Jesus chooses the twelve apostles—a huge, defining moment in the start of the Church. But what does Jesus do right before this epic decision? He goes up to the mountain to pray. Imagine that! Jesus, who is perfect, who is God Himself, takes time to pray before making a major decision. He shows us what it means to be fully human—connecting with the Father, seeking His guidance, surrendering to His will. If Jesus needed that time with God, how much more do we?

Prayer, at its heart, is about connection. Sure, we all have our lists of intentions—people we’re praying for, situations we’re concerned about. And that’s good. But the ultimate purpose of prayer is to draw closer to God, to build that relationship with Jesus. I’ll be honest, there are times I’ve gone through the motions, praying rosaries or saying my prayers, and I realize I’m just checking boxes. I can almost hear God saying, “Why are you really praying?”

So, I want to encourage you. When you pray, take a moment to ask yourself: Am I using this time to connect with Him? If our prayers don’t lead us closer to Jesus, maybe we need to shift our focus. Because at the end of the day, the real purpose of prayer, the root of everything we do, is to be rooted in Him. Jesus became human to teach us how to live, how to surrender, how to love. Let’s follow His example, not just in what we do, but in how we connect with God.