Written by By Sue Petritz,
NBCW Diocesan Link for Arundel and Brighton & Women in the Church Committee
One of my Christmas requests was for a copy of Rescued: The Unexpected and Extraordinary News Of The Gospel. I couldn’t put it down. Fr John Riccardo the American priest and author has an engaging style and the experience and background to offer a new insight on our understanding of the good news.
A recommended read from Bishop Robert Barron with a foreword by Scott Hahn, this American published paperback of just 184 pages makes it a doable read whatever your time constraints.
What make this an inspirational read, is the constant feeling of ‘Gosh I never thought of faith like that , or in that way’. Each chapter opens up a new understanding of aspects of faith, of what God has done for every one of us. I dare you not to find the pages on the immensity of Creation, mind blowing.
The three paramount questions asked by everyone: Why am I here? Where am I going? How do I get there are considered by the author. It is his stories and reflections that link those three questions and provide answers, bolstered by his constant referral to scripture and life’s experiences as he leads us through the four stages that ultimately enable us to be ‘rescued’.
As if we needed to be reminded that God is not boring or insignificant Fr Riccardo jolts us out of such a mundane view. He rightly says that not many have spoken of Jesus being ‘a warrior on the cross: fighting for us’. And what about the heart of the Gospel being God has done all this ‘because we matter’. So that Jesus from the cross says to each of us ”You are worth the trouble. You are worth my becoming man, being scourged, crowned with thorns, and going to the cross. You are worth dying for. You matter to me!’
In the final chapters, the author provides eight ways in which Jesus by his cross and resurrection has made a difference? How can we possibly resist responding to God’s love? We can’t or shouldn’t. Ours is the Mission Response the author sets out in chapter 16 & 17.
Read this book and I dare you not to be motivated to act towards ‘Helping God Get His World Back’.