The Rescue Project is a series of 8 video's by Fr. John Riccardo that endeavors to tell The Great Story, namely, The Good News of the Gospel. St. John Paul II once wrote that hearing the ardent proclamation of the gospel, of the extraordinary and unexpected news of what God has done for the world in Jesus, should result in a person being overwhelmed and brought to a decision to surrender himself to Jesus in faith. The Rescue Project does this by proposing four main themes, or questions to explore:
- 1) Why is there something rather than nothing?
- 2) Why is everything so messed up?
- 3) What, if anything, has God done about it?
- 4) And if he's done anything, how should I respond?
In the end, The Rescue Project is about hope. As Fr. Riccardo emphasizes, "At the heart of the gospel is the proclamation that You Matter! You are loved far, far, far more than you ever could have imagined. You are worth the trouble! You are worth the trouble of God creating you, of His becoming man to rescue you from powers worse than your worst nightmare, of His desire for you to be an active agent in the work of re-creation that he began on Easter Sunday, and of His calling you to abundant and unending life."
This series is deeply moving. I invite each and every parishioner, (high school and up) to commit to watching these eight videos through Lent (one per week) and into the Easter season. Every video can be found online for free on the ACTS XXIX website or you can download the ACTS XXIX app for free on your mobile device. DVD's of the series are also available for purchase through the website for $30. Watch with your spouse, alone, or with a small group.
