Introduction
Fr. John Riccardo’s Rescued begins with three bold convictions to shake us awake: (1) we are not here by accident—we were born for this moment in history; (2) the world is crying out in spiritual despair, desperately in need of meaning and hope; and (3) the Church, though wounded, remains God’s chosen instrument for healing and mission. Riccardo offers not fear but hope—these are not dark days, but great days to be alive, because God is inviting us to take our place in His divine rescue mission. This book is more than spiritual reflection; it’s a call to recover the biblical worldview and reclaim the power of the Gospel in our lives.
To do that, Riccardo insists, we must ask the right questions: Who is God? Why did He create everything? What went wrong? And what has He done about it? The answer lies in the Gospel—what St. Paul called the “power of God for salvation” (Romans 1:16). Many Catholics have never truly heard this explosive, life-changing message preached in its fullness. Drawing on Pope St. John Paul II, Riccardo reminds us that the “ardent proclamation” of the Gospel should overwhelm us and lead to surrender in faith. The goal isn’t information—it’s transformation. Riccardo offers the Gospel in four unforgettable movements: Created, Captured, Rescued, and Response—a framework that not only deepens our understanding, but reorients our entire lives toward God.
1: Created
In Created, Fr. Riccardo invites us to rediscover the truth of our origins by returning to the “inspired poetry” of Genesis 1–3—a sacred text that answers one of life’s most fundamental question: Why is there something rather than nothing? Unlike ancient myths that depicted a chaotic cosmos ruled by indifferent and self-serving gods, Genesis offers a radically different vision: one good and loving Creator who made all things freely, purposefully, and declared them good. At the pinnacle of creation stands the human person, made in God’s image and likeness—called to represent Him on earth, steward creation, seek truth through reason, and freely choose to love. Our equal and distinct identity as male and female reflects the relational love of the Trinity, and even our neediness reveals a Father who delights in providing rest, joy, and communion with Himself. For Fr. Riccardo, the most staggering insight comes in a seemingly passing line from Genesis 1:16: “He made the stars also.” That quiet phrase unveils a breathtaking truth: the God who created a universe with billions of galaxies—each containing billions of stars—treasures you more than any star. To grasp the scale of that cosmos and then realize the Creator of it all knows your name, sees your heart, and hears your prayers is to encounter a love beyond comprehension. The deepest truth is stunningly simple: you matter to God.
2: Captured
In Captured, Fr. John Riccardo confronts the blunt and necessary question: What the hell happened? Through the lens of Scripture, he unveils the shocking truth behind the brokenness of our world—not as a result of God’s doing, but through the rebellion of one of His creatures: Lucifer, the once-glorious angel who, out of envy for the destiny of humanity, became Satan and declared war on us (Wisdom 2:24; Revelation 12). His two defining names—Satan (the accuser) and the devil (the divider)—reveal his destructive mission, rooted in accusing God as not a loving father and dividing us from life with Him. The Gospel can’t truly overwhelm us as good news until we grasp how dire the bad news is: without Jesus, we are not simply distant from God—we are enslaved in a kingdom of darkness, without hope of escape. Fr. Riccardo urges us to imagine the helplessness of being trafficked or imprisoned with no one searching for us, no way out—because that is the spiritual condition of humanity apart from God. Yet in His mercy, God has not left us in this captivity. Through Scripture—our “game film”—He shines a spotlight on the enemy’s strategy, not to scare us, but to equip us for freedom and prepare our hearts for the rescue Jesus has already begun.
3: Rescued
In Rescued, Fr. Riccardo invites us in this section to ask for the grace of unshakable confidence in Jesus, the Lord of heaven and earth, who didn’t come merely to teach or inspire, but to rescue. Why did Jesus come? What was Jesus doing on the Cross? The Church teaches three inseparable truths: (1) Jesus was showing us the love of the Father—God’s infinite mercy poured out for a fallen world; (2) He was making atonement for our sins, offering Himself as the sacrificial Lamb who reconciles us to the Father; and (3) Jesus was going to war—He is the divine warrior, the Ambush Predator, who camouflaged Himself in human weakness to draw the enemy in and destroy it from within. Like the Allies storming the beach on D-Day, Jesus “landed” in enemy-occupied territory to liberate captives—us—from the tyrannical grip of Sin, Death, and the Devil. As the Church Fathers taught, His humanity was the bait and His divinity the hidden hook; when He cried, “It is finished,” it was not a cry of resignation but a battle cry of total victory. And what difference does this make? Everything. Because of His Passion, Death, and Resurrection, Jesus (1) humiliated the enemy, (2) destroyed the power of Death, (3) transferred us into His Kingdom, (4) gave us direct access to the Father, (5) recreated us as new creations, (6) rendered Sin powerless, (7) gave us authority over the enemy, and (8) sent us on a mission to get His world back. All of this is summarized visually in the powerful Anastasis icon, where the risen Christ stands triumphant over Satan, reaching into the tombs to lift Adam and Eve—symbolizing the whole human race—into the light of resurrection. He stretches out His hand to you, too. Whatever your prison, whatever the chains, He has already broken them. The Redeemer, your Goel, has come. The strong man is bound. The tomb is shattered. The door is open. And now Jesus turns to you. All you have to do it take His hand.
4: Response
In Response, Riccardo urges every Christian to respond personally and actively to the incredible rescue mission of Jesus. This response begins with worship, praise, thanksgiving, and total surrender—recognizing what God has done, not taking the Cross for granted, and offering our lives in return. But it doesn’t stop there. We’re called to be “agents of sabotage” in a broken world, subverting evil through love, truth, beauty, and justice. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, like the early Church, we are sent on mission into every sphere of life—family, work, culture—not just to share the gospel but to live it so radically that it transforms others. The early Christians changed the world not through wealth or influence, but by sacrificial love, care for the poor, unity across divisions, and supernatural forgiveness. That same Spirit and mission are given to us. We are living the next chapter of Acts, invited by God not only to marvel at His rescue, but to participate in it—to help get His world back.
Book Review
In a time when so many are searching for clarity and hope, Rescued offers both—with fire. Fr. John Riccardo’s presentation of the four-part kerygma—Created, Captured, Rescued, Response—is the clearest, most gripping distillation of the Gospel I’ve ever read. This book is not only a game-changer for personal faith, but a vital tool for the New Evangelization. Whether you’re a preacher, teacher, or just someone longing to share your faith more effectively, Rescued will equip you with a language that is bold, beautiful, and faithful. It’s especially powerful during Lent, when we most need to contemplate the depth of our need and the immensity of Christ’s victory. Highly recommended.
Prodigal Catholic 
Leave a comment