Pop-Up Catechesis: Advent Reminds Us That We Need a Savior

Pop-Up Catechesis with Joe Paprocki

From time to time on social media, we come across stories and videos of dramatic rescues (such as this one). In such situations, people who are incapable of saving themselves turn to first responders who intervene and save them from danger. This is the definition of a savior: someone who rescues another who is incapable of saving him- or herself. Aside from physical dangers, we encounter other realities in life from which we are incapable of saving ourselves. People in Twelve-Step programs understand this. The first step in the program is admitting that one is powerless over the addiction, and the second step is acknowledging the need of an intervention from a higher power.

The season of Advent is a time for each of us to embrace these two realities: we are incapable of overcoming sin on our own, and we need an intervention—a savior—to rescue us. In this episode of Pop-Up Catechesis, we explore how Advent reminds us of our need for a savior and the importance of identifying Jesus as just that: our Savior!

For more information about Advent and the importance of recognizing Jesus as our Savior, check out the following resources:

About Joe Paprocki 2758 Articles
Joe Paprocki, DMin, is National Consultant for Faith Formation at Loyola Press, where, in addition to his traveling/speaking responsibilities, he works on the development team for faith formation curriculum resources including Finding God: Our Response to God’s Gifts and God’s Gift: Reconciliation and Eucharist. Joe has more than 35 years of experience in ministry and has presented keynotes, presentations, and workshops in more than 100 dioceses in North America. Joe is a frequent presenter at national conferences including the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress, the Mid-Atlantic Congress, and the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership. He is the author of numerous books, including the best seller The Catechist’s Toolbox, A Church on the Move, Under the Influence of Jesus, and Called to Be Catholic—a bilingual, foundational supplemental program that helps young people know their faith and grow in their relationship with God. Joe is also the series editor for the Effective Catechetical Leader and blogs about his experiences in faith formation at www.catechistsjourney.com.

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