A Reflection by Joe Paprocki, D.Min.
I recall that, not more than two years into his papacy, Pope Francis proclaimed a Year of Mercy, reminding us that love “can never be just an abstraction” (Misericordiae Vultus) and that God’s mercy is manifested in his actions towards us. Likewise, in his Letter, St. James reminds us that faith without works is dead.
As children of God, made in God’s image, we are called to make God’s mercy tangible for others. One of the ways we do this is by working for justice—working to remove obstacles and structures that stand in the way of people living in right relationship with one another. During this Lenten season, may we commit ourselves to making God’s love and mercy concrete and tangible by striving for justice in our homes, communities, nation, and world. May the love that flows from God into our hearts never be an abstraction.
Joe Paprocki, D.Min.
Joe Paprocki, D.Min., 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. Joe has more than 40 years of experience in ministry and has presented keynotes, presentations, and workshops in more than 150 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 over 20 books, including the best sellers The Catechist’s Toolbox and A Well-Built Faith, as well as A Church on the Move, Under the Influence of Jesus, Living the Sacraments, 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 also served as the series editor for the Effective Catechetical Leader and blogs about his catechetical experiences in faith formation at catechistsjourney.loyolapress.com.
Joe Paprocki, Doctor en Ministerio, es consultor nacional para la formación en la fe en Loyola Press, donde, además de sus responsabilidades de viajar y dictar conferencias, trabaja en el equipo de desarrollo de recursos del plan de estudios de formación en la fe, incluyendo Encontrando a Dios: Nuestra respuesta a los dones de Dios. Joe tiene más de 40 años de experiencia en el ministerio y ha ofrecido ponencias, presentaciones y talleres en más de 150 diócesis en América del Norte. Joe es un presentador frecuente en conferencias nacionales, incluido el Congreso de Educación Religiosa de Los Ángeles, el Congreso del Atlántico Medio (Mid-Atlantic Congress) y la Conferencia Nacional para el Liderazgo Catequético. Es autor de más de 20 libros, incluyendo los más vendidos La caja de herramientas del catequista y Una fe bien construida, así como A Church on the Move, La experiencia transformadora de encontrarse con Cristo: Bajo la influencia de Jesús, Vivir los sacramentos y Llamados a ser católicos —un programa bilingüe suplementario y fundamental que ayuda a los jóvenes a conocer su fe y a crecer en su relación con Dios. Joe también fue editor de la serie El líder catequético eficaz y escribe un blog sobre sus experiencias catequísticas en la formación de la fe en catechistsjourney.loyolapress.com.