October 18.  The missionary asked, “Why do people go to some churches and not others?  Is it the quality of the preaching, the personality of the preacher, the type of worship with praise and worship, song and dance, the healing that they are seeking, or the message that speaks to them in their hearts?”   This kind of debate is being held all over as new churches are blossoming and more traditional churches are finding they are losing members.  “You could ask what attracted people to Jesus, because his message wasn’t easy.  People crowded round Jesus to hear his wisdom. The leaders then were jealous of him because he was popular and spoke in a way easy to understand about serious things that helped them think, like telling them how valuable and loved they were to God.  Where and how do we still feel like that?”  PS. Pastor Ray McCauley founder of Rhema Bible Church has been afforded a special provincial funeral by President Ramaphosa. Which local Catholic church leader could expect that?

Reflect, share, act. Scripture:  Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are numbered. You are of more value than many sparrows. Luke12:1-7 Pope Francis: A positive experience of family communion is a true path to daily sanctification and mystical growth, a means of deeper union with God. The fraternal and communal demands of family life are an incentive to growth in openness of heart and thus to an ever fuller encounter with the LORD.    Al 316  I invite all  Christians everywhere to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ or at least an openness to letting him encounter them.   No one is excluded from the joy brought by the Lord. EG3.    Action and Prayer.  Consider the invitation to experience a personal encounter with Jesus.  Pray: Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and kindle in us the fire of your love, so that walking together we may renew the face of the earth