Saturday October 25, 2025
Good News Reflections:
Making scripture meaningful to your daily life
by Terry Modica
“Those who live according to the flesh are concerned with the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the spirit with the things of the spirit… But you are not in the flesh; on the contrary, you are in the spirit, as long as the Spirit of God dwells in you.” (From today’s first reading)
Good News Reflection for:
Saturday of the 29th Week in Ordinary Time
October 25, 2025
Today’s Readings:
Romans 8:1-11
Psalm 24:1-6
Luke 13:1-9
bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/102525.cfm
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
bible.usccb.org/podcasts/audio/daily-mass-reading-podcast-october-25-2025
How can we bring people back to church?
What question is on the forefront of our hearts more now than “how can we bring people back to church?” We care about people who do not go to church. How can we explain to them the importance of Mass and actually inspire in them a desire to go?
It’s important to help those who have quit going to Mass. In fact, Jesus will hold us accountable for ignoring opportunities that are clearly presented to us.
This Saturday’s first reading can be useful in understanding what’s happened them. Catholics who stop going to Mass are living by the flesh, not by the spirit (the scripture refers to their own spirit, which is connected to the Holy Spirit thanks to the Sacrament of Baptism). So the best strategy is to awaken in them a desire for a personal relationship with the Holy Spirit.
Meanwhile, they have an Enemy who does not want this to happen. By their sins, they have given the Devil a legal right to influence them. Therefore, the first step is to pray for them and get other faith-filled friends praying for them. Include spiritual warfare prayers, such as The Rosary of Liberation (gnm.org/prayers/rosary-of-liberation) and The Prayer of Authority Against Evil (gnm.org/prayer-of-authority).
This step may take years, but meanwhile we expose them to the truth by the witness of our own lives. Are you Spirit-filled? Do you experience miracles and do you openly talk about them?
This will often lead to questions or some other indication that they are ready for the truth. Then the Holy Spirit will give you the words to speak (Jesus promised this). Also ask Jesus to go ahead of you into the conversation, taking the lead. It is the Holy Spirit who inspires people to change, not us.
How can we bring people back to church? What to say really does vary for each person. Ask them (gently, without condemnation) why they don’t go to Mass. Find out what’s missing in their lives (something that they long for) and explain how a close relationship with Jesus will help them with that.
Share your own stories about how Jesus helped you. Then explain how going to Mass will help them feel the closeness and compassion of Jesus aiding them in their hardships. Share how the sacraments can help them, including Confession, which is necessary before they receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist.
People who stop going to Mass because of the scandals in the Church or for any other reason are living by the flesh, not the spirit. A sign of living by the flesh is that they haven’t recognized Jesus in the Eucharist with their spiritual eyes. They don’t understand that the Eucharist is truly and miraculously Jesus, fully present in body and blood and in Spirit. Teach the truth about the Eucharist. This is exciting stuff! A miracle happens at every Mass. Share with them your own experiences of feeling blessed by Jesus when receiving him in the Eucharist.
We need to get people to fall in love with the Eucharist, to realize the truth about the Eucharist. My newly published book, My Soul Shall Be Healed, can help you succeed in this.
It’s a tool that’s meant to be used in parish study groups to give people a better understanding of the Eucharist and inspire enthusiasm about the Mass. This book can change lives and bring countless people back to church. And it can bring those who are in the Church into a fuller, more aware, personal relationship with Jesus, Who is the Eucharist.
But it’s also good for individuals to use on their own. While you deepen your own understanding of the Eucharist, it will give you talking points and ideas for how to get others to become interested in meeting this Jesus Who’s present there in the Eucharist.
When you buy your own copy, buy an extra one to give to your pastor, and a third one to give to your DRE or whomever is in charge of adult faith formation in your parish — and be an ambassador for the Eucharist!
Go to gnm.org/mysoul and become an ambassador of the Eucharist today.
© 2021 by Terry A. Modica
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