Nr.67 ended with: “But there was something else that really shocked us………!”

As mentioned before Herb and I went from door to door to find out what people believed. As we talked to many, many people we discovered that people did not know why Jesus died on the cross. Now this may seem very strange to you, as Belgium is a catholic (Christian) country, it may be hard to believe but it is true. I remember sitting in the living room of an elderly lady, she told me she was 75. And she also told me that she had gone to mass every day of her life, except the last year as she was not well. Behind her on the wall hung a crucifix and so I asked her whether she believed that Jesus died on the cross. Of course, she answered. I then asked her why Jesus had died on the cross. She looked at me and said that she didn’t know. I looked at her in utter amazement and said, you have gone to church every day of your life and you don’t know why Jesus died on the cross? No, she said. I said, every time you go to mass you hear the words: “Behold the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world.” Yes, she agreed with that. I then asked what those words meant, she had no idea and became a bit perturbed with me and said, I haven’t studied theology, how should I know? I was absolutely dumbfounded and felt like crying. How was this possible? A dear soul having gone to a “Christian” church every day of her life for almost 75 years and not knowing why Jesus died on the cross, it was just unbelievable. I met people who told me they believed more in Mary than in Jesus. What a need, and not just in Belgium, but in much of so called Christian Europe. The light had gone out. I felt once again very confirmed in the fact that God had brought us here. These dear people needed to hear the wonderful gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. What a mission field…….! (Go to Musings)