One of my favorite experiences is attending Mass when we're on vacation. Today we went to 9:30 Mass at St. Paul's Church in Sundance, a mission church in the Diocese of Cheyenne, Wyoming.
The music was good and the readers were both excellent. The parish priest, Father Tim Martinson, also serves Corpus Christi in Newcastle. Today, a new priest, Father Hiep Nguyen, a native of Vietnam, introduced himself to the parish.
Today, Father Tim preached on the quote from St. Francis of Assisi, "Preach Jesus, and, if necessary, use words". This quote is disputed, but the message is essentially "let the actions of your life reflect your faith". He told a personal story that resonated with me: a prayer circle in a public park joined by a woman in obvious life distress. Her physical appearance and hygiene deficiencies would be a challenge to anyone, even though our Christian faith calls us to see Christ in all we meet.
Father Tim's honest story about this uncomfortable situation was disarming, as was his reaction to the latest scandals in the Catholic Church. Refreshing. Not what we're used to.
Interestin post, Cath!
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