Parishioners Jim Strauss and Ellen Smith gave talks during St. Luke Church’s most recent “evening of reflection.” (Lisa Geraci | Catholic News Herald)MINT HILL — It’s difficult not to take notice of Jim Strauss at St. Luke Church. He is at almost every Mass, just outside the wooden doors, sporting a huge smile and a radiant spirit.
Standing next to a folding table, Strauss greets parishioners, sells biscuits for mission trips, collects supplies for Thomasboro Academy, or sells golf tickets for the Knights of Columbus fundraisers. He has his hand in about every ministry at the Mint Hill parish and shows no signs of stopping, committed to doing “anything he can to help a friend.” And who is that friend? It’s Jesus Christ.
He wasn’t always this active in his faith and relationship with Jesus, though.
During a recent “evening of reflection,” an event which St. Luke Church hosts once a quarter, Strauss explained the impetus behind his work.
He had been going to Mass for decades and had a successful sales career, but one day at the age of 55 he began to reflect.
“I began to think what it means to be Catholic,” he recounted. “For me, I was Catholic with a capital C. But I started to take a look and ask, why? I had all the things I need. I’ve got all the check boxes marked, but I was missing something.”
He met with long-time parishioner Steve Daly, who encouraged him to “go do something.” That “something” was the prison ministry called Kairos.
“I did, and that has changed everything, because all the stuff I had been working for, through my life experiences, helped me work for God,” he said. “I love working for God! All I had to do was say yes.”
“I just call His name and He says, ‘Jim, do it,’” he said. “I’d do anything for a friend.”
During his talk, whose theme was ‘Hunger for a Relationship with God,” Strauss encouraged others to befriend Jesus and follow Him.
“If you look back and see everything that God has ever done for you, it all has been a blessing and so beautiful,” he said. “All you have to do is say ‘yes.’
The event where Strauss spoke grew out of an idea the parish had over a year ago to establish a spirituality ministry aimed at encouraging stewardship and spiritual growth among parishioners.
The evening reflections are among the group’s activities designed to be “a fun, family and faith event would provide the best format to spread the good works being done at St. Luke while encouraging parishioners to find a path to God,” Strauss explained.
Each evening reflection features two lay people who give presentations. Dinner and child care are included so that the events are accessible to everyone.
The parish has hosted five evening reflections since they started in the spring of 2017, as well as an Advent retreat last year.
“St. Luke has over 2,000 adult parishioners, all with their own unique story to tell,” Strauss said. “We have only begun to tap into this resource.”
During the same evening reflection where Strauss spoke, fellow parishioner Ellen Smith also spoke of her “Hunger for a Relationship with God.”
“I am a two-time breast cancer survivor,” Smith declared to everyone gathered in the room. “Nobody wants to hear the news they have cancer. But in 2008 I was diagnosed with breast cancer. During that time, during prayer and meditation, a scripture verse kept coming to me, from Luke: ‘She came out behind Him and touched the fringe of His clothes and immediately her hurt stopped.’”
“This became my scripture,” she said. “That scripture helped me to know all I had to do was touch, in faith, the fringe of Jesus’ garment. I didn’t have to not be afraid. I didn’t have to have it all figured out. I just had to have enough faith to be able to touch the fringe of Jesus’ garment.”
Smith described receiving the sacrament of anointing of the sick on the feast of the Assumption. One of the hymns sung during Mass that day was “How Can I keep from Singing,” she recalled. “This became my fight song.”
Smith offered the crowd some advice about getting through tough times: “To get through life’s innermost struggles, it is helpful to have a scripture, a symbol, a song.”
Parishioner Teresa Scott said she enjoys the evening reflections. “The parishioners’ stories are always, uplifting and inspiring. They help us get to know our congregation better, while making it easier to establish relationships with people.”
St. Luke Parish’s next evening reflection is scheduled for 6-9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 26, in the church. All are welcome to attend.
— Lisa Geraci, Correspondent