Road Trip with Jesus: Part 2

Day 2 of the road trip with Jesus dawned … somewhere behind the clouds. Despite optimistic forecasts a week prior, the weather steadily deteriorated over the weekend. Being on the “sunrise side” of Michigan, I had hoped to catch a couple of spectacular light shows for Morning Prayer. Alas. Rain moved through the area Saturday morning. What bits of sunrise managed to peek around the storm clouds was lovely, though, and I saw a freighter heading north out of Port Huron, so getting up early wasn’t a complete loss.

There was only one big event on the schedule: Mass in a barn like it’s the French Revolution all over again.

…OK, times are rough, but it’s not French Revolution rough. Carmelite nuns aren’t being guillotined. But the bishop of Saginaw did say Mass in a barn.

While planning the trip I wondered if any nearby parishes had a Saturday morning Mass since the two churches closest to me didn’t. I needed to pray my Seven Sisters holy hour, and pairing it with Mass is typically how I start my Saturdays. I searched the area on Google Maps, and Holy Family Parish in Sandusky was the first result. When the website loaded, one of the first things I saw in bold letters under the “Current Events” header was the event Blessing of Seeds. “Join Bishop Gruss for Mass and Blessing of Seeds. Please bring seeds for blessing.” Location: Octagon Barn.

Lordship probably laughed as I went, “Wait, what?”

I’m from a somewhat rural area. I like barns. I have seeds that haven’t gone in the garden yet and could use a blessing.

Oh, and by the way, the bishop is going to say Mass in. a. barn.

Of course I’m going to this. This is so delightfully random that it couldn’t be anything other than Lordship writing his own Mad Lib.

The Thumb Octagon Barn Agricultural Museum in Gagetown is dedicated to sharing the history of farming in the thumb of Michigan. The restored eight-sided barn, built in the 1920s, is the centerpiece of the complex. Inside you’ll find a variety of vintage farming and dairy equipment, promotional materials from the Rural Electrification Administration’s push to bring electricity to the area, and for one Saturday only, an altar to the living God on the ground floor.

The day’s events were a kind of shoutout to people who are involved in Catholic Rural Life, a national nonprofit that — you guessed it — brings together Catholics who live and farm in rural areas. I am not a farmer, but nothing in the event posting said it was limited to members of Catholic Rural Life, so I felt confident I could crash the party.

The setup was simple but effective: plain benches down the center and ringing the perimeter. A simple altar at the front with battery-powered candles (I’m going to assume the property managers didn’t want open flames in their century-old barn!). Choir and musicians set up in the old hayloft. Probably about 100 people in the congregation.

The photographer for the Diocese of Saginaw took much better photos than I did. (You may spot me in a few.)

Bishop Gruss’ homily was what you expect at a Mass for farmers: Through the Apostles, the seeds of faith were planted, and we are reaping the benefit now. They planted, but God caused the growth. We too have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit that will remain. And farming is some people’s path to holiness. It’s a vocation that goes back to the Garden of Eden, after all.

After Mass, most of the crowd and clergy went to nearby building where lunch and a presentation were waiting. I slipped out and went back to my cottage. The rest of my schedule for the day included doing some reading for a Eucharistic Revival project I’m working on and baking a walleye fillet from the local store for supper. Wild and crazy plans, I know. But the weekend was never intended to have a busy, go-go-go pace. It was supposed to be a simple getaway, and it was.

The weekend of surprises from our Lord ended with one more on Sunday morning. The Communion hymn was “I Am the Bread of Life” (video from a different church), which has taken on special meaning for me over the past few years and has popped up at just the right times. This was one more “I see you” moment before hitting the road and getting back to day-to-day life.

It was a good getaway, Lordship. Let’s do it again sometime.