After reading a few of Pastor George A. Mason’s sermons, I thought, “He’s a Baptist Fulton Sheen!”
Now, mind you, I was just two months old in April 1957, a newly baptized infant, when ABC-TV stopped broadcasting Roman Catholic Bishop Sheen’s weekly show, “Life Is Worth Living.” By then, he had already reached some 10 million people a week for years, and his broadcast continued in other forms on other networks until 1968. Over the years, I’d seen and heard recordings of Bishop Sheen during my Catholic Christian faith journey. I always found him profoundly welcoming. His legacy is a strong, living spirit of ecumenism and social unity. And that is the same, powerful vibe of Pastor Mason in his new book, “The Word Made Fresh — Preaching God’s Love for Every Body.” As I turned the pages, I felt no friction, nothing to obstruct my Catholic perspective. In fact, there’s a warmth in each message and the comfort of friendly names like St. Augustine, Mother Teresa, and Athanasius of Alexandria, a doctor of the Church. More importantly, I feel the aura of Jesus Christ and a Baptist pastor who knows him well. This book is a compilation of Mason’s thirty-plus years of preaching at Wilshire Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas. The community’s website proclaims it's “Always Open to All.” Their many service and care ministries help them walk the talk, preaching with words and deeds. Wilshire Baptist created this book as a gift to commemorate the dedicated service of Mason, their beloved Senior Pastor Emeritus. Now, most books are a gift. “The Word Made Fresh” is a privilege to read. I have been savoring a sermon a day and relishing the journey through time. I can only imagine what it was like to listen to this moving preacher, Sunday after Sunday. Only, I didn’t have to imagine too hard. The book features QR codes on many of the 80 sermons that link readers to YouTube videos of Pastor Mason preaching. In fact, you can experience the whole Sunday service if you wish. Like Bishop Sheen, Pastor Mason frequently incorporates current events and relates the 2000-year-old Gospel to modern life. He keeps it fresh. I learned so much in these deep and compelling, three-to-four-page takes. Characters include modern-day heroes and good Samaritans. But this is not just a feel-good massage for the soul. It’s a spiritual trip to the gym. Pastor Mason confronts our lukewarm tendencies and our sinful desires to judge others, including those of other denominations or people who are different in other ways — or disagree with our worldview. He pushes us to reach for the margins with open arms. I had to jump forward to page 287 to read “The Catholic Church: Baptists and the Universal Church.” It did not disappoint, prodding all believers to realize we are kin in the faith — in the catholic (small “c”) Church. Mason even takes time to teach his congregation about what Catholics and other faith traditions truly believe. What was it that Jesus said when his apostles wanted to stop an outsider casting out demons in the Lord’s name? “Jesus said … ‘Do not prevent him, for whoever is not against you is for you.” (Luke 9:50) I wonder why we don’t remember that more often when we look at each other across our denominations and interfaith communities, as well as other social divides? Thank God for shepherds like Bishop Sheen and Pastor Mason. Peace. Review by Chris Stepien, Author
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