St. Thomas, Eustis, will host its second Blue Mass to support local first responders on Sunday, Oct. 1, at 10:00 a.m., followed by a luncheon in the parish hall, free to first responders and their families. The church encourages its sister congregations to consider holding similar services.  

In Romans 13, Paul instructs us to render “honor to whom honor is due” (v. 7), noting that God has put governmental authorities in place and we should pray for them.

“This is why we have the Prayers of the People and pray for civic authorities,” explained the Rev. Matthew Perreault, rector. “This is why we are required to say these prayers. We render honor to the first responders because we love God as he loves us and placed these people in their positions of service to him.”

There is a significant political controversy around first responders in America, particularly police, and Perreault said the Blue Mass offers an opportunity to show a different perspective from the political extremes. “It is good that we are praying for our neighbors and asking ourselves to consider other ways to pray for them and engage with the wider community.”

The 90-year tradition of a Blue Mass has developed to hold such a Mass the last week of September at the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels or National Police Week. The Blue Mass is intended for any first responder, regardless of faith background. It follows Paul’s Acts 17 example of speaking to the pagans in Thessalonica, which serves as a model for congregations to engage the unchurched.

“They aren’t Christians, but he points them to their work aligning with Christ in several aspects, in addition to the full revelation of God and who he is,” Perreault said. “We can do the same for the first responders.”

The Blue Mass provides support and encouragement for the first responders. “Seeing so much trauma by first responders gives them PTSD, which is why they have chaplains,” Perreault said. “This service informs people how dealing with trauma affects our first responders and their family members. The families of first responders need our prayers. They share the stress. It is a real privilege to do such a Christian thing.” 

The service also benefits parishioners. “We show the congregation that by engaging first responders, showing them where their actions coincide with Christian virtues and then deepening their faith to see how those virtues can be more fully realized or lived out in a gospel context, we have a method of engaging with other people in other contexts in a biblical and winsome way,” Perreault said. 

The service is also an evangelism tool, he explained. “Paul engages with the unchurched pagans of the Areopagus. This is a great tool for engaging any unchurched and dechurched visitor.”

The Feast of St. Michael and All Angels liturgy suits a Blue Mass. “In the readings of the service, we bring angels into play,” Perreault said. “The angels serve God and protect man. We see this in our first responders. ‘To protect and to serve’ is the police motto. The angels fight evil. We can identify with that in the present day. Their role is to protect us from wrongs (fires, crimes, illness, etc.). Discussing that in the context of sin and evil is a natural bridge.”

Perreault encouraged clergy who would like to hold a Blue Mass to seek the Rt. Rev. Dr. Justin S. Holcomb’s permission as soon as possible to allow the church to use the propers of the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels on a day other than their feast day. In addition, clergy must seek the bishop’s permission to use the anointing prayer (after the Prayers of the People and confession) if the church’s Blue Mass will include anointings. Once permission is received, Perreault said, churches will want to invite first responders right away.