Serving the Lord

After a long week at the festival (which we thoroughly enjoyed-see 4H post), we had a nice day of rest that included an altar serving training at our campus mission church.

We actually planned a day that we could enjoy sleeping in.  Then we made a big breakfast with time to enjoy before dressing for church.  We arrived in time to settle into our pew and say a little prayer before Mass began.  Believe me, this was a nice change from our rushed frenzy over the last few weeks!

Mass was such a joy as the boys all sat in a nice row and actually participated in the prayers of the Mass.  And, Zaira actually tried to sing for us today!  She, also, stayed awake throughout the Mass distracting the sweet elderly couples who sit behind us with her smiling and cooing!  Not to mention their joy in seeing her brothers' spontaneous kisses to her head!

No this was not a dream, but a reality that is seen rarely (yet more increasingly) at the Reynolds' pew on Sunday.

We then made our way to the student center for a quick bite to eat before the altar server training.  The three older boys went to the training.  For Sean and Henry this was a refresher course after many years of serving.  However, Edward would be learning the needs of the altar for the first time.

Now, I must tell you, Edward was very nervous at the idea of being an altar server.  He told me that he would rather stay with me in the pew.  However, I explained to him that it was a great honor to serve on the altar. Also, it was a good idea to always be prepared to serve the Lord.  I strongly encouraged him to go through the training so he could be ready if he was ever needed.

So, Edward reluctantly made his way to the front of the church.  The training lasted most of the two hour block of time.  Then the children were given a special ice cream treat.  This was followed by a unique experience.  All of the altar servers, even the college crew, posed for a book of do's and don'ts of altar serving.  They posed in reverent positions that would take place throughout the Mass and then the alternative prankster motions that might (I hope never) be performed by a 'bad' server.

The boys had a great time with the photo session.  I pray they did not get too many crazy ideas from the experience.  It was nice to know that even in the midst of these chaotic pictures, the group still remained very reverent in their motions before the tabernacle.  Our boys (and all the servers) would pause to genuflect to enter the sanctuary as well as at the tabernacle before hurrying to their poses for the photographer.  It was silly to take these pictures but all of them knew that they were still in God's house.  It was a good time for everyone.

And what did Edward think of it all?  He enjoyed the experience and wants to be an altar server now!  Praise God for giving me the wisdom to not push to hard but give the nudge in the right direction.  I know he will do a great job serving the Lord by assisting the priest.