This week, the Catholic
Herald received an email from a reader who shared how he is inspired by
the altar server he sees almost daily. Here’s what he said:
Although we are long-term
parishioners at the Basilica of St. Mary in Old Town, my wife and I attend
daily Mass at St. Rita Church in Alexandria at 7 a.m. We were discussing today
how wonderful it is that a young boy, probably 10 years old or younger, serves
as an altar boy for that early Mass every day. Every day! He has been doing
this all year as far as we can remember. We don’t know his name but what a
wonderful young boy he is and how very blessed we feel to see him serve Pastor
Gee and the parochial vicars to start his and our mornings.
He has a particular impact with
me. When I was a bit older, 13 to be exact, I started delivering a paper route
in Detroit, Mich., for the Detroit Free Press. I had to be out on the road by 6
a.m., every day, 365 days a year. I did that for five years until I was ready
for college. There was never a day off regardless of the weather that included
plenty of rain, snow, and very bitter cold. But there is one huge difference
between my life experience and this young altar boy: I was paid very well by my
customers. At Christmas, the tips were an absolute windfall.
For this young boy, he never
seems to take a day off either. More
importantly, he does it without any earthly reward that I am aware of! I’m sure
there won’t be any big Christmas bonus like I used to enjoy.
I am certain that the 10-20 Mass
attendees, like us, also admire this young boy and whomever his parents are. If
more knew about him, it would not surprise me that attendance at this early Mass
would increase. Living Saints, no matter how young, help draw us all closer to
the Lord!
The Catholic
Herald reached out to the parish to find this dedicated altar server,
but his parents prefer that he continue to volunteer outside the limelight.
Still, his mother hoped that the email would be shared. “It is a lovely
testimony to how our actions as Christians reach farther than we realize,” she
said.
© Arlington Catholic Herald 2021