Sunday, January 16, 2011

Sunday Serendipity!

In college, our president loved to use the word "serendipity". She was a religious sister who belonged to the Missionaries of St. Francis Cabrini and she bravely had her office in the same mansion that housed our dorm. Anyway, whenever I hear that word, I think of her.

Today my son was scheduled to fly solo for the first time as an altar server. For the past few months that he's been in training, he made it clear he didn't want me to be there. He's the kind of kid that doesn't like to sing in front of us or be applauded and we respect the delicate boundary that protects him. Still, he wasn't putting on a performance. This was Holy Mass. I thought about sneaking in after Mass started to get a glimpse and then he threw me for a loop. I wanted him to get to the sacristy a half hour early so he could ask any last-minute questions and be well prepared. As he was walking out the door, he tossed one of his famous comments designed to inflict maximum guilt at me. "It would be nice if my own mother was coming." And out the door he went.

I was planning to go to the Latin Mass as I normally do at Noon, so to say I was caught off guard is an understatement. As soon as the door closed behind him, I charged upstairs to get ready and enlisted Rebecca to do the same. I can't tell you the look on his face as he was carrying the crucifix to the rear of the church and saw us all there.

He did very well, even for his first time, and did his best to keep his shoulders straight and his hands clasped upright. I am hoping that, like his sister, being in such proximity to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass will impart a greater love for God and reverence for the Real Presence.

Afterward, I thanked the priest who celebrated Mass for his patience. When Matt reached us after changing out of his alb, he had the biggest grin on his face. "You didn't think I'd be here, did ya?"

"Nope, but I'm glad you were."

So am I!

1 comment:

  1. God bless him. That's great! Sounds like a wonderful son. :)

    ReplyDelete

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