Called to Serve?
Posted by Lisa Hendey in Faith on Wednesday, November 05, 2008 7:30 AM
Adam and I just had the most interesting discussion - it’s amazing what we can learn from our children when we allow ourselves to slow down a bit and to allow them to teach us.
We were having a conversation about a recent “pop quiz” in his 8th grade religion class. His teacher had asked the students to write out the Ten Commandments in the correct order. Apparently, the results were pretty dismal. I was happy with Adam’s 100% (and a bit surprised, I must admit) but more interested in the ensuing discussion we had about how he knew the commandments so well. For the record and in the interest of full disclosure, this Catholic Mom mixed up the order on numbers 6 and 7 when the same quiz was administered to me by my son with no warning.
Adam shared that he felt his volunteer work in our Children’s Liturgy of the Word program every Sunday was one of the factors for his commanding knowledge of the commandments.
I then asked him if he ever felt like giving up his commitment to that volunteer service commitment. Adam is also an altar server and frequently joins his father and brother in our music ministry at mass. In fact, many Sundays I’m sitting in the pew by myself while my family is scattered all over the altar, serving various roles.
“No, I think everyone should serve somehow at Mass,” Adam shared. He went on to say how important it is for our parish that people contribute their time, and that it makes them feel more a part of Mass and also a part of the parish community. “Besides, the kids need me,” he shared.
How wonderful is it that my teenage son recognizes his unique and special role in the Body of Christ and our parish’s great need for people to serve in ministerial roles?! But not all of us are called to serve in liturgical roles, especially we moms who are often so busy taking care of our little ones in Mass.
I am fortunate to serve as an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist, but I did not begin to serve in that role until the boys were old enough that they could sit unsupervised for ten to fifteen minutes in Mass. When I serve, I always feel the great privilege it is to share the Eucharist with our parish family.
Do you serve in your parish? Are you a greeter, a lector, an EM, a religious education teacher or the parish baker? If you do serve, how do you manage your family duties while still engaging in volunteer ministry?
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