Serving John's First Sunday Mass

Today our firstborn served his first Sunday Mass in a parish, not a Mass in our home or at an altar boy camp. It's a milestone that happens only once and we were so pleased for him.

The whole thing came about quite suddenly and unexpectedly: We had other plans today, they got changed, the baby was taking an oddly timed nap, so we simply decided to go to the four o'clock Mass at another parish an hour away from us. Only later did we realize that John might be able to serve Mass there, so we showed up, asked the priest, and he welcomed our boy.

I was quite nervous watching John holding a very wobbly candle for so long: how long is that stretch? Twenty minutes? This candle kept wobbling this way and that, clearly not firmly seated. Once it swayed and some hot wax flew out and landed on John's neck! But he was brave and held still. I thought our boy must have been doing something wrong, but later a mom of another experienced altar server told me that it is a problem with the two candle sticks that they experience weekly.

Can I just ask: How is it that getting a seven-year-old boy to kneel at home during daily Rosary on carpet is an agonizing task, akin to some form of torture for the poor child . . . but vest him and put him in solemn surroundings and he can kneel for nearly half an hour on the thinnest of a so-called pad over marble? I asked him how that part went and he gave me a thumbs up and a broad smile: 'Excellent, Mama!' A mother can feel so proud and so irritated all at the same time . . .

I promise I won't document his future Masses like this! But a Catholic Mama only has one firstborn son and he serves only one Very First Sunday Mass, so I hope my readers identify with my delight!