"And I got to help."

Altar Boy by Vincenzo Irolli (Source)

"The Mom" at Shoved to Them offers a beautiful reflection on her son's first Mass as an altar boy:

My eldest son served his first Mass today. Dressed in the traditional black and white, with his hands perfectly folded, he took slow, measured steps up the aisle as my heart swelled within me and my eyes brimmed with tears.

Here was my tiny baby, the one who should have died, the one who shouldn't be able to hear, the one who shouldn't be able to do so many things. Here was the boy who brought me faith walking solemnly behind the crucifix.

He snuck out of the sacristy before Mass to show me how splendid he looked this morning.

"Mom, I look like a priest. Did you ever think you would see me looking like a priest?"

How does a mother answer that except to smile with her heart shining in her eyes, caress a still smooth cheek and then hurry him back to where he should be?

Read the rest here.