When you want to serve and offer your help, you may find yourself involved in the liturgy in this special way. You work side by side with respectable gentlemen who have been altar serving since they were 10 years old and with dignified ladies who came to this parish when their first child entered the nursery school. They know exactly what to do, where to stand, where to take the empty vessels and how to wash them, even if each of them has a different way to do it.
But my lack of experience is not and should not be a handicap. Since I became an Extraordinary Minister, every time I am called up, the Lord is going from the altar to people through my hands. I have the privilege of approaching the altar, receiving Him and then taking the ciborium or the chalice with me. I am given His Body or His Blood to bring to others.
At that precise point in time, all the Love of the world is in my hands and I take the Maker and Savior of the Universe to my brothers and sisters.
It goes by fast. One by one, they come to me, I see their eyes and their open hands, and I tell them: “my dearest Brother, my dearest Sister, receive the Lord our God, I couldn’t give you anything more precious, so much Love in such a Gift!” but they just hear: “the Body of Christ”. My heart is burning, everything around is spinning, yet I remind myself to stand firm because they are coming to Him, with open hands, open hearts, and I must give Him to them as worthily as possible.
So much in so little time… Then, they step aside to resume their story with the Lord: hopes and worries, despair and hope, joy and excruciating pain. Just for a moment, I serve, and through my service the Lord can pour out His infinite Mercy and Love into His people.
There is no way I can be worthy of all this. I am not worthy, but we need Him.
Laure (DC)
Beautiful!
Thank you so much &
God bless!
We are Our Lord’s hands and thank you, Laure, for answering YES to this call.