What is for me the first sign that summer is drawing to a close? ‘back to school sales?’ Nope. ‘Football training camp?’ Nope. ‘Beach vacations?’ Nope. All those once signaled the end of summer, but no longer. Now, it is ‘Graduated Server Appreciation.’

Every year, I try to have the servers who graduated high school serve one last time in the summer when I can give them a rosary, and a thank-you-card with a little piece of green in it!

Perseverance really is everything.

For the priesthood, and for marriage the measure of our vocations isn’t the intensity of our love, nor the acclaim, nor the number of friends and parishioners. The measure is our perseverance until the end of our lives.

I believe that servers persevering in serving at the altar is great training in the virtue of perseverance. There often comes a time in the service at the altar when the server gets bored, and it is no longer new and exciting. Young, new excited servers often serve with more excitement than expertise. Keeping our seasoned experienced servers help to train, mentor, and direct the energetic enthusiasm of youth.

Occasionally I have had a server complain, “but the young kids annoy me when they are bouncing off the walls!” To which I answer, “you were young once too. Now your calm helps to keep the celebration reverent and on point. This is now when you are most useful to me and all of the priests!”

Yes, the servers are transitioning to a new season of life. I know that the lesson of perseverance will serve them to better live whatever vocation they embrace: marriage, priesthood, or religious life!

A special shout out of gratitude to this year’s five young men and women who persevered to the end of their season of service at the altar: Jayson, Timothy, Lauren, Cyrus, and Chris!

pax,

Father John Mosimann