Our Holy Father, Pope Francis has a great appreciation for altar servers. In a specific address to altar servers who were gathered in Rome, Pope Francis told the servers that is a great privilege and responsibility to serve at the altar.  He urged them to always take seriously the responsibility to serve, and to be open to Christ who is close to us in the Eucharist.  He reminded the servers that to be close to Christ enables one to be open to others and to journey together, taking up the challenge of life’s great journey in the company of Christ.  As the Catholic publication “ZENIT” reported, Our Holy Father stated, “…the closer you are to the altar, the more you will remember to speak to Jesus in daily prayer, the more you will be nourished by the Word and the Body of the Lord, the better able you will be to go out to others, bringing them the gift that you have received, giving in turn with enthusiasm the joy you have received. 

Thank you for serving at the Lord’s altar and for making of this service a real school of learning the faith, and charity toward your neighbor.  Thank you also for having begun to respond to the Lord, like the prophet Isaiah, who asked God to send him forth in service.

The following “PRAYER BEFORE SERVING” provided by the “Altar Servers Guild” is prayed by our altar servers at Saint Brigid before each Mass on Saturday evening and Sunday:

 

FATHER IN HEAVEN, YOUR SON, JESUS CHRIST, SHOWED HIS LOVE
FOR YOU BY SERVING HIS NEEDY BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
I NOW ASK YOU TO GIVE ME YOUR HELP
AS I SERVE YOU AND YOUR PEOPLE.
OPEN MY MOUTH TO PRAISE YOU IN WORD AND SONG,
OPEN MY EARS TO HEAR YOUR WORD.
OPEN MY HANDS TO DO YOUR WORK WELL.
TAKE FROM MY HEART ALL EVIL AND DISTRACTING THOUGHTS.
HELP ME TO KNOW WHAT I SHOULD DO, AND TO DO IT WELL.
HELP ME TO SERVE REVERENTLY AT YOUR HOLY ALTAR,
AND SO TO GIVE YOU PRAISE AND GLORY, NOW AND FOREVER. AMEN.