Photo: "Pint-sized server a surprise at morning Mass"

This story is precious, especially so because I actually know the "pint-sized server" in question, or knew him back when he was a "holy terror in diapers", as I believe his mother (affectionately) used to called him:

"He was barely big enough to see over the altar as he assisted at morning Mass in the chapel at San Marco Church on Tuesday, but the smile on James "Jimmy" Gates, 8, was as tall as truth.

According to his mom, Kim, that smile's been a long time coming.

"He's been wanting to serve and wanting to serve," she said. "Yesterday, he asked Fr. Andrew (Malarz) and he told him he could.

That's all he's been talking about," Gates' mom explained through a beaming smile. "When we arrived this morning, we told Father David and next thing, Jimmy was putting on his alb."

From that point on, it was all quite, well, miraculous. Drawing on the scriptural passages — Paul's Letter to the Corinthians (8:1-9) and Matthew's Gospel (5:43-48) — the Rev. David Foley incorporated the theme of generosity and service while "the littlest angel" listened attentively from his perch on the altar." (Marco Island Florida)

...Do you know a little boy who wants to serve? If he's old enough and mature enough - let him! If not, use it as an incentive for him to be more attentive in Mass, and allow serving to become his reward for good behavior.

Plenty of vocations start this way, and plenty more lifetimes of attentiveness at Mass do as well.