Serving Others — at Mass

AnneMarie Miller shares how other people have taught her to give and receive at Mass.

Mass was about to begin, and the pews were full. I led my young children down the side aisle of the chapel so we stood against the wall, as other people were doing.   

A grandfatherly-looking man in one of the front rows tried to get my attention. Without hesitation, he motioned for me to come over so that my youngest children and I could take his seat. I thanked him and sat down with my daughters, happy that I could rest for a moment. With gratitude, I glanced over at the man who had given us his seat.   

He was standing against the wall — and his knee was in a brace. Even though this man probably needed to sit in the pew more than I did, he freely offered this gift.   

I was filled with gratitude. Not only did this man thoughtfully give us a place to sit and rest, but he also showed my kids and I how to love and serve others at Mass.  

How Do We Serve at Mass?  

For the past few years, I’ve been focusing on the importance of offering ourselves to God at the liturgy. However, prompted by this man’s action several months ago, I’ve also been reflecting on how our offering to God extends in self-giving service to other people in the congregation.   

Often, we think of serving at Mass in terms of official roles and ministries: the lector who reads Scripture, the choir who leads the hymns, the ushers who pass the collection baskets, and the altar servers who assist the priest. However, all of us, no matter if we have official roles, are invited to participate in loving service.   

From the simple act of smiling at my young children and offering a word of welcome to helping us find a place to sit or stand, many different men and women have shown me how to serve at Mass. For example, at one particularly challenging Mass, an acquaintance of mine suddenly appeared at the end of my pew and asked: “How can I help?” She noticed that some of my young kids were rowdy, and instead of fuming in frustration that her quiet prayers were disrupted by the noise, she reached out in loving service.   

We Give — and We Receive  

When people offer themselves in loving service at Mass, I learn how I can better offer myself to God and others. I also learn how to receive love. 

Whether due to my personality or the fact that I live in America, where an independent spirit and “pull yourself up by the bootstraps” mentality thrives, I often want to do things myself. My inclinations to independence can sometimes make it hard to accept help. However, I’ve had to learn that just as God calls us to offer loving service to others, He also invites us to receive the loving service other people offer to us. When someone at Mass reaches out in welcome and loving service, I have an opportunity to recognize that we need each other, and that I can receive this person’s gift with gratitude.  

Sometimes when someone offers his or her seat, I’ll decline if I really need to stand in the back and bounce my baby. Most of the time, I accept. Regardless of the situation, I try to express my gratitude to the other person. This self-gift, offered to God and each other, is a beautiful way to build up the Church, the Body of Christ.   

What are some ways other people have served you at Mass? How can you serve others in love at Mass?  

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Copyright 2025 AnneMarie Miller
Images: iStockPhoto.com, licensed for use by Holy Cross Family Ministries