The Calling....?

Three weeks has passed since I attended the mass and sang with The Singing Christians. After three, long gruesome weeks of work at school, finally, I'm free to sing on the mass and serve the Lord.

The mass starts at 6 pm but I intended to come an hour earlier to catch the rehearsals. Upon being dropped off infront of the EDSA Shrine, I immediately went to the rehearsal studios (studios talaga?? hahaha). Unfortunately, the rooms are full of relief goods for the victims of the typhoons so I have to wait someplace.

I went to the sacristi to drink a glass of water, hydrating my day-long dry throat.

I sat on one of the sofas in the area as I vocalize my low notes (I do sing Bass), not noticing an old lady with one of the lay ministers on our mass sitted across the room. The lady was 80-ish, judging from the way I see her, with the lay minister probably assisting her on her walks. The lady sweetly smiled and to my surprise or what, I smiled back.

A number of parishioners came in and upon seeing the old lady, paid respects by doing 'Mano po'. Now I'm wondering who this lady is.

A choirmember, JP, came inside and greeted me.

"Kamusta na? Tagal mo nawala ah." JP tapped my shoulder as he greets me.

"Daming trabaho sa school, 'pre. Ngayon lang naging free eh."

"Ah, ganun? O, andito pala si Lola." He approached the old lady and did 'Mano po'.

In an instant, I felt the urge to approach the old lady and do 'Mano po'. I stood up, walked a few steps and...

"Good afternoon po." I greeted her as I reached her hand and place it in my forehead. Never I did relaize something before doing that. I'm wearing a cap. Stupid.

Hastly, I removed my cap and did it again.

Suddenly, after doing my 'Mano po'. She reached out for my head and stroked my hair and saying with her shining eyes...

"Iho, bakit hindi ka magpari?"

The question hit me like a bomb. I took a few seconds before the question sink in.

"Ah... Eh... Hehehe," that was all that came from my lips. F^%K$#!t!!

"Iho, may nakakatawa ba sa sinabi ko?"

"Ah... Eh... Wala naman po. Bakit nyo naman po naitanong?"

"Aba'y bagay ka magpari. Unang kita ko pa lang sa iyo, alam ko na. Ilang taon ka na ba?"

"Twenty-four po." saying it with my callcenter accent. Bastos na bata.

"Oh, bata ka pa pala eh. Hindi masamang magpari ka, may itsura ka pa, maamo ang mukha."

"Naku, mahirap pong sagutin ang tanong nyo eh hehehe." I'm stupidly scratching my head.

"Naku, iho, mahirap tanggihan ang tawag ng Panginoon ha."

"Alam ko po, kaya nga po ako nagtuturo sa isang College eh."

"Ay ganun, tamang-tama pala, marunong ka rin maturo, marami siguradong nakikinig sa iyo."

Hindi ko alam kay lola kung binobola ako or pinipilit lang ako magpari. Pero mukhang pareho ata. Ilang segundo ring nakatitig si lola at maya-maya pa...

"May girlfriend ka na ba, iho?"

"Ahhh, meron po." Wala sa sariling sinagot ko ang tanong ni lola, sa pag-asang titigilan na nya ako.

"Hahaha, kaya naman pala. Pero kung alam mong may calling ka, wag nang tatanggi ha? Kukulit-kulitin ka ni Lord hangga't pumayag ka."

"Sige po, titingnan po natin."

Tumagilid nang bahagya ang lay minister na katabi nya at bumulong. "Nay, andyan na ata sundo natin."

"O sige, sige." sabi ni lola. Tumingin uli ang matanda sa akin at nagtanong. "Ano ang pangalan mo iho?"

"Phillippe po."

"Ano, Philipo?"

May pagkabingi na rin pala si lola. "Ay hindi po. Phillippe... ho."

"Ah, Phillippe, sige ha, magkikita pa tayo ulit. Kukulitin kita. Hala't aalis na ako."

"Sige po, ingat po kayo. Marami pong salamat."

Inakay ko ang matanda hanggang makalabas ng sacristi. Pagtalikod ko'y napakamot nanaman ako ng ulo. At dahil si JP ang unang taong nakita ko, tinanong ko agad siya.

"Pre, sino ba yun?"

"Ano ka ba? Hindi mo kilala yun? Nanay ni Bishop yun!"

It was then I realized how persuasive a mom is. I just don't get how did she realized that potential of me being a priest. Mukha namang akong sanggano pagpasok ko kanina, nakacap pa kahit nasa loob ng simbahan. Her words were like ice piercing ito my burning soul. Sa dami ng mga tao kanina sa sacristi eh ako ang nakita (or perhaps napagtripan) nya. There is a reason she asked me that question, and that's what I'm trying to guess...

-mukha akong pari?
-kailangan ko ng change of profession/career?
-nagwapuhan si lola saken? (cheesy!)
-kamukha ko ang anak nyang bishop na ngayon? (possibly!)

Buong misa akong balisa. Habang nagmimisa, parang bigla kong nakita ang sarili ko sa pari. Nagmimisa, may hawak na ostia, naghohomily, nakasutana at apitong, at habang nakataas ang dalawang daliri, nagsasabi ng "The Lord be with you..."

AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!