Hail, the Rosary

The Rosary. I pray it once in a blue moon now. But when I lived in Guam with Tita V and Cousins Ain and Abmel, we prayed it every single night! There was no getting away with not saying it; even if the whole family was out late, at a party or something like that, then Tita V would rouse us in the wee hours of the morning, even on a school day, to file into the hallway where the altar was. It was such a regular thing to do that I memorized all the prayers after the first week of moving in with them.

Now, we get together for special occasions like death anniversaries or the birthday of a beloved departed to pray it. "We pray this rosary for the soul of [Such And Such]..."

When I was a teenager, I was only repeating words from rote memory. Now, now that Tita V no longer reprimands us for slouching during the rosary, laughing, falling asleep, poking the person in front of you, not saying the prayers loud enough, saying them too fast, or farting, I took the liberty of just listening to the words of the prayers.

Deliver us from evil...

 

Abmel: *Hmph. I didn't make it to the gym today.*

Pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death...

 Abmel: *That bbq shishkabobs smells so good! I wonder if Ain made kelaguin too.*

Save us from the fires of hell... especially those who need most of your mercy...

 Abmel: *My butt feels a little jiggly today.*

To thee do we cry, poor vanished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears... [in] our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb...

Jamesie Cat: *I wonder if Ben Tennyson likes red rice.*

That we may be worthy of the promise of Christ. 

Abmel: *Ugh, the skinny girl in me is telling me pork lumpia is bad for the handles!*

Man, that was depressing!

And now, I offer a moment of remembrance for my beloved Tito Pete, who gave us so much laughs to look forward to during the rosaries.

Let perpetual light shine upon him, may he rest in peace.

Amen!

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