I've been attending the misa de gallo with my special gurl at the PCJ in BF. We hear the 9 PM mass.
We have a favorite area, or pew if it's still unoccupied when we arrive. The leftmost aisle, near the side entrance is a strategic location when joining the mad race of churchgoers who brought their cars. The street infront of the church is a one-way street so there's a huge traffic every time the mass has ended. Others choose to park their cars along Aguirre so they won't have to drive along the one-way street.
But I like parking near the church so I just see to it that we sit near the side entrance, close to the parking lot, and we'll trot our way out to make sure that we're at the head of the pack.
While we waited for the mass to begin last night, my special gurl overheard kids who were noisily walking from the back of the church towards our area. They were looking for a vacant pew.
Pews can accomodate five. We were the only two on our pew so she was apprehensive the noisy kids might sit beside us.
SHE: (Whispers) Ayoko ng may katabing bata.
ME: Even me?
SHE: Isip bata ka naman eh.
She became more apprehensive when the voices got closer. But the kids passed our pew and found their own space way up in front. She was relieved.
ME: (Chuckles) God heard you. Buti na lang.
SHE: O nga.
ME: God has a sense of humor, scaring you like that.
SHE: I know. We met.
ME: (Pauses) Y--you met God?
SHE: No. I met YOU.
Cranky.
* * *
kids should know that...
It is told that the "Rooster's Mass" owes its name in the idea that a rooster would have been among the first to witness the birth of Jesus, and thus be the one to announce it. One of the customs related to the Philippine Misa de Gallo is the selling of traditional Philippine food, such as puto bumbong (a purple colored rice pastry, seasoned with grated coconut and brown sugar), tsokolate (a hot cocoa drink), bibingka (cakes cooked on top and under), and salabat, or ginger tea, which are sold by vendors outside the churches to the faithful. (wikipedia)
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