yesterday i went to manaoag with a couple of friends (nizette and meg) to attend the first friday mass and to pray for the bar. we got there a little before 7 and we had pan de sal with corned beef. the mass was short, because there was no choir, and hence, no singing. but it was solemn just the same. and after the mass the priest called for people with religious artifacts to go to the altar to be blessed.

i had a crucifix on a chain so i went there. i got hit smack in the eye by the squirting holy water but i didn't mind.

then we went to the second floor to pay homage to Our Lady of Manaoag. then on to the religious shop. there were so many things for sale. from tiny rosaries and crucifixes ( is that right?) to huge statues. we got a few candles and some rosaries.


we lit some candles for our intentions. i think i lit 10. some of it for the bar, some for my family a few for my classmates who were pregnant and are taking the bar, one for my personal intentions (re: personal life). i just hope my prayers were heard.

then we went on to the second mass to have the stuff we bought blessed.

the second mass was sponsored by a school in manaoag. there were hundreds of school children in uniform attending the mass and they were all singing! that's my favorite part of the mass. when the people start singing. imagine all these people who don't know each other singing together. that's prayer in its highest form (at least in my opinion).

anyways, the blessing came again and as usual, i got hit smack in the face with holy water.

we had a few pictures taken in front of the church and then we got some holy water for free.

meg said we had to have it blessed but i said it was blessed already. and besides, even if it wasn't blessed, it was all about faith. if you believe in something, then it is what you believe it to be. so blessed or not, i'm sure the water i have in my bag is holy water. :)

anyways, we stopped at a roadside canteen and had shrimps for breakfast. then back to manila.

that was a tiring trip. for the first time in i can't remember i slept from 5 pm to 7 am. i would wake up every now and then to a text message but i never finished a reply. i would slip back to dreamland.


and now am awake and strangely at peace. the pilgrimage, as my mom calls it, did me a lot of good. i actually think that things are going to be alright.

i think it's all about faith.