COFFEE CONVERSATIONS

By Joann Manabat

On February 22, the faithful Catholic, and those that seemed to have a weaker faith, attended the Holy Mass and observed Ash Wednesday to mark the first day of the Lenten Season. I attended one of the morning Mass at the Holy Rosary Parish in Angeles City. I also went to accompany my family to observe theirs at the San Rafael Parish in Mabiga, Mabalacat City.

Why mention the weaker faith? While I was at both churches, I noticed that quite a number of churchgoers leave early as soon as the ash on their forehead, in the form of the cross, was placed. Why do some Catholics cut the Holy Mass at their own convenience, I asked. Was it because of an emergency? Do you attend Ash Wednesday Mass out of duty? It would be harder to accept the reality that some attend “for show.”

I noticed some taking selfies outside the church afterwards, saw a few families leave early and overheard one saying “tara na” in a soft voice while the queue wasn’t even halfway through.

Whatever happened to instilling values, respect for faith, its sacredness and sanctity? Do we have the right to have an opinion on sensitive topics like religion and not come out as a judgment of others? I am not a practicing Catholic myself. I am a sinner too. But I consider my relationship to God as personal and sacred.

I stayed for another hour or so at the HRP and had a little conversion with Analyn, a sampaguita vendor. She said she is a Catholic too and just like me, she doesn’t attend the Sunday Mass or first Friday Mass regularly. She also said that the church has been a little more strict as they are no longer allowed to go inside while holding their sampaguita leis. 

“Before, the church was really open. We were able to go inside the church and hear Mass. Even if we had sampaguita in our hands, it was okay. We know we can’t really sell sampaguitas inside the church, of course. And now, I don’t know, maybe because of the pandemic? Or, maybe since they changed the parish priest, everything here has become more strict. At least to me, that’s what I have noticed,” she said in Kapampangan language.

A designated area for church vendors like Analyn who wanted to hear the Mass without having to place their sampaguita leis elsewhere would be welcoming, I thought.

Analyn, 33, has been selling sampaguita at HRP since she was 6 years old. She grew up with the smell of the fragrant flower everyday and weaving them into leis. Her parents had been selling sampaguitas to churchgoers even before the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo.

“This is really where and how I grew up. I started selling when I was 6 years old because my parents were already selling at that time. This is how I make a living, it’s what I know.”

I chuckled a little hearing her story, my thoughts briefly left our conversation and went back to the time when I caught myself saying the same thing – “This is what I know to make a living.”

I remember when I was applying as a content writer at some company, they asked for copies, like a portfolio of my written work. I had none. How can I call myself a writer if I don’t have one, I was told. I felt humiliated and tiny so I pondered a little more. Eventually, I ended up asking my father if I could write for Punto! Central Luzon even for free just so I can produce enough written pieces and come up with a portfolio for myself. So, here I am.

Snapping back to Analyn’s story, she said she hopes she could sell more than her usual Friday and Sunday sales. Analyn and I both feel the struggle – that no matter how hard it is to make a living, we can be grateful enough to just keep going on days we need to hustle harder. I thought faith can get stronger to hold endeavors that are hard won.

The homily on both of the Holy Mass were stemmed from three takeaways which are prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. All of which, I think, will teach one to have a constant communication with God, the value of gratitude, discipline, and self control, and helping those who are in need with humility and compassion. 

Just as the message on both sermons from Fr. Nolasco Fernandez and Fr. Olet Lopez, the essence of my conversation with Analyn was more than what I had hoped to hear. Little did I know, we were sharing the same struggles but in a different light.

In 2024, Ash Wednesday will be on February 14, Valentine’s Day. How amusing would that be for Analyn. Will she consider selling red roses too or arrange tiny florets of sampaguitas in a bouquet?