Saturday, December 16, 2006

And now, for a moment of Self-righteousness

I decided to come to Simbang Gabi earlier this morning. I didn't know I had it in me, too. While brushing my teeth (after posting my little piece on Borat), I just decided that I might as well go to Mass, since it was already past 4 a.m. anyway.

I quietly slipped out of the house, and made my way towards the road leading to our parish--hands inside the pockets of my jacket and walking briskly (I could almost imagine puffs of white air coming out my mouth). While walking I happened to look up, and never saw a clearer night sky in my life. Okay I don't know why I'm being so dramatic here.

When I came by the road, I noticed that the streets were nearly deserted. Luckily a jeepney came by, else I would've walked two full kilometers to church.

There were a lot of people in church, and most of them had spilled out to the parking lot, sitting around in clumps. I shook my head at the sight of young girls and boys walking around chatting boisteriously amongst themselves, as if they were making the rounds in a park. I know it's very manang of me, but really--the church is no place to be making passes and googly eyes at the opposite sex. Tsk tsk tsk.

I stayed away from the young crowd and made my way to the part of the church outside where families were mostly gathered--that way I could hear more of what the priest was saying. I then spent the rest of the hour on my feet, envying the early goers who had the privilege of good seats.

I'm just glad our parish has the good sense to provide a well-manned choir, if only to compensate for a church structure which is almost 5 years old--but has yet to see completion.

After mass, I bought puto and bibingka as pasalubong for the sleeping inhabitants of my home (and proof also that I hadn't been off making miracles somewhere). Mama and Papa weren't around (they were at SM slugging it out with the free tae-bo sessions), which disappointed me quite a bit since I couldn't show them what a good little girl I was.

And so, for the rest of the morning, I slept.