Prega per noi*

A thought to ponder came into my mind today. How to pray? Many people pray to God. But there could have been different ways on how people do it. Most people recite traditional prayers. Some do their novenas. Some offer gifts and sacrifices. Some pray to saints. Some pray directly to God. Some pray using their own free thoughts and words.

I met Father Pearse this afternoon to talk about the church schedule for next month. It was about five minutes before six thirty. And by seven, he would be having the Holy Hour. So after our talk, I told him that I might as well join the Holy Hour. He told me that I can just leave whenever I want. Many people do that. Some people stay only for five to ten minutes. Some arrive in the middle and some arrive within the last few minutes of the Holy Hour.

I stayed. As Father told me that during the Holy Hour, there are no pre-determined prayers, I can pray freely. So I started with praying the common prayers. But I still wanted to stay after I finished my prayers so I just talked to God directly. I talked to Him just like a friend. I know that He knows what are inside my heart and mind even without saying a word but still I talked to Him heart-to-heart and mind-to-mind. This way I really feel comfortable. I can freely express to him everything I want to tell him.

I remembered my Religion teacher in second grade. He taught us how to pray. First, we gave thanks to the Lord for all the graces that we are receiving. Then, acknowledge our sins and ask for forgiveness. Last would be the things that we would like God to give us. Since then, my personal prayers have been in that pattern. Everyone has his or her own ways of praying but for me it is my personal routine.

I remembered my prayer book also in the Philippines. I have my "Gabay" (Guide) prayer book at home but I was not able to bring it here in Japan. It is very handy as I have the Rosary prayers, Order of the Mass, Stations of the Cross and other prayers written there.

As minutes passed during the Holy Hour I felt so light that I am talking to God. I remembered that this is the same feeling I feel every time I pray in the Adoration Chapel. Anyway, the setting is almost the same as Father exposed the Holy Eucharist in the altar. An hour has already passed and the Holy Hour will be held again next week.

At home, thoughts about prayers remained in my mind. I recited the Holy Rosary before going to bed. To tell you frankly now I have the habit of praying the five decades of Hail Mary the Holy Rosary in five different languages-English, Tagalog, Latin, Japanese and Italian-to keep me away from feeling sleepy and to learn how to pray in different languages. Before I also tried praying the entire rosary in Italian but I can not still memorize the Lord's Prayer and Glory Be. However, I do feel that I still have lots of time to learn them anyway. Pray for me.

* "Pray for us" in Italian.