I looked at the schedules at the bulletin board as soon as I went to the Parish Office this morning. A blessing was scheduled at 9am. Today was the grand opening of the Garden at the Parish Ground, a project done with a NGO of the town. A wedding was scheduled at 10am. Another house blessing in Mabilao after the celebration of the Sacrament of Baptism at 11,30am. Two marriage interviews in the afternoon. A fiesta celebration in Brgy. Alacan at 4pm. Another wedding celebration at 6pm. At least, Fr Rene took the 4,30pm Mass in the parish church.
There were two couples already waiting for interviews after the Garden blessing. At exactly 10am, I went to the sacristy to change for the wedding mass, while the wedding entourage and the couple made their way to the sanctuary to the music of the Wedding March.
I began the to celebrate the Mass. Then the Opening Prayer was prayed.
I intoned, "'Father, you have made the bond of marriage a holy mystery, a symbol of Christ’s love for his Church. Hear our prayers for ...'"
I paused while I looked around for the piece of paper where the names of the couple were written. I found it.
"Hear our prayers for RUBEN and..'"
I stopped, and hesitated; read the paper again and looked at the couple, and then at the bride's name written on the piece of paper. I looked at the bride. She did not look in any way like the name written on the paper!
I put the micriphone away, and I asked her, "MARLON ya talaga so ngaran mo?" ("Is MARLON really your name"?)
"Yes", she nodded.
So for the first time, I solemnized a marriage of RUBEN and MARLON, seemingly two guys in name, promising, "to be one heart and one soul, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer in sickness and in health until death do (us) part"!
What a day! Har! Har! Har!
