The red parish jeep had a special passenger going to Barangay Bigbiga for the BEC Day. The Auxiliary Bishop of the Lingayen-Dagupan was sitting infront; I was at the back with two altar boys. The mass was at 3:00 PM.
We left the Rectory early, around 2:00 PM. Two old women called on me in the morning for a sick call. I told them we would be passing by their barangay before going to Bigbiga. They would only have to wait for us at a designated place so that we would not get lost.
We saw them infront of the Barangay Waiting shed waiting for us. The two of them clambered in the back of the jeep. Suddenly, I was squeezed in between two old women, the Mass Kit, the two altar boys and the MiPro portable public sound system. I had to make my body smaller, if that were possible, but I did, actually.
She was around ninety years. She had a hard time breathing.
I asked the Bishop, "Monsignor, would you like to adminster the sacrament for her?"
"Yes", the good Bishop answered.
The members of the family of the sick woman were so grateful to the Bishop after the celebration of the sacrament. Inspite of the anxiety they felt, there was a sense of relief and joy with the visit of the Bishop.
"Ag mi nalingwanan iya, Monsignor!", they gratefully told the Bishop, expressing how they would never forget his visit, and how the sacrament of the anointing of the sick was administered by a bishop to their mother.
For them, their prayers were already answered.
