Filipino Funeral Rituals
Me to my cousin G on the afternoon of my uncle's death: We need to start the novena tonight.
G: What?
Me: We need to start the novena. Tonight.
G: The what?
Me: The praying, the rosary...
G: Oh! But I don't have a rosary with me...
G [to her sister L]: Hey, we need to start the praying tonight.
L: What?
G: The praying, you know the rosary...
L: Oh. I don't have a rosary with me.
Me: It's OK. I do. And I'm sure Auntie and the praying ladies will.
L: Oh God, do we have to do it for 15 years??? My grandmother died 15 years ago and we're still doing it.
Me: No, nine nights. Novena. Nine. That's it.
Later, after we've set up an altar and chairs in the front of the living room...
G: Do you think God thinks it's a sin if I drink beer during the novena?
Me: As long as you're not hurting yourself or anyone else, God doesn't care what you do. But you're gonna have to sit in back if you're gonna drink during the praying.
G: What?
Me: We need to start the novena. Tonight.
G: The what?
Me: The praying, the rosary...
G: Oh! But I don't have a rosary with me...
G [to her sister L]: Hey, we need to start the praying tonight.
L: What?
G: The praying, you know the rosary...
L: Oh. I don't have a rosary with me.
Me: It's OK. I do. And I'm sure Auntie and the praying ladies will.
L: Oh God, do we have to do it for 15 years??? My grandmother died 15 years ago and we're still doing it.
Me: No, nine nights. Novena. Nine. That's it.
Later, after we've set up an altar and chairs in the front of the living room...
G: Do you think God thinks it's a sin if I drink beer during the novena?
Me: As long as you're not hurting yourself or anyone else, God doesn't care what you do. But you're gonna have to sit in back if you're gonna drink during the praying.
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