‘Faithbook’
ALLAN sneaked behind his 10-year-old nephew who was busy typing something in the computer. He wanted to surprise him with a ninja Lego action figure he had bought for him at the mall.
This was supposed to be a reward for being the no. 1 in their class for the previous quarter. It was also the last Lego piece that Ritchie coveted so much to complete his collection.
“BOO!!!” he shouted. He was, however, surprised when Ritchie simply turned around as though he hadn’t heard anything. In fact, he hadn’t. Allan disappointedly realized too late! His nephew was wearing his tiny earphones.
[GRRR . . . SIGH!] But Allan recovered immediately. His second card wasn’t yet wasted. Surely the boy didn’t know what he was about to reward him with.
“Hi, ehr . . . hullo, Ritch!” he greeted him awkwardly.
“Hello, uncle Allan!” his nephew removed his “surprise-spoiling” earphones. “Guess what?” “What?” Ritchie’s eyes were suddenly filled with excitement.
“You have three chances and I will finally tell you,” he tried to build up the suspense.
(BEEP . . . BEEP . . . BEEP!) “Oh, ‘xcuse me uncle, that must be teacher Tessy.” Ritchie seemed to have completely forgotten about his surprise and attended to the computer.
(GROAN!) “Not another technological interference, pleeeease!” Allan said under his breath and tried not to lose his cool.
(CLICK, CLICK, CLICK . . . ) Ritchie typed lengthily on the keyboard. “What was that all about, Ritch?” “It’s our project called FaithBook!” he excitedly said. “You mean, FaceBook?” “No, Faith-Book,” his nephew corrected him. “What’s a Faithbook, Ritch?” “Did you know, uncle Allan that we just started with the Year of Faith?”
“Year of Faith? Yeh, kinda heard that . . . ” he tried to hide his yawn.
“. . . so that’s why we have our project called FaithBook.” “So how does that work, dude?” “Teacher Tessy has a weekly topic that she wants us to work on daily. And we try our best to send her our ‘faith status’ as a reply to the topic.”
“Faith status? Isn’t that stretching it a bit too far?”
“I guess so . . . ” Ritchie didn’t understand what his uncle said. “What do you mean stretch?”
“Never mind . . . I was just thinking aloud. Anyways, what’s your ‘faith-status’ today?”
“Oh, that’s suppose to be only for Teacher Tessy to know,” Ritchie clarified.
“Okay! But what’s the topic for the week then?”
“We’re all going through the Creed thingy, one by one, reviewing it and she would give us advice on how to live each topic. For this week we are on following Jesus’ love by sacrifice.”
“I get it!” Allan said, trying not to sound bored. “It’s like a spiritual diary that you keep for this Year of the Faith.”
“Well, teacher Tessy said something ‘bout that,” Ritchie scratched his head. “But for now all we have to do is our ‘faith-status”. “Well, how many ‘faith-status’ updates have you made?”
“Since October 11, when the Year of Faith started, I guess every day up to now,” the boy replied proudly.
“Wow, I wonder how long you guys can keep this thing up,” Allan was quite skeptical.
“And you, uncle Allan . . . are you doing anything for the Year of the Faith?”
“Wait a minute, I’m not even part of your class, dude, so don’t count me in!” he quipped.
“But it’s for all of us Catholics and even Christians,” Ritchie replied. “So what do you suggest?” “Like do you remember your Baptism day?” “Uh . . . Sorry dude, I’ve got senior moments now,” Allan started feeling uneasy.
“What about your First Communion day, uncle Allan?”
“Well, yuh know . . . I’m not really that much into religion now . . . ” “But don’t you want to go to Heaven?” (Ooops!) “Hey, you’re beginning to sound like a priest I know.”
“But that’s important, isn’t it?” Ritchie could not seem to understand his uncle’s replies.
“Hey, I . . . ehrr . . . I got something for you,” Allan brings out the Lego figure and gives it to his nephew.
“Wow! Thank you uncle Allan.” The boy hugged him.
“At least there’s still something of a boy in you,” he joked as he messed up the boy’s hair. “For a moment I thought I was talking to an angel.” “How did you guess, uncle Allan?” “Guess what?” “That this was my ‘faith-status’ for today.” “What?” now Allan was the one confused. “I told Jesus in Mass yesterday, that when my ninja Lego set was complete I was going to donate it to the children’s orphanage!” “That’s your ‘faith-status’ today?” “YES!!!” Ritchie’s face beamed with joy! “. . . you’re welcome dude,” Allan smiled pensively.
“Bless me Father, for I have sinned,” Allan paused for some seconds. “Yes my son, go on . . . ” the priest said. “My last . . . ah . . . I just wanted to give you my ‘faith status’.” “Faith-status?” the priest asked. “Yes . . . it’s almost 15 years since I last went to confession!” “Is that so, my son?” “Yes, Father.” “Very well, welcome home!” the priest encouragingly said.