Prayers

An Excerpt from Remember the Happy Times
by Ruth Handy

When we were young we went to church at Notre Dame. We usually went to Mass at the chapel, near the “Grotto” not far from the lake there. We were taught catechism by the Brothers. They were a part of the church, but not priests.

Each Sunday after Mass the Brothers would take over and teach us religion. There were a lot of prayers to learn and we also learned a lot of religious songs. I loved it. We were expected to say our prayers every night.

Sometimes, after a long day, I’d be so tired I could barely finish my prayers, so I devised a plan to get around this. On a Sunday night when I’d not be quite so tired, I’d kneel by my bed and say nearly every prayer in my prayer book. Then the next night, I’d kneel by my bed and say, “Jesus, I’m saying my prayers same as last night.” Then I’d pop into bed. The next night I’d kneel and say, “Jesus, the same as last Sunday,” and everything would be taken care of. One night when Jenny stayed home, I did this and Jenny said, “How about prayers?” I said, “I already said them.”

“No you didn’t. When did you say them?’ Jenny asked.

“Last Sunday.” “This is Friday.”

So I explained my “system” to her. “Why you little schemer. You can’t do that.” Jenny set me straight on this and a few other things, so now when I’d say my prayers at night, I’d finish, and then say, “Jesus, those last two Hail Marys were for the nights I cheated on them.”

________
Copyright © Ruth Handy • All rights reserved.