Mary’s lost and found

“Come on, David! Let’s pray the rosary!” Julian invited his youngest son to the living room where he had already lighted some candles before a small statue of Mary.

“Awww! Daddy, I’m still watching TV,” his son complained.

“It’s all right, if you don’t feel like it, you can just pray a part of the rosary and go back to your favorite show.”

“Buuut, Daaaddddyyy…” David, however, obediently turned off the TV and dragged himself to where his mother and father and three other siblings waited.

“Daddy, won’t Mama Mary be unhappy if David doesn’t finish the rosary with us?” Rose asked.

“Of course not, the best prayers are said from the heart, and one cannot force one to love what one doesn’t understand. David will soon understand.”

“Isn’t it bad luck not to finish the rosary?” Randy interrupted.

“Nah!” Julian fondly pinched Randy’s nose. “The worst way to pray the rosary is not to pray it at all!”

“I’m ready then!” David said.

“David, if you’re going to catch the show, why don’t you lead the first part?” his mother suggested.

“In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit …” David began.

* * *

“Amen!” David excitedly said.

“Wow, David. What made you decide to stay for the entire rosary?” Julian said.

“I just wondered what I will get if I prayed all of it,” the boy replied.

“Like what?” his dad asked.

“I dunno … But why do you pray it, Dad?” he asked.

“Didn’t I tell you about that yet?” his dad asked.

“Nope! We don’t know the story either,” his other children joined in.

“Well, you know that I am in charge with cleaning many parts of the campus at work. If we find things on the ground, we immediately drop them at the lost-and-found room.”

“And what happened? What did you find?” David impatiently asked.

“Can you believe that one day I found a small pamphlet that explained how to pray the rosary.”

“So you started praying then?”

“Not yet. You see, I didn’t really like praying something that you repeat again and again,” Julian said, trying to keep them in suspense.

“So?”

“A few weeks later I found a rosary ring … and sometime later a very beautiful rosary made of beautiful stones.”

“Wow!” David said. “How come you only find rosaries?”

“I don’t know. I thought it was just a coincidence,” his dad replied.

“But it wasn’t, right?” Rose added.

“I guess not.” Julian nodded.

“So what happened with the stuff you found?”

“Before the school year was over, I passed by the lost-and-found room to see if anyone had claimed them.”

“And they gave you a reward!” the older siblings cheered.

“Better than that.” Julian winked at them. “The fellow said that after asking all the different levels, no one identified them or claimed them. I was surprised when he told me that I could have them.”

“Really?”

“And what amazed me more is when he said, ‘Maybe they’re really for you, ’coz our Lady wants you to use them.’”

“That’s super, Dad! No wonder Mom has such a beautiful rosary,” Rose admired the rosary of her mother.

“Now you know the story, guys!” Julian concluded.

“I don’t think that’s the real story!” David said in protest.

“What makes you say that?” his siblings asked.

“I think the real story is that Dad was found by Mama Mary!”

“Amen!” everyone said in agreement.