Bro. Apolonio

Chemist Board Exam Blog Series Part 2

Bro. Apolonio

Sto. Rosario Church became a part of my routine before going to school. Until one day, when I was taking off my shoes prior to entering the Adoration Chapel, an old man with white hair and big spectacles handed me my locker number. While doing so, he asked:

“Are you reviewing for the board exam?”

My initial reaction was: “Woah! How did he know that?” But I kept myself calm and answered, “Yes… for Chemistry.”

“Oh. When is it?”, he asked again.

“It will be on September.”

“It’s near. Okay. I’ll include you in my prayers.”

After that, I entered the chapel and prayed with a weird feeling in my heart. Of course, I wondered who that person was and how he found out about me taking the board exam. But anyway, I thanked God for that man and his prayers.

All the while, I thought that our conversation would end that way.

When I came out of the chapel, I directly made my way out to the hallway. But he called me, “Miss, wait a minute! I have something to tell you!”

It was rude for me to reject his call. But then, it seemed like I got myself into a situation that I couldn’t possibly get out. At that moment, I didn’t know what to do or think given those spontaneous events. All I did was follow.

“I am here to help you. As true Christians, we should give our aid to people even if they are not asking for it.”, he said.

He invited me to sit on a stone bench outside the chapel. Next, he gave me letters from other review students who successfully passed licensure examinations of different professions from doctors, nurses, criminologists, and the like. I read all of them and I was amazed at how powerful his prayers are. Those letters revealed to me a lot of things. One doctor tagged him as “Prayer Warrior”.

So that was it! He really prays for those reviewees like me. He didn’t know in advance that I was to take the board exam. I reckon he asks everyone he met.

Then, he introduced me to the prayers that I should pray everyday until the board exam. It was like a long novena but it didn’t last for nine days. He also invited me to attend the Holy Mass and pray the Holy Rosary everyday. Next, he asked me to go on a pilgrimage: visit nine different Churches and have the pinnacle at Mama Mary’s Sanctuary in Simala.

Woah!

Yeah! I know that it was not an easy task, even for me who was not prepared for the licensure exam. I was not religious enough to follow what he said. However, the final choice is mine.

“To pray or not to pray?”