Mariella: Talking with a Terrific Trio by Marian Casillas, Ed.D.
Mariella is
walking around the college campus taking a much needed break from studying in
the library.
She passes
the basketball court and spots Miguel playing a “skins and shirts” basketball
game; he’s on the skins team.
She stops to
watch. Miguel suddenly spots her and motions a time out. He waves over two
other guys to follow him and they all proceed to pick up their t-shirts on the
bench and hurriedly put them on.
Miguel
followed by his buddies walk to where Mariella is standing.
“Hi,”
Mariella greets the trio.
“Hi,” Miguel responds breathlessly. Catching his breath he continues, “I’d like to introduce you to my brothers, we’re triplets. “This is number 2 – Gabi”
Gabi extends
his sweaty hand and immediately wipes it on his shorts before shaking
Mariella’s hand, “Gabriel San Angelo, nice to meet you.”
Miguel
continues, “And this one is number 3 – Rafi.” Rafi likewise wipes his sweaty
hand on his shorts before shaking hands with Mariella, “Rafael San Angelo, glad
to make your acquaintance.”
Miguel is
beaming, “And you already know number 1.” Both of his brothers chime in as a
chorus, “Miki!”
Miguel looks
a bit flustered being called Miki in front of Mariella and to assuage his embarrassment,
Mariella says, “I’m Mari.”
She notices
and makes mention of their heavy chain necklaces with large-sized medals.
Miguel
explains the story of their medals, “Our parents named us after the Archangels,
and at our Baptism we were each given medals of our respective Archangel. We
always wear them,” he boastfully attests to their bond as brothers. “When we
were little we had little boy medals, now we have adult size medals.”
Mariella
pulls out her necklace showing them her medal of the Blessed Virgin Mary. “My
parents named me after Mary, they thought of naming me Maria or Mary, but they
decided on Mariella as being more distinctive and to differentiate from all the
other Maria’s and Mary’s.”
Miguel
smiles, “We have a sister named Maria De Los Angeles San Angelo.”
Gabriel
contributes, “Now that’s a mouthful!”
Rafael
concludes, “Can’t get more distinctive then that!”
Miguel adds,
“She’s our baby sister, and we’re all very protective of her.”
Mariella
interjects, “Maybe too protective.”
The triplets
in unison rapidly respond with a loud and prolonged, “Nooo!”
“Okay,
Okay!” When I meet her I’ll be sure to ask her, to see what she thinks.”
Mariella
thinks, it sounds like I’m already looking forward to meeting the rest of the
family. She can’t believe she just blurted that out.
Miguel
inquires of her, “What are you up to?”
“Taking a
break from studying, I’ve been in the library for hours.”
“We’ve been
on the basketball court for hours; we also need to take a break. Want to join
us for refreshments at the snack bar?”
“Sure.”
Miguel makes sure he sits next to Mariella.
Gabriel and Rafael slightly tussle each other for the seat on the other side of
Mariella, eventually number 2 takes the seat.
After the
sandwiches and soft drinks are served, all of them proceed with the Prayer of
Grace before Meals.
Mariella
questions the triplets, “Catholic school?”
All three in
unison respond, “Homeschooled!”
“All of you
must have been quite a handful for your mother.”
Miguel
advances the legend, “You’ve heard of the terrible twos, well we were the
terrible three.”
Gabriel
points out, “We weren’t really terrible, I prefer to say we were rowdy and
rambunctious.”
Rafael
explains, “Gabriel is the poet in the family, he has an extraordinarily
extensive vocabulary. But no matter what words are used to describe us, we
really were a rough and tumble bunch. It’s a miracle we survived with our
bodies always marked up with nicks, scratches, bumps, and bruises. We were on a
first name bases with all the hospital emergency room staff. I always admired
how they were patching us up and putting us back together again.”
“Miguel and
I are in the same pre-law class so I think he might be interested in something
having to do with the law.”
Miguel
clarifies, “Actually I’m leaning more towards the area of law-enforcement.”
Mariella
inquires about Gabriel’s and Rafael’s possible career interests.
Gabriel
looks upwardly, “Probably something to do with journalism or communications.”
Rafael
responds, “I’ve always been interested in medicine, something in the medical
field.”
Miguel
contributes to the conversation, “Rafi was always dissecting insects and
looking at things under the microscope.”
Rafael
shares about Miguel, “He always loved being the hero when we played
make-believe, and in real life he’s always helping people.”
“How about
you, what’s your great passion in life?” Miguel questions Mariella.
She sits
pensively, quietly staring straight ahead and suddenly her eyes well-up and she
gets teary eyed, “That’s beautiful how all of you speak so excitedly about
pursuing your life’s passion and following your dreams. I never thought about
it like that, to me it’s just about getting a job and having a career.”
Miguel
speaks up, “Well God must have brought us into your life to help you discern
your God-given abilities, talents, and skills to fulfill your God-endowed mission,
purpose, and vocation in this life all for the greater glory of God.”
“Let’s start by making a Holy Hour,” Gabriel announces, “I know a church where there’s Perpetual Adoration.”
“What’s
that?” inquires Mariella.
Gabriel
offers to explain, “You’ve heard of “happy hour”, where a sick and sad society
seeks to intoxicate itself with alcoholic beverages, and mistakenly beliefs
that somehow this will bring some sort of happiness; but all it really gets you
is a hangover with a horrendous headache. Now Holy Hour is real healing for the
soul that brings God’s gifts of faith, hope, and love all wrapped up in
inexplicable graces of unimaginable and indescribable joy and peace.”
“I want
that!” Mariella excitedly exclaims.
Miguel
stands up and looks like he’s ready to commence charging forward like into
battle, “Let’s go, what are we waiting for?”
Gabriel
states the obvious, “The check.”
“Right,”
says Miguel as he sits back down.
“Don’t worry
about it guys, I’ll take care of it, “Mariella motions to the waiter, “besides
you’re treating me to my First Holy Hour, that’s the least I can do.”
Rafael proclaims,
“A Holy Hour made in the Presence of Our Eucharistic Lord Jesus Christ is
priceless.”