Chapter 15
1236 Words
/15/ BEAUTIFUL NAME
There is power in the
Name of Jesus Christ
- Hillsong
.
KHEL'S POV
.
Strum~ she started it with a gentle plucking on strings.
"I dedicate this song for the One's above. For the One who's greater. For the One's I worship," Meera speaks on the microphone and humbly smiled. "Let us praise the Lord. So, sing with me if you know the song."
A worship song?
Her gentle plucking on the guitar continues, then stopped. There is sudden silence. As though the world stopped in seven seconds of peace.
"You were the Word at the beginning~"
Kinilabutan ako sa unang linyang kinanta niya. I was... Not prepared. Although I know she's going to sing, I wasn't prepared for that intro.
Strum~
"One With God the Lord Most High~"
She is doing it with full of emotions. I can see it through her glistening eyes. Napalunok ako habang pinagmamasdan si Meera mula sa baba ng stage.
"Your hidden glory in creation
Now revealed in You, our Christ~"
And she strums the guitar, again.
"What a beautiful Name it is
What a beautiful Name it is
The Name of Jesus Christ my King~"
All eyes are focused on her. The crowd is in silence, deeply listening to her tender voice. Brint and Narri, too.
"What a beautiful Name it is
Nothing compares to this
What a beautiful Name it is
The Name of Jesus~"
Then she strums the guitar with faster rhythm.
"You didn't want heaven without us
So Jesus, You brought heaven down
My sin was great, Your love was greater
What could separate us now~"
Suddenly, the people around me started lifting their hands on the air, as if they're reaching the heaven. Most of them close their eyes and sing along.
"What a wonderful Name it is
What a wonderful Name it is
The Name of Jesus Christ my King~"
Hindi lang ang boses ni Meera, kun'di ang lahat ng tao na nakapalibot sa stage ay nakikanta na rin. And they're not just singing along, they're singing it with dramatic gestures. Tila damang-dama nila 'yung kanta. The entire mall was filled with their voices, echoing the lyrics.
"What a wonderful Name it is
Nothing compares to this
What a wonderful Name it is
The Name of Jesus
What a wonderful Name it is
The Name of Jesus~"
Everybody seems to be worshipping this invisible God. At the middle of the crowd, mukhang ako lang ang killjoy. Hindi ako kumakanta dahil para sa'kin, wala 'tong kwenta.
They're singing praises to Someone who they can't even see nor hear nor touch nor feel. How stupid is that?
Strum~
The bridge part of the song came. Meera's voice became mellow and the crowd was drowning with their emotions.
"How sweet is your name, Lord, how good You are
Love to sing in the name of the Lord, love to sing for you all?~"
I watch the woman who's singing on the stage. When she opened her eyes, our gazes exactly met. Meera smiled. It's a different kind of smile.
Thus, the voices around me become louder. The crowd was devoured by the melody and the lyrics itself.
"Death could not hold You, the veil tore before You
You silenced the boast, of sin and grave
The heavens are roaring, the praise of Your glory
For You are raised to life again~"
When I tried to scan my eyes around the area, I literally frowned. Bakit gano'n? Ang mga taong 'to... paano nila nakukuhang kantahan ng papuri ang tinatawag nilang Diyos kung 'di man lang nila mapatunayan na totoo Ito?
It's faith, they say. But it's an irrational reason.
"You have no rival, You have no equal
Now and forever, Our God reigns
Yours is the Kingdom, Yours is the glory
Yours is the Name, above all names~"
"What a powerful Name it is
What a powerful Name it is
The Name of Jesus Christ my King~"
Gusto kong mainis sa mga taong ito. Lalo na kay Meera. They're too delusional! I want to slap them to reality and say, quit the sh*t! Hindi totoo ang sinasamba n'yo!
"What a powerful Name it is
Nothing can stand against
What a powerful Name it is
The Name of Jesus~"
"You have no rival, You have no equal
Now and forever, Our God reigns
Yours is the Kingdom, Yours is the glory
Yours is the Name, above all names~"
But there's this feeling inside of me, emerging like a nebula, unknown yet strong.
A feeling that makes me wonder about these people and the way they sing the song... as if there's an unseen force that unites upon them. An unfamiliar energy? A spirit?
That's ridiculous, Khel!
"What a powerful Name it is
What a powerful Name it is
The Name of Jesus Christ my King~"
"What a powerful Name it is
Nothing can stand against
What a powerful Name it is
The Name of Jesus~"
At the last seconds of the song, Meera stopped strumming the guitar. She lifted her eyes above and sing without a microphone.
The whole mall was swallowed by echoes. People are singing in acapella, like a church's choir. And I have to admit that it's somehow pleasing to my ears.
Somehow... I find comfort listening to it.
"What a powerful Name it is
The Name of Jesus
What a powerful Name it is
The Name of Jesus~"
The music ended.
As Meera dropped the last guitar's strum, she smiled like a blooming sunflower in garden. Nagpalakpakan ang madla. Ang ilan ay sumipol at ang ilan ay humiyaw ng, "HALLELUJAH! PRAISE THE LORD!"
Then the saleslady went up the stage. Nakipagkamay ulit ito kay Meera, saka binalik ang bass guitar sa original stand nito.
"Praise the Lord! Napaka-talented talaga ng pinsan kooo!"
Patakbong sinalubong ni Narri ang kaniyang pinsan na kabababa lang ng entablado. The cousins giggled as they met.
Meanwhile, I remain standing on my spot and Brint remained standing on my side.
"Bro," tawag sa'kin ng ungas. "Teka... Umiiyak ka ba?"
Kumunot ang noo ko sa sinabi n'ya, saka ko hinaplos ang aking pisngi. I was d*mned surprise. Bakit basa? Luha?
I cursed underneath my breath and immediately wiped off the f*cking tear on my face. What the heck, Khel?! Sa'n nanggaling ang luhang 'yon?!
Kitang-kita ko ang malaking ngisi sa mukha ng kaibigan kong ungas, kaya tiningnan ko siya nang masama.
"What?"
Brint's grin turned to a smile. "Khel Davidson... Your cold heart is melting."
I want to contradict his statement but I chose to remain silent. Nag-iwas ako ng tingin at inayos ang aking salamin.
Meera and Narri approached us. Tapos, nag-aya silang kumain sa isang fast-food chain. Tamang-tama at eksaktong tanghalian na.
As we're heading towards the food chain's location, at the mall's second floor, Meera suddenly walks on my side.
"Nagustuhan mo ba 'yung kanta?" Ngumisi siya.
I gave her a blank face. "No."
Mas lumaki ang ngisi niya. I don't like the way she looks. She seems teasing me with her intimidating eyes and grin.
"Ah... Kaya pala lumuluha ka no'ng kumakanta ako kasi hindi mo nagustuhan?" she exclaimed.
Wait! Did she...
"Iyakin!" pang-aasar niya at inunahan akong maglakad.
No'ng mapagtanto ko ang sinabi n'ya, bumagal ang paghakbang ko. I firmly closed my eyes and hissed every curses that I know inside my head.
Crap! She noticed my tears!
What a shame, Khel!
_________________________________________
- Writer
