The Meaning of The Deck of Cards – A Reflection
During my journey home to Mindanao at one of the bus station in Laguna, I happen to tune in to one of my favorite FM station to listen some news and it happen to be one of this Holy Week Reflection. I decided to record and wrote it down afterwards. It told a story like this:
“There were soldiers marching towards their camp to attend into a mass. They were very eager that they brought religious articles to offer into the mass celebration. Those of the boys who had a prayer book took them out, but this one boy had only a “deck of cards” and so he spread them out. A sergeant saw the cards and said, “Soldier put away those cards”. After the services were over, the soldier was taken prisoner and was brought before the Provo Marshall. The Marshall said, ‘Seargent‘, why have you brought this man here.?…. For playing cards in church sir!… And What have you to say for yourself son!? Much sir, replied the soldier. The Marshall said, I hope so, for if not, I shall punish you more than any man was ever punished! The soldier said, Sir I have been on march for about 6days and I have neither a bible prayer nor prayer book but I hope to satisfy you Sir with the “purity of my intentions“. And with that, the boy started his story:
You see Sir, when I look at the ACE it reminds me that there is but ONE GOD.
And the TWO reminds me that the BIBLE is divided into TWO parts, the OLD and NEW TESTAMENT.
When I see the THREE, I think of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost.
When I see the FOUR, I think of the FOUR Evangelists who preached the Gospels. They were Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
And When I see the FIVE‘s, I think of the FIVE wise virgins who trade their lands. There were ten of them, Five were wise and were safe and Five were foolish and were shut out.
And when I see the SIX, it reminds me that in SIX days God made this great heaven and earth.
When I see the SEVEN, it reminds me that on the SEVENTH Day God rested from His great work.
And when I see the EIGHT, I think of the EIGHT righteous persons God save when He destroyed this Earth. There was Noah, his wife, their three sons & their wives.
And When I see the NINE, I think of the lepers our Savior cleansed. And NINE out of the ten didn’t even thank Him.
When I see the TEN, I think of the TEN Commandments God handed down to Moses in a table of stones.
When I see the KING, It reminds me that there is but one KING of Heaven, God Almighty.
When I see the QUEEN, I think of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who is QUEEN of Heaven.
The JACK or the KNAVES, is the Devil.
When I count the number of spots in the deck of cards I find 365, the number of days in a Year.
There are 52 cards, the number of weeks in a year.
There are four suites, the number of weeks in a month.
There are 12 picture cards, the number of month in a Year.
There are 13 tricks the number of weeks in a quarter.
So You see Sir, my deck of cards serves me as an Almanac, a Bible and a Prayer book.”
jebuzinjamonk 