The Rosary-Shaped Baptismal Holy Water...

It’s Dec. 5, 2020, another feel-good Saturday to warm your hearts and enrich your soul. Two more inspiring stories from my good friends and kindred spirits who tirelessly dig into their baul of amazing stories which they love to share with Funfare readers.

1. The Rosary-Shaped Baptismal Holy Water (from STAR Remember When? columnist Danny Dolor, see next page; author unknown)

An amazing picture became a message of faith in Spain. (Picture on this page) was taken at the baptism of Valentino Mora, son of Erica, a single mom of 21 who asked the photographer to take a picture of her son for free. The photo is sweeping the Internet because at the time the priest pours the Holy water over Valentino’s head, the water flows in the shape of a Rosary.

This story began at the Parish of the Assumption of Our Lady in Cordova, Spain, where the baptism of the one-month-old baby took place. At the time that Valentino came to the baptismal font for the sacrament of baptism, Erica asked the photographer Maria Silvana Salles, who was hired by other parents baptizing their babies, to take a photo of her son as a favor, since the young mother had no way of paying for it.

The photographer, moved by Erica’s request, agreed to take a photo of Valentino. Maria Silvana worked with a traditional camera and had to send the film to be developed to a shop in Cordova. When she received the photos, she noticed with surprise that the water poured from the head of Valentino was a perfect rosary.

The photo of the baptism of Valentino has awakened faith in the people of Cordova who come to the humble home of Erica and Valentino Mora to touch him. The truth is that this sign of faith has mobilized this town in Cordova, whose neighbors go to Maria Silvana’s store to buy the picture as if it were a prayer card.

***

2. ...and The Laborer and The ‘Invisible’ Hand Behind the Scene (From STAR contributor Edu Jarque, a member of La Salle-Saint Benilde board of trustees)

A young laborer came to a restaurant one evening to have a meal. The owner engaged him in a conversation and found out that he was saving to bring his family to the city so they could get a chance at a better life. He had an aged mother, a wife and two young sons who he hoped to give a good education so they could have a more decent life. He had just arrived in the city and found some menial work at a scrap metal site down the road. It was going to be his only meal of the day and he could only spend a few cents.

The owner was impressed with the laborer’s hard work and diligence, and his family values. He encouraged the laborer and wrapped his meal for him. He took his order personally and told him that it would cost him 50 cents.

Several years went by and the laborer stopped at the restaurant every evening to get his one meal of the day and chat with the restaurant owner who always encouraged him and asked about his aged mother, his wife and young sons, and how his plans were going.

Finally, the laborer came by one evening with a happy smile on his face. He had bought a modest house in a good neighborhood with a good school for his boys and he had just sent for his family to join him. The restaurant owner was very happy for him and congratulated him. The laborer then told him that he was in a mood to celebrate and he would be spending an entire five dollars on his meal that evening. The restaurant owner told him it was well-deserved and wrapped up his meal.

When the laborer got home and opened his meal pack, he was shocked to see that it was the same type of food he had been having every day for the last six years. He was very disappointed because he had been looking forward to a feast to celebrate his big achievement. He certainly deserved something better after scrimping on his meals all those years. He was mad at the restaurant owner and felt robbed of his money and his celebration. He felt he had been cheated by his very good friend.

He immediately went back to the restaurant to make his complaint. The restaurant owner had already left and he met one of the staff with whom he was quite familiar.

“Say, John, I think you guys gave me the wrong meal pack today. You see, I got this same type of meal every day for 50 cents but today I am celebrating and decided to spend five whole dollars at your restaurant. But I was cheated and got just the same meal as every other day!”

“Well, sir, this is our most expensive meal and it costs five dollars!”

It suddenly dawned on the laborer that he had not been cheated at all by his friend. In fact, the restaurant owner had been giving him their best meal which cost five dollars for 50 cents for six years! He felt very ashamed of himself for thinking that his good friend had cheated him.

“It’s all a misunderstanding then,” he said and turned to leave quickly to hide the tears in his eyes.

“One minute, sir,” said the staff. “My boss said you were going to come back and that I was to give you this bag.”

When the laborer opened the bag, he found all the 50 cents he had ever spent at this restaurant. Unable to hold back the tears now, he sat down on a bench and wept quite unashamedly.

• He had judged too quickly.

• He’d felt entitled and a little prideful because of his sense of arrival.

• He had repaid kindness with suspicion and anger.

• He had failed to give proper thanks where it was due...

WHY?

*Because he had been unable to see or recognize the hand that was behind the scene helping him all this time!*

(E-mail reactions at [email protected]. For more updates, photos and videos, visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on Instagram @therealrickylo.)