When a Jewish father sings the Hail Mary (I)

Back in 1981, our Peruvian "Eau-Vive" ("Living Water") restaurant had been open only 5 months, when a family came to celebrate their parents' fortieth wedding anniversary. Everything seemed to be going fine, but we soon learned that the father actually had throat cancer. This news prompted us to be extra attentive and loving to the whole family. And for dessert, as a surprise, we brought two beautiful ice doves and an image of the Blessed Virgin, and placed them between mom and dad.

The whole room broke into a loud applause, but many guests had tears in their eyes. Then we sang the Hail Mary. When we passed out the sheets with the evening prayer, the eldest son said shyly, "We're Jewish". The missionary worker invited them to join us in singing to “Mary, a daughter of Israel", and they all did! They were moved to hear the announcement over the microphone that we were praying especially for them that evening.

At around 10am the next morning, the eldest son arrived with a bouquet of white lilies: "These flowers are for the Virgin Mary, to thank her. My parents were so happy about last night's celebration that all they could talk about at breakfast this morning was the Eau-Vive. My father, who is a Jewish agnostic, told me last night on the way home: If I could, I would have sung with them."

(Continued tomorrow)

Story shared by the "Travailleuses missionnaires" (T.M., Missionary Workers) who run the "L'Eau-Vive" Restaurants

Published in Recueil marial 1986 by Marist Brother Albert Pfleger