“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.” – Matthew 6:5

This week’s story from Auntie Grace is another story about her mother, Catherine.

When Auntie Grace and I were on the phone a few weeks back, she told me of the Rinaldi family who lived across the street from her family in Brooklyn.  Mrs. Rinaldi had three girls, and had been on her own since her husband passed away.  Grace was good friends with one of Mrs. Rinaldi’s young daughters, Marian.  At one time during their childhood, Grace recalled that Mrs. Rinaldi lost her job and Marian expressed worry to Grace.  Being so young, Grace just knew in her heart they would be okay and didn’t worry for Marian.

Years later, after Marian had moved out west and become an older lady herself, she was on the phone with Grace and began talking about how wonderful Catherine had been to their family growing up.  Grace assumed that Marion meant Catherine had been a comfort and support to Mrs. Rinaldi, emotionally, as a girlfriend.  What she didn’t realize, and what Marian told her, was that during that time when Marian’s mother was unemployed, Catherine paid for all the Rinaldi family groceries at their neighborhood market.  Catherine had gone to the market after she heard the news of her neighbor’s unemployment and told the grocer to put all of the Rinaldi’s market items on her tab until Mrs. Rinaldi again had a job.

Grace said she was taken aback and told Marian she never knew her own mother had done that. Marian said it was like Catherine to share a quiet charity, and live out her version of the golden rule always.