Eight year-old
Carla had great
difficulty in
fulfilling her
obligations,
especially those
that were
important such
as doing her
homework, going
to school,
reading a book,
or participating
in the Gospel at
Home, which her
family did every
Wednesday night
at 7pm.
What the girl
really liked was
to play with her
friends, ride
her bike, visit
Grandma, watch
cartoons or
watch movies on
TV.
At school, she
would anxiously
await recess as
it was when she
enjoyed playing
and talking to
her friends.
Thus Carla did
not do well at
school: her
grades were bad
and she feared
flunking the
year. However,
she did not do
anything to
change the
situation like
trying to play
less and study
more.
Whenever her
mother told her
to do her
homework and
study, she
complained:
|
- That’s all you
say to me,
Mommy! “Carla,
go study!” “Do
your homework!”
“Tidy up your
room!” “Put away
your clothes!”
“Put away your
toys!” OMG! I'm
tired of hearing
these things!
It's just what I
do all the
time!...
And she started
to cry, creating
drama. Her
mother listened
to her patiently
and answered in
a serious
manner:
- Honey, if you
had done your
chores, I would
not have to
check on you. I
do it for you,
for your
education. By
the way: have
you ever tried
asking your
school friends
how their
mothers get them
to do their
homework? Don’t
they have
problems like
yours? |
 |
- No. I do not
think they have
these problems
at home.
- Actually, you
do not know. Ask
them. I assure
you that you
will be amazed!
She noticed that
her daughter was
very annoyed so
she
affectionately
explained to
her:
- Carla, all of
us are making
choices all the
time. And on
these choices
depend our
future: whether
it will be
better or worse.
Think carefully!
Those words kept
repeating in the
girl’s head.
That evening
they were
supposed to do
the Gospel at
Home which was
when they
gathered as a
family to talk
about the
lessons of
Jesus.
Opening the New
Testament at
random, the
passage that was
chosen was one
where Jesus,
walking with His
apostles,
entered a
village called
Bethany and
stayed in the
house of Lazarus
who had two
sisters, Martha
and Mary.
Mary, enchanted
with Jesus, sat
down at the
Lord's feet to
listen to the
teachings.
Marta, however,
was anxious in
welcoming the
visitors well
and fixing
dinner, and felt
overloaded with
all she had to
do.
She said to
Jesus:
- Lord, ask Mary
to help me, for
I am alone to do
all this work.
But the Lord
answered:
- Martha,
Martha… you are
troubled and
busy with many
things; However,
only one thing
is necessary.
Mary chose the
best part, which
will not be
taken away from
her.(1)
Carla’s father,
who had read the
text, asked his
daughter if she
understood it.
- I do not get
it, Dad. I think
Martha was right
in asking Jesus
to tell Mary to
help her! After
all, someone had
to prepare the
food, right?
- You’re right,
my dear. But
Jesus wanted to
teach that there
are things that
are more
important than
others. The
presence of the
Lord in that
house was of
great value. And
all He taught
was supposed to
be kept well,
for there would
be a time when
He would no
longer be on
earth. It was
knowledge that
would remain for
posterity, that
is, for the
societies of the
future. As for
the household
chores, how to
clean the house
and prepare the
food are banal
things, that
every day would
be there,
needing to be
done again.
The girl thought
and thought and
concluded:
- So it's like
my homework and
house chores?
Her mother
smiled at her
daughter’s
logic,
explaining:
- I know where
you want to get,
sweetheart. Yes,
homework is more
important
because it has
to do with your
learning for the
future; it is
what you learn
and do not
forget anymore.
It is a conquest
of the spirit.
- Do you mean
that house
chores have less
value than those
of the spirit?
 |
- Exactly. So
the important
thing is to
fulfil your
duties of school
learning. As for
the others,
we'll do them if
we have the
time. Do you
understand?
- I do, Mom. But
what about
playing, going
for walks, etc.?
The mother
hugged her
daughter
affectionately
when she noticed
her concern:
- Stay calm,
dear. You're a
kid and there's
|
|
always
time to
play! |
Carla smiled
happily and
said:
- Mom, I asked
my classmates if
their mothers
did tell them to
do their
homework, and
they told me
that all mothers
always do the
same thing.
Carla had
learned the
lesson. From
that day on, she
never failed to
fulfil her
duties. She
understood that,
using her time
well, she could
do her homework
and house chores
and still have
time to play and
go for walks,
and that Jesus
would be pleased
with her because
she was making
the right
choices.
MEIMEI
(Psychographed
by Celia X. de
Camargo on
16/08/2010.)
(1)
Luke, 10:38 to
42.
