Theme: Forgiveness; love enemies

Learning to forgive

The school bell rang, announcing that the break had begun.

Mariana took her wallet and went to the cafeteria to buy her lunch. The line was always long so, she hurried up.

When it was her turn, she asked for what she wanted and paid for it. She checked her change and tucked it into her wallet. She was always careful as her mother gave her the exactly amount of money for lunch for the whole week.

As soon as she closed her wallet, a boy in her class looked at her and said:

- Can I borrow money so I can buy a sandwich? I´ll pay you tomorrow. I left my lunch at home and I'm hungry.

Mariana didn't like the idea very much. She was going to need the money later. And Elijah wasn't even her friend, he used to hang out with other people.

The girl looked at him for a few seconds, wondering what to say. Finally, she said:

- Fine! But you have to give it back to me tomorrow, huh?

- Don’t worry! – Elijah said happily.

Mariana gave him the money and felt good to be helping a colleague.

She stood nearby watching and was surprised when Elijah asked for just a piece of gum and put the rest of the money in his pocket.

“Well, if he is hungry, I think he'll buy food later” Mariana said to herself.

But Elijah didn't buy anything else. He just wanted the gum anyway.

The next day, at break time, Mariana went after him.

– Hi Elijah, how are you? Can you pay me the money I lent you, as we agreed? Sorry for charging, but I'm going to need it.

Elijah said nothing and walked away. He left Mariana unanswered, talking to herself. The girl was devastated. She realized that Elijah was not honest.

Next days, Elijah turned his face when he saw Mariana and she felt very angry.

Mariana told her mother what had happened. Her mother listened calmly and said:

- Daughter, you did nothing wrong but one thing. Do you know what?

- I do - Mariana said nervously - I believed that kid would pay me and thank me. But he did quite the opposite!

- No, that wasn't it, dear! You loaned money to a colleague who said he was hungry. That wasn't wrong. I'm glad you're a good person, daughter.

- But now I've run out of money - Mariana argued sadly.

- Don’t worry about it. God is fair and knows everything that goes on. He will know how to reward you as you only did good. And you will also know how to teach Elijah without you having to embitter your heart. Who plants, it reaps. If he has planted dishonesty, unfortunately, one day he will reap that too.

- I hope so! I hope he is deceived, robbed, humiliated and everything bad happens to him!

- No, daughter! Don’t talk like that! That's the only thing you're doing wrong! Jesus taught us that we must love our enemies.

- Oh, not that one! - Mariana said with a startle - Jesus, I'm sorry, but I can't love that pest, no way!

- Calm down, daughter! Loving enemies is not the same as loving friends. How are you going to love a person you don't trust? The love that Jesus asks from us for enemies is not wishing them evil, not being happy with their suffering and, on the contrary, wishing them well. Only that!

- I don't need to like Elijah, then?

- No… I mean, at least for now! - said the mother, smiling.

- And don't even lend him more money? - Mariana asked.

- Of course not, daughter! You must not wish evil or take revenge. But you also don't have to act silly or let someone else harm you.

The mother talked a lot with Mariana, explaining to her that whoever forgives is freed and trusts in Divine Justice. Finally, the girl understood and said:

- Okay, Mom! It will even be easier for me to leave this story behind. I really don't like to remember Elijah and I don't even like to be angry at him. I have my own business.

- That's right, darling!

 The two embraced and, without realizing it, they were also embraced by Mariana's guardian angel. He was glad that she was learning the difficult lesson of forgiving and loving enemies.

Translation:
Larissa Martine - larissa_am@hotmail.com

marcelapradacontato@gmail.com