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An eight year
old girl called
Carla finds it
quite hard to
fulfil her
obligations. She
found it even
harder to deal
with bigger
tasks, such as
do her homework,
read a book or
participate
actively at the
gospel at home
practice. Her
family got
together every
Wednesday
evenings to read
and discuss
Jesus’ teachings
at home.
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The girl enjoyed
playing with her
friends, riding
her bike,
visiting her
grandma,
watching
cartoons or
movies. She was
every day
anxiously
waiting for her
school break, as
she only wanted
to play and talk
to her
colleagues.
Due to this,
Carla was always
struggling with
her school
grades and
feared missing
her school year.
Unfortunately,
she never
decided to
change. She
could not
consider playing
less and
studying more.
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Whenever her mom
asked her to do
her homework,
she complained:
— This is all
you ever say,
mom! Carla, go
out and study!
Do your
homework! Tidy
up your room!
Make sure your
clothes and toys
are kept in the
right place! I
am tired of
listening to the
same things all
the time!
Carla would then
begin to cry.
Her mom
patiently
listened to her
and would say:
— My daughter,
if you fulfil
your
obligations, I
would not need
to chase you. I
am doing this
for you, for
your education.
Have you ever
asked your
colleagues at
school what
their moms have
to do to get
them to do their
tasks? Do they
face the same
issues you are
facing?
— No. I don’t
think they face
these issues at
home.
— You actually
don’t know. I
would advice you
to ask them. You
will be
surprised with
their answers!
She then saw her
child was quite
upset. Her mom
then explained,
with kindness:
— Carla, we are
every day in
life making our
own choices.
These choices
will have an
impact on our
future: for
better or for
worse. Think
about it!
The little girl
kept these words
in her mind.
This was a
Wednesday and at
night it was the
time for the
family to get
together and do
the Gospel at
Home Practice.
They would get
together to
discuss Jesus’
teachings. They
opened the New
Testament by
chance. It
opened at a
passage in which
Jesus and his
disciples were
on their way;
they came to a
village where a
woman named
Martha opened
her home to him.
She had a sister
called Mary, who
sat at the
Lord's feet
listening to
what he said.
But Martha was
distracted by
all the
preparations
that had to be
made.
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She came to him
and asked,
"Lord, don't you
care that my
sister has left
me to do the
work by myself?
Tell her to help
me!”
“Martha,
Martha," the
Lord answered,
"you are worried
and upset about
many things, but
only one thing
is needed. Mary
has chosen what
is better, and
it will not be
taken away from
her"[1].
Carla’s dad was
the one who read
the text. He
then asked her
if she
understood if
correctly.
— No, not really
dad. I think
Marta was right
when she asked
Jesus to tell
Mary to help
her! After all,
someone
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had to
prepare
the
food,
right? |
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— You are right,
my dear.
Therefore, Jesus
wanted to teach
that are things
that are much
more important
than others. The
Lord’s presence
in that house
was of great
value. It was to
be well kept, as
there would come
a time when He
would not be in
Earth anymore.
His knowledge
was kept for the
future
generations. In
regards to daily
tasks, such as
tiding up the
house and
preparing food,
these are things
that will be
present on our
daily lives
everyday; they
will need to be
done over and
over again...
She thought for
a while and
concluded:
— Just like my
duties at home
and at school?
Her mom smiled
and explained:
— I know where
you are coming
from, dear. Yes,
your school
duties are very
important, since
this has got to
do with your
learning
process: you
learn and won’t
forget anymore.
This will be a
conquest for
your spirit.
— Does that mean
our home tasks
are worth less
than the
spiritual ones?
— Exactly. It is
important to
fulfil our
school tasks.
The others we
will do when we
have time for
it. Is that
clear?
— I got it, mom.
What about my
time for playing
and family
leisure?
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Her mom decided
to hug Carla at
this time:
— Don’t worry,
honey. You are
still a child
and will have
enough time for
playing!
Carla smiled and
told her mom:
— Mom, I asked
my colleagues at
school if their
moms keep
chasing them to
fulfil their
tasks. They said
their moms
always chase
them for the
same
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things. |
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Carla learned a
new lesson. She
never missed her
obligations,
from this day
onwards. She
understood that,
making the most
of her time by
collaborating at
home and
studying, she
still had free
time to play.
She also
understood that
Jesus would be
happy with her,
for making the
right choices.
Meimei
(Psychographed
by Célia X. de
Camargo, on
16/08/2010.)
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