That afternoon,
when the whole
family gathered
for the Gospel
at Home, the
theme was
Charity. The
evangelic text
said we should
love everyone as
brothers, and
that the best
way to do it was
by doing good to
others, that is,
charity.
Eddie went to
sleep with a
thousand
projects in his
little head. The
next morning he
got up
determined to
change his
behaviour.
 |
On the
way to
school,
Eddie
saw two
boys
fighting. They
were his
neighbours
and he
tried to
stop the
fight
wanting
to
separate
them but
ended up
taking a
punch.
Soon
after,
he saw a
dog
burying
a bone
and
wanted
to help
it, but
the dog
attacked
him and
scratched
his arm. He
gave up
and went
to
school
all
dirty
with
dirt. Seeing
him, the
teacher
asked if
he had
fought. |
The boy
explained to her
everything that
had happened,
while his
colleagues
laughed at him.
At recess,
Eddie, while
eating his lunch,
saw Isabel
pulling Bella's
hair, which
sparked a row. He
ran there and
tried to stop
them.
- Do not fight! You
have always been
friends!
Hearing him,
they were angry,
and Isabel said
that he had
nothing to do
with it.
- You're right,
Isabel! The
problem is ours. In
addition, Eddie,
just the other
day you were
fighting too! Now
you want to give
us a moral
lesson? - Bella
completed.
Upset, the boy
replied that he
just wanted to
help and walked
away with his
head low.
When the class
ended, Eddie
left school with
two friends, who
lived near his
house. One of
them, angry,
complained about
everything:
school, the
teacher,
homework,
classmates and
even his family. The
other also
commented
pessimistically:
- You are right. No
one is good. The
world is doomed
- he said, no
doubt repeating
what he heard at
home.
Eddie, who
listened in
silence, could
take no more:
- What an ugly
thing! You
should not talk
that way about
anyone,
especially your
family!
The boys looked
at each other
and then turned
against Eddie.
- That's funny! Just
the other day
you were
complaining
about your
brothers!
He lowered his
head, ashamed. Indeed,
he had
quarrelled with
his two brothers
and they went
days without
talking. And
whenever he
could, he spoke
ill his brothers
to friends.
At home, Eddie
was sad. His
project to help
others had not
worked. He left
his rucksack in
the living room
and went to the
backyard. There
was a favourite
spot between two
trees where he
went when he
wanted to think.
His neighbour
Leticia, seeing
him through the
fence, walked
around to talk
to him.
- Hi, Eddie! Are
you upset?
- Do not bother
me! I'm no good
to talk to today
– he said rudely.
Then, seeing her
sad face, he
said:
- It is just
that all the
good I tried to
do today went
wrong. I wanted
to help people
and they did not
accept!
- Oh! Maybe they
did not want to
be helped! As
you did to me
now. I saw you
sad and came
here to cheer
you up, but you
treated me bad -
the girl said.
- Could be. I am
sorry, Leticia.
Leticia heard
her mother call
her and left. Eddie
decided to go
in, feeling
worse. His
mother was in
the kitchen and
hugged her son
with tenderness.
- What happened,
son?
The boy said
with moist eyes:
- Nothing went
right today, Mom. I
learned with the
Gospel at home
that we should
help others, but
I could not do
it. And I even
hurt Leticia,
who had nothing
to do with it.
And he told his
mother all that
had happened
that day. She
thought for a
moment and then
gently
considered:
- My son, to
give advice,
trying to help
people, just
good will is not
enough. You must
first set the
example. Otherwise,
it will go as
you saw today:
the words do not
ring true, they
sound false and
no one believes
you!
- You're right,
Mom. But I still
want to help
people!
- That is an
excellent goal,
baby. So try to
improve your
behaviour, act
always for the
good, and you
will.
Looking out the
open kitchen
door, from where
one could see
the backyard,
the mother said:
|
- Look, dear!
Observe the
small wooden
fence where your
brother is
talking to the
neighbour. What
do you see?
- A wooden fence!
...
- Take a closer
look. At regular
intervals,
between the
thinner and
narrower boards,
there are stakes
that support the
whole. So,
Eddie, he who
already has the
Gospel of Jesus
in his mind and
his heart must
become like that
stake in the
|
 |
|
lives of others,
by showing the
example. |
|
There are many
people that need
help, assistance,
information.
- Mom, there are
colleagues at
school who want
to vandalise
everything! I
can show them
that we must
preserve what is
for use to all,
right? - he
recalled with
enthusiasm.
- Yes, my son. And
what about the
unruly who do
not obey the
teacher?
- Show them that
we must be
disciplined and
obedient in the
class, after all,
the teacher is
there to teach
us – he said
after some
thought.
- Very good! And
what about the
naysayers who
see nothing good,
seeing darkness
in everything?
- Well, I think
we should show
them that the
world is
beautiful and
that God helps
us always.
Anyway, turn on
optimism and
hope in their
hearts!
His mom hugged
him happily and
concluded:
- You got it
right, Eddie. But
do not forget
that only
through
directing our
actions to good
we can do that.
- With our
example! Mommy,
I want to be a
“stake” for
people!
At that time,
the mother was
sure that her
son was on the
right track and
mentally thanked
God.
MEIMEI
(Psychographed
by Celia X. de
Camargo on
14/11/2011.)
