Among all the
neighbourhood
kids, Joachim
was the most
mischievous.
Because he had a
lot energy, he
was always
finding
something to
do.
When he wasn't
on the roof of
his house
running the risk
of falling down,
he was climbing
the neighbour's
wall. At other
times, secretly,
he would steal
fruit from Mr.
Joseph’s
orchard. He also
liked to
mistreat
animals. He
would climb
trees and tear
apart the nests
of poor helpless
birds, for the
simple pleasure
of destroying.
The boys on the
street feared
him. Many did
not play with
him to avoid
trouble.
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Joachim’s mother
would always
give him good
advice but he
would laugh and
go out without
giving attention
to her appeals.
Dona(1)
Joana tried to
help Joachim to
get interested
in changing his
behaviour,
explaining to
him that he
should not act
that way, that
is, harming
others.
On the days they
did the Gospel
at home
meetings, Dona
Joana would try
to have him
participate in
the simple
meeting, aware
that the prayers
and edifying
readings could
greatly help her
son change his
behaviour. But
nothing!
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Joachim would
claim to have
urgent
obligations and
flee his
family’s loving
company.
Feeling sad,
Dona Joana would
elevate her
thoughts in
prayer and, with
a heart full of
love, beg the
help of Jesus.
She did not want
her son to
persist in those
evil ways and
feared that over
time he could
get even worse.
She knew that if
she could not
instil in him
healthier ideas
of love,
respect, hard
work, devotion,
piety, etc.,
while he was
still a boy,
then later in
life it would be
much more
difficult.
And thanks to
her generous
heart’s pleas,
the Most High's
response did not
take too long.
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One day while he
tried to escape
from a farmer
whose fruit he
was stealing, he
fell off a wall
and fracture a
leg.
As a result,
Joachim, who
never stayed
home and was
always doing
something
mischievous, was
stuck to a
wheelchair for
forty
consecutive
days, having to
listen to
prayers,
participating in
the Gospel at
home meetings,
listening to his
mother’s advice
which she
ministered with
immense
affection.
And when Joachim
complained of
his forced
inactivity, Dona
Joana answered
him with a
smile:
- Be patient,
honey. This was
the remedy that
God found so you
could rethink
your attitudes,
giving a new
direction to
your life.
|
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And with a
relieved smile,
she completed
satisfied:
- It could be
worse!...
Aunt Celia
(1)
In Brazilian
society, Dona is
a term of
respect that is
used with the
woman’s first
name.
