Theme: Prayer, responsibility and divine help

Divine help

Antonio came home from school and then set the backpack aside. It was lunch time. After eating, instead of picking up his notebooks and doing his homework, as his mother recommended, he wanted to rest a bit watching TV.

When he finished watching the TV, he went to the computer and played his favorite game for a long time. When he stopped playing, he decided to go to the kitchen to have his afternoon snack.

Antonio knew he had obligations to do, but he thought he would have enough time to have fun and then do his homework.

Late in the afternoon, when Antonio was going to get his study materials, he heard the voice of his friends in front of his house, calling him to play ball.

Playing football with the other boys was unmissable for Antonio, so he did not think twice. There he went and played with his friends.

He came home late at night, tired and sweaty. He went straight to take a shower. When he was already clean and had put on his pajamas, he remembered the geography test that was scheduled for the next day.

- Mom! Mom! The boy called, running through the house.

Luiza, Antonio's mother, was putting the dishes on the table for dinner. She was astonished to hear her son calling her so urgently.

- Son, what happened? Did you get hurt?

- Mom, I have test tomorrow! And I haven’t studied! Said the boy sadly.

Luiza always encouraged her son to think about his actions, so he said:

- Did something happen that stopped you from studying, son?

Antonio was pensive. He remembered that he had left the books aside to play and have fun, instead of studying first, as his mother had taught him.

- I ... I ... I've been playing all afternoon. I’ve just remembered the test now, but I don’t have more time to study - admitted the son.

Luiza gave a small smile. She was happy that Antonio had told the truth, but he still had to learn to take responsibility.

- What can you do to solve this problem, my dear? - His mother encouraged.

Antonio was pensive again. He thought about missing school for not taking the test, but he knew his parents would not agree to it. Maybe he could study after dinner, but he got so tired of playing that he might sleep on the notebooks. Finally, he had an idea:

- I know! - He said excitedly. - I'm going to pray that God will help me to be good in the test!

Antonio was very pleased with his idea. He had heard in gospel classes that God always cared for everyone, and that he loved all of His creation. Surely the boy could receive divine help.

- Mama, will you help me to pray? - Asked the boy.

The mother was amazed, but very pleased to see her son praying in a moment of difficulty.

- Of course, Antonio! Good idea, my dear! Let's pray. You can tell what comes to your heart, that I will keep my eyes closed, following your words with my thought.

Then Antonio made his prayer:

- Father in heaven, please help me to go well in the test tomorrow. Make questions very easy. Or that the teacher only asks what I already know, even without studying. If it can be, it will be best if there is not test, that the teacher forgets the sheets in her house or can also lighten up and end the energy in school until lunchtime. Now I´ll go to sleep peacefully because I have faith that the Lord will help me. Thank you! Good night!

Antonio smiled calmly and opened his eyes. But her mother's gaze was not as satisfied as before. She then went on to explain:

- Son, well done for made a prayer and talked to God. But I want to explain to you how God does to help us. He does not take away the need for our effort, because that's how we learn. Instead, He helps us that our effort gives a result.

And the mother continued:

- You can ask God for concentration to study, you can ask to you keep calm during the test. God helps us by giving us the resources we need to get the job done. God does not do the work for us, He does his part of it, our part is what we need to do.

Antonio was a bit disappointed, but he understood his mother's answer. He decided to make another prayer but this time he asked God for concentration and encouragement to study.

The next day, Antonio went quiet to school. After the prayer he had with his mother, the boy had read the summaries he had in the notebook and also did some revision activities before going to bed. When the teacher distributed the test, Antonio asked God to be calm to answer the questions.

When he got home, his mother soon asked:

- How did you get the test, dear?

- It was all right - sighed Antonio. - I could not answer everything, there were things I did not study. But I was calm and did my best.

- I'm glad to hear that - said the mother, giving the boy a kiss. - And now in the afternoon, what are you going to do?

I'm going to study for Portuguese’s test - said Antonio, with responsibility. And then, smiling, he added - But then I'm going to play football!

Text by Lívia Prada Seneda
 

Translation:
Larissa Martine - larissa_am@hotmail.com

marcelapradacontato@gmail.com