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Many years ago
there was a man
named George who
owned a lot of
land.
George had two
grown sons and
wanted them to
learn to work in
the fields. So,
he took them
farming, to
teach them how
to work.
Then came a day
when the father
called his
eldest son and
taking him to a
nice piece of
land, said:
- John, my son,
you are now able
to take care of
a plot by
yourself.
Then, with arms
wide open
showing him the
way ahead, he
reported:
- This land is
yours. Now you
are responsible
for it. Take
good care of it.
Work it and the
result of the
harvest will be
all yours.
The son,
surprised and
grateful, hugged
his father.
- Thanks, Dad.
From that day
on, however, as
if he didn't
have anyone to
wake him up,
John started
being late all
the time. And
because he was
always late for
work, his piece
of land would
now show his
lack of care.
John prepared
the soil,
planted the
seeds, but
careless and
lazy, did not
bother to remove
the pests and
weeds that grew
amid the good
seed.
As much as the
father tried to
get his
attention,
alerting him to
what he should
have be doing,
John did not
take his duties
seriously.
One day, John's
father visited
the crops and
his heart was
filled with
sadness. Weed
took over
everything and
stifle the
crops, which
perished. Quite
upset, the
father called
the two sons and
said to John:
- My son, you
showed me that
you are not
responsible
enough to work
with the land
that I gave you.
So, I'm taking
it back from you
and giving it to
your brother,
David.
The youngest son
rejoiced at the
news. He liked
to work and, in
particular, to
deal with the
soil.
- Thanks, Dad.
You will not
regret it.
John, humiliated
and angry,
lowered his head
and cried in a
corner so that
nobody saw.
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Now, full of
sadness, he
could see his
brother David on
the tractor
working the
land, growing
crops and taking
care of what had
once been his.
After some time,
David saw his
efforts crowned
with a good and
abundant
harvest.
Extremely
repentant of his
neglect and
recognizing
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that the
father
was
right,
John
went to
his
father,
humbly,
and
said:
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- My father! I
am sorry, I
admit I was
wrong. I regret
my neglect of
the land you
gave me to take
care. I know I
do not deserve
it, but I
learned my
lesson. Give me
another chance
and I promise
you will not
regret it.
The father who
did not expect
the recognition
of the mistake
committed by the
son, agreed.
John took up a
piece of land
much farther
away than the
first, rough and
rocky and
showing it to
him, considered:
- My son, you
asked me a new
opportunity, but
the land that I
now have to give
you is this. It
is different
from the other
and you will
have much more
work. If you
want it, it's
yours.
In tears, John
thanked his
father. He had
really learned
his lesson. He
was not
concerned with
an easy ride,
but doing the
job that his
father expected
of him, where he
would be the
first to benefit
from.
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So, John began
to work very
hard. He would
get up before
sunrise and go
to the fields.
He cleared the
plot and took
the stones,
using them to
separate the
ground. Then he
rolled the land
and planted the
seeds. Mindful
of the
development of
tender
seedlings, he
saw to it that
no pests
attacked the
crop, and began
pulling weeds
that emerged,
not allowing
them to grow.
When the father
rode his horse
and went through
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that
area, he
was
pleased
to see
his son
all
sweaty
and
dirty,
but at
work. |
The result of
the efforts was
a plentiful
harvest, that
filled John with
joy.
By gathering the
family to
celebrate the
outcome of the
entire harvest,
all family
members were
happy. The
father hugged
his oldest son
with great
affection,
saying:
-
Congratulations,
son. You did a
great job!
To which the son
replied, with
emotion:
- No, father. If
you did not give
me that lesson,
showing me how
wrong I was, I
would never be
able to do it.
It was necessary
that I
recognized how I
had failed to
find strength
and win.
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Embracing his
father, he
added:
- Now, I really
learned to enjoy
working, as my
dear brother
David.
David and his
mother, who were
also there,
embraced the
two, showing
that they were a
united family.
As Jesus taught
us, it also
happens to us.
When we
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do not
show
ourselves
worthy
of the
blessings
received
from the
Father,
he
retrieves
them
from us
and
gives
them to
someone
else,
which
will in
a better
position
to seize
it. But
in fact,
it is
not the
Father
who
takes
what was
given,
but it
is his
son who,
by
neglect,
can not
keep
what he
received. |
However, despite
our mistakes,
God always gives
us new
opportunities to
show our
willingness and
desire to
improve.
However,
opportunities
will always be
new and not
always in the
same conditions.
Meimei
(Message
received by
Celia Xavier de
Camargo on
03/07/2011.)
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