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A man owned a
farm and lived
in the country,
dedicated to his
activities in
tilling the
land.
Over time,
Joseph
increasingly
enriched, giving
his wife Rita
and their
children Ruben
and Claude a
comfortable
life.
He built a very
big new house, a
beautiful garden
and an orchard
that bore fruit
in abundance.
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Now Joseph
lacked nothing
and God gave him
more and more.
He had many
employees and
did not have to
work. His
children were
studying in good
schools in the
city and almost
did not come to
the farm
anymore. To
Rita, the
difficult days
were gone and
even though she
enjoyed working,
now she only
rested, giving
orders to the
maid.
Thus, because of
the success that
he had in life,
Joseph became cold
hearted.
When anyone
asked him for
some alms, he
responded:
- Why? Do as I
did. Go to
work!
The orchard was
always laden
with fruit, but
if a child asked
him for some
fruit to eat,
Joseph would
say:
- Plant the
seedlings, as I
did, and you
will have all
the fruit you
want!
When a poor
woman with a
starving child
in her arms
passed by and
begged
mercifully for a
piece of bread,
Joseph
indifferently
stated:
- I can't. I
have my family
to look after.
Thus, over time,
no one dared to
ask him for
anything, Joseph
became known as
a miser, and all
who referred to
him called him
"Stingy".
The years passed
and Joseph grew
old. He no
longer had the
energy to
command the
employees of the
farm, which were
not working as
before.
Thus, the land
did not produce
as much and
Joseph had to
dismiss his
employees for
not having money
to pay them. All
around the
property one
could see lack
of care,
poverty,
neglect. Weed
invaded the land
and the orchard
was destroyed by
pests.
The beautiful
house was ruined
by lack of care;
the fences were
broken and the
animals would
flee from the
pasture and
there wasn't
anyone who would
bring them
back.
His children,
Ruben and
Claude, were
forced to return
to the farm, for
they could not
afford to live
in the city.
Now, the family
had no food to
eat and was in
need.
And Joseph,
sitting on the
porch,
remembering the
times of
abundance,
thought:
- Ah! How much
money, how many
coins I had!
Now, if I had
only one I would
be happy.
- How much
abundance in the
orchard!
However, now if
I had some
oranges I would
feel satisfied.
- How much food
we had, to the
point of
throwing it
away! Today, a
loaf of bread
would satisfy
our hunger.
Thus thinking,
Joseph
remembered the
poor people who
would knock on
his door begging
a coin, some
fruit, a plate
of food or a
piece of bread,
which he
denied.
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Tears of late
regret watered
his eyes,
remembering the
fruits that
would get rotten
on the ground,
the food that
would spoil and
be thrown in the
trash, the bread
that would go
stale without
being eaten. He
had received
many gifts from
God and did not
share anything
with anyone.
With bitter
tears, Joseph
remembered the
counsel of Jesus
to do to others
what you want
them to do to
you and lamented
the wasted
time.
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Now he
remembered God
and pleaded, his
eyes looking up
towards heaven:
- Lord, give me
another chance!
I know I did
everything wrong
but I would like
to act
differently. I
acknowledge that
I wasted my
existence but as
the worker who
loses a day of
service has a
chance to start
over the next
day, I beseech
you, my Father,
for an
opportunity to
start over and
do things
differently,
trying to do
things right.
Joseph's eyes
closed and he
departed to the
Spirit World,
which is the
True Life of the
Spirit.
And the Lord,
who is a loving
Father and
answers His
children's
supplications,
acceded to his
request,
understanding
his desire to
improve.
Some years
later, everyone
was happy at
Joseph' former
home.
They lived
better times.
His sons Ruben
and Claude, not
having anywhere
else to get
resources, began
working on the
farm, taking
advantage of the
land and making
it produce
again. Rita now
took care of the
house with love,
feeling happier
and fulfilled.
Ruben, the
eldest, soon
began dating a
nice girl and
got married.
Some time later
they were
celebrating the
birth of the
couple's first
child.
Taking the baby
in her arms,
Grandma Rita,
now
white-haired,
felt her heart
rejoice with the
first
grandchild,
embracing him
with love.
- My son, have
you already
chosen his
name?
Ruben exchanged
a glance with
his wife, smiled
and said:
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- Yes, Mom. Our
son will be
named Joseph!
With tears in
her eyes, Rita
stared at the
baby, hugging
him with even
more love and it
seemed to her
that the little
one smiled back
at her. Those
little eyes made
her remember her
late husband.
Raising her head
to the skies,
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intimately
feeling
that her
husband
was
returning
in a new
body to
learn
the
lesson
of
selflessness
and
charity,
she
murmured: |
- Thank you,
Lord! Thank you!
MEIMEI
(Psychographed
by Celia Xavier
de Camargo on
25.03.2013)
