While his mother
did the house
chores, the boy,
who was learning
to read,
curiously picked
up a book and
was turning its
pages. Suddenly,
he stopped on a
page and asked:
- Mom, what's an
“alm”?
The mother
stopped what she
was doing and
explained:
- An alm, Joel,
is a gift, a
donation, a
small value
blessing. Got
it?
 |
- Ah! Got it.
And “widow”?
- A widow is a
woman who lost
her husband and
did not remarry.
You are reading
the lesson
called "The
Widow's Alm",
aren't you?
- Do you know
it, mom? So you
also know what a
“tre... a... su
... ry ..” is.
Wow! What a
difficult word.
- The treasury was
a kind of box
placed in the
Temple of
Jerusalem, where
people would put
|
|
their
donations
- the
mother
replied,
amused. |
- Mom, you are
very smart! -
the boy
exclaimed,
surprised.
The mother sat
next to her son
and helped him
to read and
understand the
Gospel text that
talks about the
day when Jesus
went to the
Temple, and
sitting near the
treasury box,
watched how
people put their
offerings in it.
Those who were
rich gave much
money away but a
poor widow gave
only two small
coins. And
Jesus, calling
his disciples'
attention to it,
said that in
fact that widow
had given more
than all the
others because
they had given
from the much
they had but the
widow had given
all she had; all
that she had
left for her
sustenance.
When the mother
finished
explaining it to
her son, he
showed her that
he had
understood:
|
- Mom, Jesus
says that we
should do good
and love all
people, isn't
it? So Jesus
must have been
very glad with
the poor widow.
- Yes, my dear.
And Jesus makes
it clear that to
God what really
counts is the
sentiment with
which we do a
good deed. So to
God there is
more value in
the two coins of
the widow than
all the money
that the rich
gave away so
that they would
be seen and
admired by the
people.
|
 |
|
The boy thought
for a moment,
then asked
again:
- Mom, and what
about me? I also
want to help
others but I
don't even have
two coins!
|
The mother was
moved with the
child's concern.
- Joel, to
Jesus, as you
have read, it is
the more
important the
reason why we do
something. So do
not worry about
not having
anything
material. You do
have something
more important
to give to
people: the love
of your heart.
So, think with
your heart, and
when you think
you should help
someone, do it.
It might be
someone at the
school, in the
street, a lost
pet ... Got it?
Excited, Joel
got wide eyed
and nodded his
head, showing
that he had
understood. At
bedtime, he went
to bed thinking
about it and
asked Jesus to
teach him to be
helpful, to be
useful to
people.
The next day,
Joel woke up,
got ready and as
he walked into
the kitchen, he
saw his mother
was very busy.
She had
overslept and
was rushing to
have the
family's
breakfast ready,
because she had
an appointment
with a doctor.
- Do not worry,
mom. I will set
the table then
fix Rita's lunch
and juice. Ah!
And I can also
take her to
school -
reassured the
boy.
The mother
thanked him and
ran to help
little Rita, who
had just woken
up.
Joel did
everything right
and then had his
breakfast. As
his sister sat
down, he
prepared her
chocolate milk
and toast which
she promptly
ate. Then he
grabbed their
lunch boxes,
both said
goodbye to their
mother and they
left for school.
In class, a
friend had
difficulty
understanding
the lesson and
Joel, sitting
closer to him,
helped him.
At recess, he
sat down to eat
his lunch and
saw a little
girl crying. He
approached her
to see what was
happening and
she said while
wiped away
tears:
- My mom is sick
and I heard Dad
say that she
will need
surgery. I'm
scared!
- Do not cry.
Trust Jesus will
help your mother
and she will be
fine soon. Now,
eat your lunch
before recess
ends - Joel said
as he embraced
and comforted
her.
- I did not
bring lunch
today. I forgot
it - the girl
replied.
- Great. Then
I'll be able to
share my lunch
with you. I'm
not hungry
anyway - Joel
said, pleased.
He parted the
sandwich in two,
poured half the
juice in the cup
and handed it to
the girl,
leaving what
remained in the
bottle. After
eating it, the
girl looked at
him gratefully:
- Thank you.
Your lunch was
very good, but I
don't even know
your name! Mine
is Dora.
Joel said his
name, but
couldn't keep
talking because
the bell rang.
Recess was over
and they had to
return to their
classrooms, but
both were happy.
On the street,
Joel found a
bird that had
fallen from the
nest and saw a
little bird who
probably was its
mother because
it was restless.
Without thinking
twice, he
dropped his
backpack,
climbed up the
tree and put it
back in place
with his mommy
which beat her
wings, grateful.
|
At lunchtime,
the father asked
his son how his
morning had
been. Joel said
excitedly:
- It was great,
Dad. Today I
gave the widow's
alm.
- What! ... -
asked the
father, not
understanding.
|
 |
Exchanging a
knowing glance
with his mother,
he smiled.
- Mom understood
what I said!
Later on I will
explain it
better. Today I
will say the
prayer.
And in front of
his admired
parents,, Joel
said:
- Dear Jesus I
thank You for
this very
important
morning and the
opportunities I
had to exercise
your lesson.
Thank you!
MEIMEI
(Psychographed
by Celia X. de
Camargo on
29.04.2012.)
