London, My city, My challenge

Lá no oriente um anjo anunciou e a estrela guiou; aqui no ocidente o fim do ano já chegou e a festa recém começou: então é Natal! Ruas iluminadas, árvores enfeitadas, mesas fartas - os até aqui marginalizados porém apetitosos peru recheados entram em cena uma vez mais para cumprir sua tarefa - presépios pitorescos e belos presentes, caros ou baratos: muitos! Emoção nunca escassa nos discursos natalinos seja em simples reuniões familiares ou mais elegantes jantares de fim-de-ano que empresas gentilmente franqueam aos seus empregados - às vezes até soando como a voz da pesada consciência dizendo desculpa-por-tudo-ano-que-vem-tem-mais. Enfim o que nos resta para este tempo são sinceros desejos de muita paz e esperança.

Some years ago I heard this story on television.  It goes as follows: A young girl named Sophia had been taking care of her mother Phisis for many years, because she had a back injury.

As the years went by Sophia became more and more frustrated with the unchanging situation.  She started to mistreat her mother, doing things like shouting at her, neglecting to feed her, and not dressing her properly.  Furthermore she deprived her of hugs and warm companionship.

Despite being busy taking care of Phisis, Sophia was bored with her lifestyle and soon decided to change it dramatically.  For the first time she went out with some friends to a party.  She enjoyed it and from that day on did it more and more.

One very cold night while Sophia was enjoying the company of many friends, Philo, whom Sophia had met the first night she went out, introduced a very handsome young man named Delphos to her.  That night was so exciting for Sophia that she fell in love with Delphos.  Two and half years later they married and went to live in her mother’s house.

It was a new season for Sophia as well as for Phisis.  The home that had once been shared between a mother and daughter now had one more person.   Delphos became part of the family.  Delphos dreamed of becoming a father.  One night as they were lying in bed Delphos spoke for the first time about his dream to Sophia.  She was very impressed because she herself had been wanting the same.  They planned to have a baby within two years and, eighteen months later, she became pregnant and gave birth to a baby boy to whom she gave the name Apollo.  So one more member of the family was now going to live in the same house, under the same pressures, and would be brought up seeing his mum mistreat his grandmother.  In spite of Sophia now being married and having a son, her treatment of her mother was still the same.

Sophia did not realize what she was doing to her mother, but Apollo saw.  One day Sophia gave food to her mother in a dirty wooden bowl.  Apollo watched.  Just as children grow very fast so they also learn at such a speed that it can sometimes scare us.

One sunny day Apollo was playing outside in the back garden.  He found some pieces of wood and, as he was a clever boy and had seen his mum giving food to his grandmother in a wooden bowl, he thought, ‘I am going to make a bowl’.

Then Sophia came into the back garden and was amazed how her young child was trying to make a bowl from some pieces of wood.  As she wanted to check what was going on, she questioned him.

Sophia: Apollo, Where did you get those pieces of wood from?

Apollo: I picked them up in the garden.

Sophia: What are you planning to do with them?

Apollo:  I am going to make a wooden bowl as you can see from my design.

Sophia: What is it for?

Apollo: I have seen you giving food to grandma in a wooden bowl.

Sophia: Give me one reason why you are making a new one, Apollo?

Apollo: My grandmother has her own wooden bowl.  I am making this one to feed you with when you are old, just as you have been doing to your mum.

TO THINK ABOUT

1-Describe how Sophia treated her mum in the story.

2-Do you think it was fair?  Why or why not?

3-have you ever treated someone close to you in a similar way?

4-What is the relationship with that person you have hurt like today?

5-Is there someone with whom you would like to restore a friendship or relationship?   What do you think can be done?

READ WHAT THE BOOK OF BOOKS SAYS

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbour, and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you, that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? If you only greet your friends, what more do you do than others? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same?. Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.(Matthew 5:43…)

In love of the brothers be tenderly affectionate one to another; in honor preferring one another. Bless those who persecute you; bless, and don’t curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice. Weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Don’t set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Don’t be wise in your own conceits. Repay no one evil for evil. Respect what is honorable in the sight of all men. Don’t seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to God’s wrath. For it is written, Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord. Therefore If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing so, you will heap coals of fire on his head.

Don’t be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.  (Romans 12:9…)

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