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After the class,
Carlos was
homebound when,
walking on a
busy street, saw
a man fallen on
the sidewalk.
Touched by the
beggar’s
situation,
Carlos wanted to
do something to
help.
But, how? He was
a kid and no one
paid attention
to him.
He tried to wake
him up, but he
never moved.
Scared, the boy
tried to ask for
help of the
passers-by, but
everybody was in
a hurry, not
even looking at
him.
A bit dismayed,
Carlos saw a
priest coming
and got hopeful.
He talked to the
man, begging:
— Priest, help
this poor man in
difficulties!
The priest cast
an indifferent
look upon the
beggar and said:
— Unfortunately,
I can’t. I’m
late. I’m off to
church where I
have a mass in
some minutes.
As he said that,
he kept walking,
leaving the boy
disappointed.
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It didn’t take
long, Carlos saw
a nice man
coming up, with
some books.
Full of courage,
he asked:
— Sir, you
should be a good
man that reads a
lot, because of
the books you
carry, can you
help this poor
man?
The stranger
looked at the
beggar on the
sidewalk, and,
straightening
his glasses,
replied:
— I can’t. I’m
bound for the
library where I
have to study.
Besides, he’s
got nothing that
a strong coffee
doesn’t heal.
He’s drunk!
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Coldly, without
worrying about
the boy’s
affliction, he
went on, in a
hurry.
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Carlos was about
to give up when
he saw his
teacher of
Evangelization,
coming up to
him. Happy, the
boy ran up to
her, saying:
— Thanks God you
are here, Ms.
Marta. Look,
this poor man
needs help!
The teacher came
closer, looking
at the beggar on
the sidewalk.
Then, looking at
the watch, she
said:
— I would love
helping this
man, Carlos, but
unfortunately
I’m going home
and I need to
fix dinner. I
was going to
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supermarket
where I need
to buy some
things
before it
closes. |
As he heard
these excuses,
the boy couldn’t
hide his
feelings. His
eyes were
watering and he
murmured to
himself:
— Will this man
find a good
Samaritan?
Surprised, his
teacher asked:
— What did you
just say?
— That’s it, Ms.
Marta.
Do you remember
the Story of the
Good Samaritan
that you told us
last Sunday? So
what! I’ve been
here for quite
some time now
and no one
answers my
requests. Even a
priest passed
by, and a
teacher, and no
one could help
him.
He paused and,
looking at the
teacher, said:
— Will there
come a good
Samaritan, just
like the story
Jesus told?
Deeply touched
by the boy’s
words, the
teacher replied,
ashamed:
— You’re right,
Carlos. We got
to do something.
She thought for
a while and
remembered that,
not far from
there, there was
a hospital.
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Decided, she
called and,
after some
minutes, an
ambulance was
taking the
beggar to
hospital.
Marta went along
with the boy,
where the doctor
examined the
patient. After
some time, the
doc said:
— Fortunately he
arrived on time.
He is sick and
so weak
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that, had it
not been for
you, he
would have
died. Now he
will receive
the
necessary
treatment
for his
recovery. He
is on
medicine,
and will
soon get
well. |
Happy, Marta and
Carlos hugged
each other. They
decided, then,
they would come
back to the
hospital every
day to visit
their new
friend.
Emotional, the
teacher said:
— Thanks to you,
Carlos, today we
act as true
Christians!
Aunt Célia
(Adaptation of
the Story of the
Good Samaritan,
Luke 10:30 to
37.)
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