"Doing The Will of the Heavenly Father." A Short Story

seyiodus (61)in #story • 6 years ago

At 47 years old she has been widowed, we have seen her give up her life, her fortune, her efforts, the potential of her prayers and her penances, to achieve the conversion of her husband.
Once her goal had been reached and Don Joaquin had died, one might think that the great mission of her life was over; that the rest would live in a well-deserved rest, with the insignificant rents that were left to her, surrendered to her acts of piety.

The designs of God were different.

The years of suffering that she endured until she saw that the Light penetrated her husband's soul did nothing but open up the horizon to the needs of her brothers and sisters.
She, who by nature had a compassionate heart, had never been content to give a purely material remedy to all the calamities she encountered. The smile, the advice, the words of encouragement always accompanied the alms, giving it a double effectiveness.
Do not; Dona Carmen could not devote herself to enjoying for the rest of her life the fame of a saint she was given.

She continued to intensify more and more her spiritual life. She continued to give herself to those who in some way had imprinted poverty in their existence. Several times she had let go of the desire to pick up the children lacking bread and Christian formation ...
Certainly, the goods left to her when she was widowed must have been insignificant. On more than one occasion she came to lack what is necessary.
It is also true that, as long as she had something, she could not see a need without remedying it. Hence, the scarce rents dwindled earlier than expected.

She continued to intensify more …

One day when she was visiting her sister Rosario, she allowed herself to see how on that day Dona Carmen's salaries were not enough to provide her with sustenance. Again, her sister advised her to stay there permanently, and thus avoid the hardship she had been suffering. Again Dona Carmen refused. Dona Rosario prepared with great affection a package with the best that she found to help her sister. When leaving the house, a poor woman, mother of numerous family, crossed the street with the anguish drawn in the face. Seeing Carmen is illuminated with a ray of hope. She has heard that she has no capital left, that she is poor too. However, she addresses her: "Dona Carmen, for God's sake; give me a hand! A month and a half ago my husband does not have a job. Today I can not put a stew, or even give a crust to him or my children ... The answer is instantaneous. "Look!" she says as she pulls out the package that her sister just gave her, "I was wearing this for a person who is going through a need today just like you. But take it; God will provide everywhere. Tears of emotion appear in the eyes of the poor woman, who did not expect such a quick or effective solution. And while she dries the tears with the tip of her apron, she says in a broken voice: -I ... look at you; I do not even know how to thank you ... Doña Carmen smiles: -Thanks to God, who never leaves us and who today put us both on the same path so that you could eat ... Dona Carmen did not eat that day; their sustenance, like that of Jesus, was "doing the will of the Heavenly Father."

Thanks for reading.