Focolare Movement

School: myself in the first place?

Jan 13, 2012

To Study is important; but to lend a hand to those in need is equally so. A young student relates to us what happened to him on the eve of a test in class.

“I was studying for a history test in class and I could not concentrate; there were many pages and I was thinking that it would be difficult to succeed in covering them all. To make the situation worse, I get an sms from some friends who ask me for help with a mathematics test. I reread the message, think about all the history pages and almost answer that I cannot help them. After some seconds however something within me tells me that I am losing an opportunity to love friends who are in difficulty. Instinctively I had put myself in the first place, without thinking about how important it is to help the others. I close my book, and hurry to the house of one of them where they were gathered. I involve myself and help them until late in the evening. When I return home, there is no more time to study history, now how would I carry out the test? I trust everything to God, believing that He would find a solution. On the morrow, some companions ask the teacher whether she can postpone the test; evidently I was not the only one who had not studied. The teacher, who is usually intransigent, decides to postpone the test. Simply luck? I do not believe so! I think rather that God in His providence has rewarded the act of trust done the previous evening.” (S. G. –Italy)

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