Antoni BigCuore *
Date: 12/26/2020, Saturday, at
9:03 am
Location: São Paulo, Sp.
Yesterday I was remembering
the Christmases I spent in my childhood and youth. I lived in Ourinhos, SP.,
And every year my grandfather José, as a good Italian he was, liked the whole
family together.
He lived in Palmital, SP.,
About 2 hours drive from Ourinhos, more or less. I remember his residence well,
with a generous yard, where he not only raised his chickens and laying hens,
but also had a beautiful garden, where he cultivated all kinds of vegetables
and fruits.
Tell me in passing, my
Grandfather, he lived by dispatching the Sorocabana Railway, eggs and chickens
to São Paulo, in addition to having a good workshop to repair musical
instruments.
He subscribed to the Folha de
São Paulo newspaper, which informed him of national and international news. I
remember well, when I was very old, lying in bed, with a magnifying glass,
reading your newspaper. (I have this image alive in my retina !!!)
He had a beautiful farm of
about 40 bushels, more or less, where he mainly grows coffee. I remember well
that every year he kept part of the coffee harvest for all his children. At
that time he was very cold in Ourinhos e Região and, not infrequently, he
burned almost all the coffee plantations.
At lunchtime, I remember him
sitting, like a good Italian Patriarch, at the end of the table and, while he
didn't, NO ONE could start the meal.
He would say a prayer of
thanks and then yes, he would start eating the appetizing delicacies prepared
by my Grandmother Filomena Ronchi. I also remember the grape leaf vinegar that
she made. Given a special flavor to the lettuce salad harvested in the yard.
!!! (oh how I miss you ... I was happy and didn't know!)
________________________________________________
Going back to the year of
2020, when the whole of Humanity was plagued by this “evil plague”, from Cv.19,
I can say that, for me particularly, it was the best year that I was able to
experience. I am speaking in terms of SPIRITUALITY !. Because? Because taking a
trip inside myself, I was able to purify myself even more, praying the Rosary
(something that the evil one had NEVER let me do), I feed myself on the bread
of the Word of God, daily, as I have done since 2000, and reading uplifting
content books.
I was able to better assess
the whole reality in our country and abroad. The great lesson I learned is that
NO ONE CAN BE HAPPY ALONE !. WE ALL NEED ONE OF OTHERS!
God created us for Love !!!.
And love presupposes not only the love experienced in your family, as well as
love in the biblical sense of loving your neighbor as myself!
GOD TAKES OUT OF EVIL, ALWAYS
A GREATER GOOD !!!
I studied more. I followed my
routine almost "normal", or better within the "new" normal.
I took all the care recommended by the health authorities, but always following
my routine.
I missed it a lot in the first
months of the Eucharistic celebration (Mass mainly on Sundays). But fortunately
a neighbor of mine (who is Minister of the Eucharist), brought the holy
Eucharist for me and my wife every Sunday. It was the great LENITIVE for our
souls!
In a second phase of
flexibilization, the churches reopened within the protocols required by the
health authorities, I was able to sing again at the Mass of every Friday, at
7.30 pm, in the Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora da Salette and, taken by a keyboard
player from our ensemble, I also started to sing at Capela São João Batista, in
the bankers' neighborhood, in the north zone of São Paulo, on Sundays at the
9.00 hour mass! What a bless!!!
I realized how selfish and
individualistic human beings are, but that, due to this pandemic, many of them
also had the opportunity to REINVENT themselves and reevaluate their values,
both material and spiritual.
I started to observe and appreciate what really matters, because in this life we are passing through. It is an entrance exam for eternal life. We are all dedicated to love!
God
never leaves us! God walks with us. I understand this pandemic as a “tug of an
ear” that God gave to humanity so that it CONVERTS while there is time !.
My brothers and sisters in
Christ, this life goes by very quickly and the ONLY thing that really matters
is what we do with TIME. This is the most precious gift that God gives us for
our spiritual improvement.
We take advantage of it to
improve ourselves spiritually and intellectually and to practice the WORKS OF
MERCY, both spiritual and bodily.
Give food to the hungry; give
water to those who are thirsty; dress the nudes; burying the dead; visiting the
sick; give good advice; giving alms to the frail; have COMPASSION from those
who suffer, especially the most needy. Finally, to practice TRUE CHARITY, which
is Love in its highest degree !!!
The year 2020 for me YES
EXISTED !!! And it was a year, despite all the tribulations suffered, a very
rich year for my evolution, both material and spiritual!
GOD BE ETERNALLY PRAISED !!!
JESUS, I ETERNALLY TRUST YOU!
________________________________________________
A holy and happy eighth of
Christmas for all, with great health, peace and joy (which comes from the Holy
Spirit of God) to all of you my readers of this renowned Portal Recanto das
Letras and my Blog Bem Viver Brazil, on Google.
HOPE ALWAYS !, because it
moves us towards the arms of the Divine Eternal Father !. Amen!
(*) author is Amigo do Bem,
writer, singer, composer and disseminator of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the
entire planet. Know his Blog Bem Viver Brazil - antonibigcuore.blogspot.com
(self-knowledge, spirituality and healthy life). Bilingual: Portuguese /
English. With readers on every continent on Earth.
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