Testimony of faith. A simple gesture

At home, we were five sisters. Four of us chose to work in the medical-social sector: social worker, specialist educator, doctor, nurse. As for the youngest, Agnès, now deceased, she resided in a home for people suffering from mental disabilities.

I often visited him. One day, as I arrived, a man came towards me with determined steps. He holds out his hand to me, holds it firmly in his and says: “I know you, you are Agnès’ sister. » We exchange a few words, then he continues: “Are you thirsty? I’ll get you a drink. » And he immediately brings me a glass of water accompanied by a huge smile.

I think back very often to this moment which I find exceptional. This man’s gesture towards me made me think of the passage from the Gospel where we see the Samaritan woman giving Jesus a drink. She pours the water, but it is he who gives drink from his inexhaustible source. Likewise, I felt like I was doing a good deed by going to see these fragile people; but that day I received much more than I gave. By helping me to look at these people in a new way, the Holy Spirit shed new light on my actions.

This simple gesture strengthened me, brought me back to the foundations of my faith: “Every time you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me. “. This gave color to my hope. Hope that nothing is finished, that man does not have a label defined once and for all.

My sister was happy too. One day when I had dressed up to go see her, she said to me: “You painted yourself, you know, you shouldn’t be smart…”. I received this beautiful lesson in humility from her. Another day, one of her friends said to me: “I know you; I know you because you have a nice face. » These were her words but they moved me, and I replied that she too had “a nice face”. No one had ever told her, she was touched by it.

The man I met reminded me of all these events. Whoever I visit, it is ultimately he who visits me. I like this simplicity in meetings. Jesus chose his messengers from among the poor, they are the ones who teach us. Thank you life !