Praises
"He replied: `Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.'" Jesus (Luke, 11:28)
Jesus was directing His words to the multitude, with the enormous strength of His love, controlling the general attention of all. He had just finished the loving and wise observations, when a woman stood up amidst the crowd. Magnetized by His expression of sublime spirituality, she spoke in a loud voice about the blessings that should correspond to Mary, for having contributed to the arrival of the Savior to Earth. However, understanding well the unhappy consequences that could come from this thoughtlessness expressed, the Master responded promptly saying that prior to anything, blessed will be those who upon hearing the revelation of God, put its teachings into practice and observe its principles.
The passage constitutes a vivid enlightenment, not to hinder the campaign against personal praise by the sincere disciples, since it is poisonous to the most saintly tasks, suffocating its purpose and hope.
If you admire a companion that in your eyes appears to be a faithful worker for righteousness, do not perturb him with words that the world has frequently abused, repeating superficial phrases of praise but feasting dangerous flattery. Help him with goodwill and understanding in the execution of the ministry to which he was assigned, without forgetting that above all the blessings, the divine gift shines on "those who hear the words of God and obey it."
XAVIER, Francisco Cândido. Our Daily Bread. By the Spirit Emmanuel. Spititist Alliance for Books, 2003. Chapter 70.
Today
"But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. Paul (Hebrews, 3:13)
The suggestion regarding daily reciprocal encouragement, indicated by the Apostle Paul, requires a great deal of reflection so that we do not allow a little den of certain doubts to be created.
Let us emphasize that Paul places singular importance to time, that is called "Today," pointing out the necessity of valuing these resources along with our activity throughout the day.
Many believe that in order to give good advice to the brothers, it is necessary to communicate constantly, thus, transforming themselves into obstinate debaters. It is important to recognize, however, that a warning constituted solely of words leaves a great emptiness after they are spoken.
As occurs in the physical organizations, no spiritual edification will be constructed without foundation.
"But encourage one another" represents a more important appeal than simply calling the one involved to verbal debates.
Invitations and advice have more effectiveness when they are accompanied by the example of each one of us. All of those who live practicing the noble principles to which they devoted themselves in the world, who carefully fulfill the assumed duties and display goodness with sincerity, are leading the brothers and sisters in humanity on the uplifting path. It is for this kind of daily testimony that the Converted of Damascus invites us. Only through constant practice of inner reform will man free himself from fatal deceit.
Do not become hardened in the pathway that the Lord has led you to trek in favor of your redemption, evolvement and sanctification. Remember the importance of time that is called "Today."
XAVIER, Francisco Cândido. Our Daily Bread. By the Spirit Emmanuel. Spititist Alliance for Books, 2003. Chapter 69.
Questions 17 to 20 - The Knowledge of the Origin of Things
Spirits's replies to Allan Kardec
"No. On earth, God does not allow everything to be revealed to them."
"The veil is lifted as they become more and more purified, but in order to understand certain things they need faculties they do not yet have."
"Science has been given to them for their advancement in all matters, but they cannot go beyond the limits set by God."
"Yes, if God deems it useful, God will reveal what science cannot detect."
Allan Kardec's remarks:
It is through such communications that humans can, to a certain degree, know about their past and their future destiny.
KARDEC, Allan. The Spirits’ Book. 3.ed. International Spiritist Council, 2011.
A Necessary Awakening
"Wake up. O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." Paul (Ephesians, 5:14)
A great number of newcomers or not to the Christian groups, claim to have great difficulty in understanding and applying the teachings of Jesus. Some of them find obscurity in the texts, others persevere in the literary discussions. They become disturbed, they protest and reject the Divine bread for the human wrapping, which is required to preserve them on Earth.
Meanwhile, those friends do not perceive that this occurs because they remain dormant, victims of paralysis of their higher faculties.
In the majority of occasions, the Divine invitation slips by them through sanctifying suggestions; however, the distracted companions interpret them as sacred scenes, meriting praise, but very soon forgotten. The heart does not adhere remaining in a deafened sleep incapable of analyzing or understanding.
The individual needs to ask himself what he is doing, what he desires, what purpose he is seeking, and what he is aiming for. It is indispensable to self examine oneself, emerge from the animalism and stand up in order to master his own path.
Great masses, supposedly religious, are being conducted due to daily circumstances, as unconscious somnambulists. They talk about God, faith, and spirituality, as if they were breathing in a strange dark nightmarish atmosphere. Shaken up by the incessant currents of the river of life, they roll in the whirlwind of occurrences, blinded, sleepy, and half dead until they awaken and lift themselves up through their own effort, in order that the "Christ can enlighten them."
XAVIER, Francisco Cândido. Our Daily Bread. By the Spirit Emmanuel. Spititist Alliance for Books, 2003. Chapter 68.
Questions 14 to 16 - Pantheism
Spirits's replies to Allan Kardec
"If the latter were the case, God per se would not exist because God would be an effect and not a cause. God cannot be both cause and effect at the same time.
"You cannot doubt that God exists and that is the point that matters. Believe me and do not try to go any farther. Do not get lost in a maze from which you will not be able to exit. Trying to go farther will not make you any better; instead, it will probably just add to your pride by leading you to imagine that you understand something when you actually understand nothing at all. Therefore, put all theories aside regarding the matter. You have much more important things to be concerned about, beginning with yourselves. Study your own imperfections in order to get rid of them; that will be far more useful to you than trying to penetrate the impenetrable."
"Since humans are unable to make themselves God, they would like to at least be a part of God."
"Reason. Reflect on it carefully and you will have no difficulty in seeing how absurd it is."
Allan Kardec's remarks:
The pantheistic doctrine views God as a material being, who, even though possessed of supreme intelligence, is nevertheless only a larger version of us. Furthermore, since matter is continually changing, then God would have no stability and would be subject to all the changes and all the needs of humanity. God would thus lack one of the essential attributes of the Divinity: immutability. The properties of matter cannot be linked to the idea of God without impairing how we think about God, and all the subtleties of sophistry will never be able to solve the issue of God’s innermost nature. We do not know all that God is, but we do know what God cannot fail to be. Pantheism contradicts the most essential divine properties by confusing the Creator with the creature. It is like regarding an ingenious machine as being an integral component of the machinist who invented it.
God’s intelligence is revealed in God’s works, just like an artist’s is revealed in his or her paintings; but God’s works are no more actually God than the painting is the artist who conceived and painted it.
KARDEC, Allan. The Spirits’ Book. 3.ed. International Spiritist Council, 2011.
Allan Kardec's remarks:
The more humans are allowed to grasp such mysteries, the more they should admire the power and wisdom of the Creator. However, whether through pride or through weakness, their own minds often render them victims of illusion and they pile theory upon theory. Every day they see how many errors they have mistaken for truths and how many truths they have dismissed as errors. These realizations are further blows to their pride.