Showing posts with label God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label God. Show all posts

Sunday, May 30, 2021

Prohibitions

Why are certain things prohibited? Why impose restrictions? Could a prohibition be a sign of Love?
Photo by Marcial Bollinger on Unsplash

When we are children, we use to hear the word no a lot. For example:

  • Do not put your finger in the socket.
  • Don't bite your brother.
  • Do not take cold.
  • Don't go there because it's dangerous.
  • Do not do it.
  • Do not do that.

Parents use a list of prohibitions to save and protect their children from the evils that could befall them as a result of certain actions.

The younger the child, the less able to understand the extent to which certain attitudes can generate. The parents, then, do not negotiate. They impose prohibitions to preserve themselves from dangers and suffering, both to themselves and to those around them.

As the child matures, the ability to understand grows. The more mature, the greater the sense of the relationship between cause and effect.

Not putting the finger in the socket makes sense because the shock will cause pain. Not biting the brother is understandable because, in addition to causing pain in the other, there may be retaliation. Not taking cold protects you from getting sick and bedridden.

In summary, that list of prohibitions has the character of preserving pain and evil, a sign that parents care and love their children.

A balanced life

When Humanity was in its infancy, out of barbarism, God, Father of infinite love, sent, through Moses, a list of rules for a more balanced life and a harmonious coexistence on Earth.

This list contains the Ten Commandments and, among them, several prohibitions:

  1. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
  2. You will not kill.
  3. You will not commit adultery.
  4. You will not steal.
  5. You will not say false testimony against your neighbor.
  6. You will not want the next man's wife.
  7. You shall not covet your neighbor's house, nor his servant, nor his handmaid, nor his ox, nor his donkey, or anything else that belongs to him.

At that time, Humanity was unable to understand the scope of these rules.

It was not aware that these commandments brought the essence of the Divine Laws, the only knowledge necessary for happiness. God has put these laws in our own consciences to guide us towards good. With discernment, we know what we must or not do and are guided to happiness when we follow them, or to unhappinness whenever we violate them.

In the same way that some children defy their parents and violate the rules suffering later, many of us also refuse to follow the Divine Laws. Our immaturity and rebellion against these laws is what causes sufferings for ourselves and for others around us.

Final Thoughts

The only way to live a peaceful and happy life is to not see these prohibitions as authoritarian, but as proof of love.

Those who don't fight with God and its Laws, know that doing so will only make them suffer. They understand that God is a loving Father, waiting for His children (us) to mature and to love and understand these Laws that rule the Earth and the whole Universe.

And God knows that when that happens, no prohibition will be necessary as human beings will act with conscience always aiming for the good of everything and everyone.

Adapted from Momento Espírita, originally published on April 19, 2016

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Sunday, May 2, 2021

When I won my Parents

It doesn't matter if we were planned or not. Our parents had us but we won them.
Photo by Natalya Zaritskaya on Unsplash

That seemed to be more of a simple school task for an eight-year-old girl. The handout had problems to be solved and several questions on different subjects.

However, on the last page there was this task: "Make a drawing that represents a remarkable fact of your life."

The young girl drew a woman with a baby in her arms and, beside her, a man, both smiling. Above the scene written in a neat handwriting was: "When I won my parents."

How to contain the tears before such a simple declaration of love?

The girl remembered, with affection, that she had arrived at that loving home, just over eight years ago, through the blessed way of adoption. It was one of the first moments when the little heart thanked God for the opportunity to have a loving family on Earth.

Other children remembered trips, Christmas gifts and trips. Nothing close to how she thanked her parents:

When I won my parents, I also gained the certainty of being loved

When I won my parents, I was flooded with willpower, the desire to get it right and to love too.

When I won my parents, I decided to give love one more chance, and then another, and then another ...

When I won my parents, that's when I really felt protected ...

Be Grateful

Do you remember when you won your parents?

Yes, they are the greatest gift we receive when we are born. We may not yet understand this well, but time and memories will help us understand how everything makes sense.

We all won our parents. And they are not just any parents chosen by the force of randomness, they are the parents we needed, when we needed them.

Let us be grateful for having parents, for our life, for our family, for the love that was given to us, for living a respectful life, for learning so much from their examples. Gratitude is good for everyone. It is good for those who carry it in their hearts. It is good for those who receive it as unexpected fragrant flowers that fall on their hands and make life happier. 

Final Thoughts

Why wait to say thanks? Why wait for that special occasion to acknowledge and express our gratitude to our parents? Why are we so embarrassed to say: "you are important to me, I love you very much!" 

Why be ashamed to love and to say thank you?

Thank your parents while there is time. Thank them still today.

Adapted from Momento Espírita, originally published on August 13, 2016.

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Sunday, February 14, 2021

When death arrives

No one can escape death. So why we avoid so much thinking and preparing for it?
Photo by Veit Hammer on Unsplash

Death is something that no one escapes. Rich, intellectual, poor, ignorant, good or bad, we will all die one day.

In a paradoxical way however, it is what we generally least think of. And sometimes, we don't even want to think about it!

However, we should keep in mind that if we inevitably go towards a certain destination, the correct thing to do is to prepare. As we would be if we were about to go on a long journey to a different country.

Not knowing exactly what weather we were going to find, we would take clothes for mild temperatures and clothes for very warm or very cold days.

We would also plan what we'd do when we arrived there.

So, how can we not think about the great and essential journey that we will take when we die, transferring ourselves from this world to another?

A world that is vibrant, where we will reunion with our ancestors.

Perhaps we should consider how to improve our wedding dress, the same one that the Evangelist describes in the parable of the wedding feast. Dress that is woven, in our day to day, by our way of thinking, acting, producing good or evil.

Perhaps it would be interesting to consider strengthening our links with the good God so that when that moment comes, we are ready.

And that prayer needs not be something memorized. It could be as spontaneous as this:

Lord, when I have to leave, allow me to be prepared. May there be peace in my conscience for not having done wrong to others.

May I be ready, with my bag of good deeds in an appropriate suitcase, without remorse for what has not been done and not done.

Allow the good Spirits to receive me and assist me in transposing the fragile vessel of earthly life to the immense vessel of Spirituality.

Who knows, Lord, you may even allow old loves to welcome me, bringing me hugs, flowers and smiles. Loves that left before, leaving a gap in my heart. Loves from other lives, always remembered by my immortal Spirit.

Allow, Heavenly Father, those who remain on Earth be in peace and accept my departure with the dignity of those who are aware that this journey is fast.

May they be able to restructure their lives, without my presence. May they continue in their journey of progress and struggles.

May I, now a pacified soul, enter the Spirituality eager to continue learning, working, as soon as I get over the tiredness of the earthly journey and any reflexes of physical disorders that have taken me the last days.

May I return to the home I left there, resuming tasks suspended for a while.

May I be allowed to travel through places I wished to visit, while incarnated so I can know spectacular places created by Your greatness.

Anyway, Lord, stay with me at that time.

Adapted from Momento Espírita, originally published on February 13, 2020.

Final Thoughts

Death is the only thing that no one can escape from. And since it's inevitable, will do we think so little about it? If we inevitably go towards a certain destination, the correct thing to do is to prepare. Prepare now with good actions. Prepare by choosing good over bad.

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Sunday, January 24, 2021

Courage

The moment we live is of great challenges. Do we have courage to bear all the challenges we face? 

Photo by Oliver Cole on Unsplash

The moment we now live on Earth is of great challenges, requiring a lot of courage, to behave according to the Divine Laws.

Courage to maintain honesty when almost everything around us conspires against the right attitudes.

Courage not to strike back at the blows of insanity, maintaining understanding and praying the blessings of heaven for your unbalanced brother.

Courage not to deviate from humility and integrity when, with power in our hands, we do not allow pride and selfishness to take over.

Courage to cultivate moderation and patience when we realize that the difficulties are getting worse.

Courage to maintain patience, even if your heart is beaten by the onslaught of cruel feelings that reach us.

Courage to preserve in serenity when the storms of discord and disagreements roar, threatening to bring us down.

Moral Courage

When we carry the Gospel of Jesus in our hearts, we know that it is not by running away from obstacles that we overcome them, but by facing them with calm, serenity and confidence. We understand that the first virtue of those who trust God is moral courage.

Courage that is necessary to achieve self-discipline to remain in balance in the face of attacks of less noble feelings and attitudes.

Courage that helps bearing difficulties with serenity, making the necessary efforts to overcome them.

Courage to persevere in the face of difficulties, without allowing ourselves to give up.

Our journey, in this life, reserves us many paths to travel, but the peace and happiness that we long for, will only be built with inner courage. And it is this courage that will determine when and how we will achieve our inner improvement, which will be reflected in our individual fulfillment.

The greater the achievement, the calmer our attitudes will be, helping us continue our personal journey.

Final Thoughts

Faced with the most embarrassing situations of his material life, Jesus endured all the injuries, all the humiliations that were inflicted on him, maintaining the purity of the high ideal for which he endeavored to the extreme sacrifice.

Let us have the courage to act like Him, maintaining serenity and moving on.

Let us have compassion of those who have lost their faith and stumbled upon violence.

Let us look at those who despaired and were lost in the revolt.

Let us keep in mind that true courage arises from resilience and calm in times of challenge, suffering and imbalance.

Let us protect ourselves in good. When we are about to utter any thoughtless phrase or take the least action against others, let us pray and be silent because heaven hears us. God will always sustain us in our good efforts.

Adapted from Momento Espírita, originally published on April 07, 2018.

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Sunday, January 17, 2021

Vibrating Bridge

How do you deal with the challenges and stresses of the modern life?
Photo by Andre Xavier on Unsplash

She returned from school, where she worked for many years. She was discouraged by the routine situation. The violence in the children's actions and words left her actionless, after so many attempts to resolve them.

Every day she worked hard doing her best. She guided and corrected their attitudes so that the children would become kinder to each other, so that they felt like family.  However, she saw that none of her efforts was effective.

Discouraged, she sat on the bench in the garden and cried. Her father, seeing her there, came over and stroked her hair in silence. With her beloved presence, she allowed herself to give more freedom to emotions. She hugged him and let the tears flow.

When she calmed down a little, he spoke calmly: "I don't know what your problem is, but we can establish a vibrating bridge to the sky, from where you will come calm and tranquility to solve what ails you." Remember what we have been taught: "Whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you will get it and what you will grant will be what you ask for."

She smiled slightly and, because she still felt a little tormented, she asked him to formulate the prayer for her, for her work and for the children at school. Right there, among the flowers, he prayed. She, following her words mentally, felt her heart calm and hope to be reborn.

Later, they went into the house, had tea and continued to talk. She found that she was now calmer and more confident, envisioning other possible solutions.

The mechanism of prayer

It is important to know the mechanism of prayer. Jesus, the sweet Rabbi of Galilee, used to walk away from the crowd in order to pray to the Father in silence.

An enlightened creature wrote: prayer is the emanation of well-directed thinking and rich in vibratory content, establishing the creature's exchange with the Creator. Therefore, thoughts driven by love and charged with positive energies can perform real miracles.

Prayer not only dilutes negative energies, it renews the moral forces of being, saturating it with higher vibrations that alter mental, emotional and organic landscapes.

The act of praying is an expression of humility towards life and an awakening of the conscience to understand the goals to which one must give oneself.

Jesus sought prayer as an effective resource to be linked to the Father, maintaining the exchange for the inspiration and courage that he was always clothed with. Through the constant practice of prayer, He left us an example that we must not abandon.

Final Thoughts

Through sincere prayer, we are in tune with the spheres of light, from which we draw the energies that provide emotional balance and inner peace, which allows us to better reason and act.

A sincere prayer opens the windows of the soul and expands our possibilities of inspiration.

Allow ourselves the exercise of prayer, in all situations of our life. Pray and let yourself be guided by the Celeste Pastor who will send you superior support in any circumstance through this vibrating bridge, called prayer.

Adapted from Momento Espírita, originally published on May 06, 2016.

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Thursday, December 31, 2020

New Year

For most people, the new year is the best moment for big changes. But year after year they fail in finding happiness. Would you know why?
Photo by Ray Hennessy on Unsplash

Today is the day that starts a New Year. It's a moment of joy and fellowship. We all want to start another year with renewed hopes.

The pleas, in general, are to have a lot of money in your pocket, health to give and sell. But if we have all this, will we be guaranteed a New Year full of happiness?

If God gives us health, what usually happens is that we try to end it in the name of parties. Be it with excesses in food, alcoholic beverages, tobacco, or other drugs no less harmful to health. We do not realize that our health depends on us. If we want a good year, we will have to do our part.

If we stop to analyze what the New Year means, we will notice that nothing changes externally. Everything remains as it was the day before. The sick remain ill, those in prison remain incarcerated, the unhappy remain unhappy, criminals continue to plot their crimes, and so on. It's us, and only us, who can build a better year, since a Happy New Year is built, not wanted.

How to have a happy new year

And how can we have a happy new year? If aim a good year we have to start today. As any investment we will harvest the results (or failures) of the previous years.

We will be able to build a good year if we work diligently in our moral reform, rethinking our values, correcting our mistakes, adjusting the direction of our private road. For example, if we start by changing our misbehaviors, we will certainly have a happier year.

Start thinking a little more about the people who live around you. If you open your eyes you'll see how much pain exists around you. If we work to build a better world, one day we will finally conquer the happiness we aim for.

The path to happiness

There is only one way to reach happiness. And that path was shown by Who really has authority, for having walked it. We know this someone as Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ.

In the teaching Love God over all things and others as yourself is the key to true happiness. Jesus places us as a point of reference. That is why he recommends that we love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Whoever loves is preserving health. Whoever loves himself does not bombard his body with harmful elements, nor the Spirit with anger, envy, jealousy.

Whoever loves God above all things, respects His creation, His laws and their peers because they know that we were all created by Him and that He loves us all.

Do you want a New Year full of happiness? Start by building it yourself.

Conclusion

The new period of time that begins, like so many others that have passed, will be full of opportunities. Whether to use them well or badly depends on each one of us. The river of opportunities passes through its waters without returning in the same circumstances.

Today will soon pass and we will call it yesterday, as tomorrow will soon be today, which will also become yesterday. And, without us realizing it, we will soon be calling this new year the old year.

May we all be able to enjoy the treasure of the minutes in the construction of the happy tomorrow that we desire, because eternity is made up of seconds.

Happy new year! 🙏♥🎉

Adapted from Momento Espírita, originally published on January 1st, 2019.

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Sunday, December 20, 2020

Planting and Harvesting

Could you explain why we suffer? Could you explain why some suffer more than others?
Photo by Warren Wong on Unsplash

According to the dictionaries, freewill is the possibility to decide, to choose according to one's will, free from any conditioning.

And that is how Divinity - the supreme intelligence of the universe - allows us to conduct our existence. To make decisions in our lives we only depend on our own judgment, on our personal analysis, on confronting our own conscience.

The Divine Providence, in an educational way, provides us with the opportunity for choices. And, for the sake of justice, it offers us, as a learning experience, the full consequences of our actions.

That is how the judge will answer for what he does in the courts. The executive will account for the management of the resources under his responsibility. The public manager will face consequences proportional to the quality of his actions. The teacher will be responsible for the good or bad made during the course of the profession. The employee will be considered for the quality of his actions and conduct.

We are free to make our decisions

We are free to make our decisions. However, once they are executed, we link ourselves to them and become either victims or beneficiaries of them. We may act in any way we believe is appropriate or convenient but we will have to account for everything we do.

Nobody deceives the all-seeing Divine Justice, from the insignificant to the most expressive acts. Erroneous attitudes, even those hidden from men, those that we believe we have managed to circumvent human justice, do not go unnoticed by the Divine Justice. Therefore acting positively, ethically, is a matter of wisdom. All the good that we do, even if silently and anonymously will be counted in our personal accounts.

For this reason, every difficulty that we face now are nothing more than debts of the past. And they reach us now because the Divinity understands that we have the conditions to pay them off. Thanks to this mechanism designed by God - which is always just and correct - we are provided with the chance to repair previous mistakes.

Final Thoughts

Out of kindness and in favor of our balance, the Heavenly Father offers us to forget our criminal past, so that we can better face its consequences. The understanding of Divine Justice, a lucid, reason-based faith twill give us encouragement to continue our journey.

We are heirs of our actions. Nothing that happens to us is due to divine punishment, heavenly revenge, or forgetting the loving and good Father. Our misfortunes are the consequences of not observing the law of love and they are an invitation to reflection and learning, so that love, effectively, establishes itself in our intimacy.

In this light, we will understand pain as a blessing, a cheater of our lives. It will lead us to higher levels of evolution.

Adapted from Momento Espírita, originally published on June 13, 2015.

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Sunday, November 29, 2020

Divine Poem

All that surrounds us is Divine poetry. Including ourselves.
Photo by Sergey Shmidt on Unsplash

Our Father, who is in heaven, on earth, in fire, in water and in the air. Our Father, who is in the flowers, in the song of the birds, in the beating heart. Who is in compassion, in charity, in patience and in the gesture of forgiveness.

Our Father, who is in me, who is in the one I love, in the one who hurts me, in the one who seeks the truth. Our Father, who is in the one who walks with me and in the one who has already left, leaving my soul wounded by longing.

Hallowed be Your name for all that is beautiful, good, just and graceful, for all the harmony of Creation. Be sanctified for my life, for so many opportunities, for what I am, have and feel and for leading me to perfection.

Thy kingdom of peace and justice, faith and charity, light and love, come to us. Kingdom that I am called upon to build through meekness of spirit, a reflection of inner greatness.

Thy will be done, even though my pleas cherish more my pride than my real needs.

Although I only hear silence as answer to my prayers, I do feel You say: son, wait, the eternity is all yours.

Give me our daily bread today so I can share it with my brother. The material comfort I now have are of no use if I do not remember those who live in distress.

Bread of the body, bread of the soul, bread that is life, truth and light. Bread that brings breath and joy, the Gospel of Jesus.

Forgive my offenses, my mistakes, my faults. Forgive when my heart becomes cold, when I allow evil to manifest itself in the form of aggression.

May I listen more than speak. May I seek to welcome others instead of judging them. May I sow peace instead of cultivating violence. May I be able to thank more than ask.

Forgive me, just as I forgive those who offend me, even when my heart is hurt by the bitterness and discomfort of ingratitude of others.

May I, Lord of Life, remember that no pain is eternal and that the only way to sublimity is the humble road of reconciliation.

Do not let me fall into the temptations of errors, addictions and selfishness, which make me a slave to my malevolence. Rather, may Your light be on me, illuminating me, so that I can find you within my soul, as part of my essence.

And deliver me from all evil, from all violence, from all misfortune, from all illness. Deliver me from all pain, all hurt and disappointment.

But still, when such difficulties are necessary, may I have the strength and courage to say: Thank you, Father, for one more lesson!

Final Thoughts

All that surrounds us is Divine poetry. There is a trait of God in every being. Let us seek Him in the blossoming of flowers, in the flow of waters, in the song of the wind, in the twinkling of the stars.

But above all, let us search for Him within us. We just need to close our eyes and feel Him giving rhyme to the verses of our lives.

Adapted from Momento Espírita, originally published on May 06, 2017.

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Sunday, November 22, 2020

We can count on our loved ones

Can someone feel our emotions without us saying a single word?
Photo by Jude Beck on Unsplash

It had been a very difficult week for him. As a dedicated and responsible businessman, he faced multiple complications in the small organization which already had more than two decades of existence.

After another sleepless night, one of those we stay awake all night trying to find solutions to our problems, he took his youngest daughter - five at the time - to school. The girl's joy made him forget, for a few moments, all the battles that awaited him. A brief rest for that warrior soul.

They stopped the car and and as always he took her to the entrance of the educational institution. They were going to say goodbye when she suddenly burst into tears and hugged him tightly.

She never complains about going to school, he thought. What happened?

After a few moments, unable to speak, she said to him: Daddy, I want to go to work with you! - And continued to embrace him still in tears. He understood the reason for weeping, and he was also moved. Even without him saying what was going on inside her, she had realized that her beloved father's heart was sad.

Not knowing how to express her desire to help, to make him happy again, to comfort him, she proposes to go to work with him.

What a beautiful and simple expression of love. That type of love which wants to see those around us well, happy and in peace.

And what could be more pure than a child's expression, saying to his father: I'm here, I want to help, don't be like this.

Invisible vibrations

We radiate everything that goes into our soul without even realizing. We may try to hide behind the silence but we emit invisible vibrations constantly and those sensitive enough can capture it. Those who love us, who care about us, are attentive, and willing to help will certainly do.

And yet, on many occasions, the Divine Providence makes use of those around us to send us advices, friendly words and issues of affection.

Yes, the Creator speaks to us in the most different ways possible. It is up to us to know how to hear Him.

In the daughter's proposal mentioned earlier, perhaps it was God's embrace saying: I know that the battles are many, and that sometimes you feel weak, helpless. But know that you are not alone. Those who love you, in My name, are at your side.

There is no victory without a battle. There is no conquest without fights. The warrior who deserves rest and triumph is one who stands firm, and who follows through.

Final Thoughts

At the same time that we are surrounded by challenges and struggles, we are supported by the love of Divine Laws. We are never abandoned, although we often think that our struggle is lonely. We can count on the safe haven of the family, on the true friendships, and have the confidence that everything will end well.

Let us try to always tune in to the highest spiritual planes, through positive thoughts and sincere prayer, so that we can more easily receive the necessary assistance.  Let us observe life around us. Do not allow ourselves to close in the lonely caves of distress, anxiety, and self-terrorism.

The many fights will be worth it. Be sure of that.

And for those who think that life is made up of uncertainties and easily despair, here's another comforting certainty - we can always count on our loves.

Adapted from Momento Espírita, originally published on April 02, 2018.

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Monday, November 2, 2020

A Thinking Power

Can distinguished personalities recognize the existence of a greater good?
Photo by Greg Rakozy on Unsplash

One of the greatest geniuses of humanity, Albert Einstein, defined God as:

a Thinking Power acting outside the Universe, without which nothing can be explained. The more we penetrate the secrets of nature, the greater our respect for God becomes.

Like him, several distinguished Nobel Prize personalities affirmed their belief in God. The philosopher Jean Paul Sartre who throughout his career, was a militant atheist, approaching his death, then blind, decrepit, but still in full possession of his faculties, affirmed his belief in God:

I do not feel that I am the product of chance, a speck of dust in the Universe, but someone who was expected, prepared, prefigured. In short, a being that only the Creator could place here, and this idea of ​​a creative hand refers to God.

For its part, the 1927 Nobel Prize in Physics, Arthur Compton, commenting on the first verse of the Bible in the Chicago Daily News of April 12, 1936, stated his point of view:

For me, faith begins with the perception of that a Supreme Intelligence brought the Universe into existence and created man.

It is not difficult to have this faith, as it is indisputable that where there is a plan, there is intelligence. An ordered and unfolded Universe testifies to the truth of the most majestic statement ever made: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."

Most of us live without realizing that the divine Providence exists and watches over us.

Sometimes, however, one fact is enough to wake us up. Scottish physician A. J. Cronin said that an explosion in a coal mine which buried fourteen miners and kept them buried for five days was that fact. When the rescue crew cleared the underground path, they heard a faint melody coming from the bottom of the rubble: Our God, Our Help in Ages Past.

That was what kept those men maintaining their courage. Weak but alive, they would hear the crowd waiting outside sang the same hymn that echoed joyfully through the narrow valley. That great volume of sound enveloped Cronin with an indescribable emotional force, bringing him to tears, for the demonstration of human faith in God. And that was one of the facts that made that doctor come to reconsider his perception about the existence of this Supreme Being, Creator and Lord of the Universe.

Final Thoughts

When the starry nights provide us with ecstasy before your contemplation; when we watch the travel of planets that rotate in space, in their specific orbits, without colliding; when we witness the miracle of life, which is renewed, at each dawn, without reciting itself in the same way, we are led to believe in this Thinking Power, which rules the orchestra of the expanding Universe.

Let us recognize that the heavens proclaim the glory of God, and the firmament announces the work of His hands.

Adapted from Momento Espírita, originally published on February 24, 2017.

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Monday, October 19, 2020

A Poem to God

Would you be able to imagine what a soul would write to God?
Photo by Free To Use Sounds on Unsplash

One day, a soul awakens and delights itself with the morning that stretches on the horizon. It feels as if it is hovering above and beyond the human scale. It remembers being the daughter of a loving and good Father, a Creator who provides everything for everyone. Full of gratitude, it says this verse:

God, intelligence of intelligences, cause of causes, law of laws, principle of principles, reason of reasons, conscience of consciences. Isaac Newton was right to discover himself, every time he spoke Your Name.

God, kind Father, I find you in nature, your daughter and our mother.

I recognize you, Lord, in the poetry of Creation, in the wind that strums harmonies in the hair of the trees.

In colors that are so diverse in hues and gradations.

In the rolling waters, silent, in tiny streams, in the noisy waterfalls, of considerable heights, in the green of the grass that carpets the garden and the squares.

I recognize you, Father, in the flower of gardens and orchards, in the grass of the valleys, in the hue of the fields, in the breeze of the meadows.

Lord, I find you in the scent of the fields, in the murmur of the fountains, in the rumble of the smallest branches of the treetops.

I also discover you in the music of the woods, in the placidity of the lakes, in the pride of the mountains, in the expanse of the oceans, in the majesty of the firmament.

I see you, Lord, in the child who smiles, plays, jumps and spreads joy and laughter.

I recognize you, Father, in the old man who walks slowly, who stumbles. But, above all, in the intelligence he reveals, the result of his well-lived experiences.

I discover you in the beggar who begs, in the helping hand, in the mother who watches, in the father who instructs, in the apostle who evangelizes.

God! I recognize you in my wife's love, in my son's affection, in my sister's esteem, in your indulgent mercy.

And I find you, Lord, in the faith of what you have, in the hope of the peoples, in the charity of the good, in the integrity of the whole.

I recognize you, Lord, in the inspiration of the poet, in the eloquence of the speaker, in the creativity of the artist.

I also find you in the wisdom of the philosopher, in the intellectuality of the scholar, in the fires of the genius!

And you are still in the polar dawns, in the silvery of the moon, in the brightness of the sun, in the brightness of the stars, in the brightness of the constellations.

God! I recognize you in the formation of the nebulae, in the origin of the worlds, in the genesis of the suns, in the cradle of the humanities, in the wonder, in the splendor, in the sublime of the infinite!

Finally, I understand when Jesus prays "Our Father who art in heaven..."  or when angels sing: "Glory to God on high..."

May you find peace you look for in your heart! 🌹🧡🙏

Adapted from Momento Espírita, originally published on September 12, 2016.

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Monday, October 5, 2020

Bridge of Life

How one can transform darkness in life? Hopelessness in happiness?
Photo by Alex Azabache on Unsplash

An insurance company allied with the government of South Korea to start an advertising campaign on one of the most important bridges in Seoul, the Mapo Bridge, known as bridge of death to reimagine it as the bridge of life.

South Korea is one of the countries with the highest suicide rate in the world. Just the Mapo Bridge itself recorded an average of twenty-one deaths per year.

To solve the serious problem, the government studied two alternatives: building a wall or closing the bridge.

But a third alternative emerged - carrying out an advertising campaign in favor of life, in such a way that messages made people think twice, before taking the extreme measure of suicide.

An insurance company created a partnership with advertisers, psychologists and suicide prevention activists, so that inspiring phrases could be created. In the sequence, luminous led panels with sensors were installed over more than two kilometers, causing them to light up, as passersby walk across the bridge, allowing people to read phrases such as:

Go see the people you miss.
The best moments of your life are yet to come.
How would you like to be remembered?

The campaign started in September 2012. Until December of the same year, that is, in the three-month period, the suicide rate on the bridge decreased by 85%, deserving the special award campaign of the well-known Cannes International Film Festival.

When caring matters

Although the campaign may have its commercial bias, considering the involvement of an insurance broker, what stands out is the effect: many voluntary deaths have been avoided.

The demonstration that a human being cares about another human being, his brother, is what matters the most.

Suicide is one of the most serious crimes that a human being can commit. With that attitude, one  despises the life that was given from Divinity throwing away the opportunity for individual growth and moral development.

If you are on the verge of attempting against your own life, think for a moment: What is going on that makes you feel that way?

Learn to wait

If you lost your love, your job, a precious opportunity, think that nothing is better than waiting a little longer, because everything passes.

The hopelessness that shadows your hours, will soon dissipate.

After the darkness of night, there is always a splendid dawn. Soon, the sun will gloriously shine again, the birds will sing and the nature will thrive.

Let the night hours slip away, wait for the dawn and allow yourself to live a new day. Everything changes quickly: the weather, the situations, the difficulties and the problems.

Conclusion

Wait for tomorrow, confident. Do not abandon life today. Hope is at the window, smiling, waiting for your gaze. Life, however harsh, deserves to be lived to the full, a gift from the loving and good Father.

Adapted from Momento Espírita, originally published on May 2nd, 2014.

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Monday, September 28, 2020

Weighted observation

Learn to choose your words. With them we can promote peace or restlessness.
Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

It was a time of crisis and jobs were scarce. A young man arrived in the city and, in order to sustain himself, he looked for a job.

Pleasant and honest, he was soon living comfortably with colleagues. He was also referred, thanks to a friend, to the position he currently held.

However after some time, he started to use profanity on a daily basis.

Independently of the situation, he would use blasphemies he offend Divinity in different ways. This annoyed colleagues who barely tolerated his presence.

Financially accommodated, he did his job with zeal. He took care of the trusted papers, gathered the documentation on his desk, kept accurate notes. Iin short, he was considered a good employee.

Possibly, this behavior was the secret of having won the sympathy of the bosses and colleagues.

But now, he was becoming a little difficult to live with. For any insignificance, he would utter profanity, including the Creator Father and all the saints that came to mind.

One day, this way of acting reached its peak. Looking for a document of importance, which he was asked for, he started fiddling with the drawers, on his desk, in the closet. He then showed his nervousness and started to sprang nonsense from his mouth insulting God, causing great discomfort in the workplace.

While colleagues were looking at each other, not knowing what to do, the head of the office, a calm and respected man, asked him:

Boy, do you believe in God?

And silence. Taken by surprise, the boy did not know how to respond. The thoughtful man asked the question again, which remained unanswered. So, he made the considerations himself:

If you believe in God and offend him, tainting the One who never hurt you, you are being light and unjust. However if you do not believe in God, the conclusion is that you are offending someone who in your opinion, does not exist. As this is contradictory, we must admit that you are sick, very sick.

Lessons from Paul

The Apostle Paul, a prisoner in Rome, wrote to his companions in Ephesus, Asia. In that letter, among many other warnings and guidelines, he stated:

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Bitterness, anger, anger, shouting, blasphemy and all malice are taken away from you.

That letter signaled the commitment we have to preserve the psychic environment where we are.

Conclusion

With our words we can promote peace or restlessness. It is important that we keep this in mind. As we think, speak, act, we can collaborate for harmony. Let's speak, building the good and providing an atmosphere of blessings to those around us. 

Adapted from Momento Espírita, originally published on August 30th, 2016.

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