Among the
various
anniversaries
of the year,
we have,
among others
with the
same
emphasis,
the fiftieth
anniversary
of two
extraordinary
works
organized by
the writer,
translator,
editor,
theater and
film
director
Wallace Leal
V. Rodrigues
(1924-1988),
who worked
at Casa
Editora
Clarim
(Publisher
Clarim), in
the city of
Matao-SP,
with great
competence
and
prominence.
His books,
translations,
organization
of works and
magnificent
prefaces
constitute a
great
literary and
doctrinal
treasure of
the
historical
heritage of
Spiritism,
inside and
outside
Brazil.
Several books, not only
from the publisher O
Clarim – obviously,
reach commemorative
dates in 2023. Chico
Xavier's peculiar
mediumship offered in
the past the opportunity
to publish many works
that complete decades of
publication. This
creates an opportunity
to remember such
contents, now
encouraging contact with
these literary treasures
for younger generations.
Among them are the
fabulous books Escrínio
de Luz (In the Realm of
Light) and Segui-me!
(Follow me!) Known
by older generations,
they are books unknown
to novice spiritists,
both in terms of age and
proximity to spiritist
literature. However, it
will never be too much
to remember them, given
the treasure contained
in their valuable pages.
Both were published in
1973, thus reaching 50
years of publication in
2023.
Chico Xavier delivered
the first of them to the
publisher, with a
release in the capital
of São Paulo, generating
a large movement of
autographs that lasted
throughout the night.
Wallace organized the
second one with a
selection of
psychographic messages –
with a characteristic
that the reader knows in
the preface of the work
– and which were still
unpublished. Both
books contain a preface
by Wallace.
Due to his peculiar
characteristic of great
textual ease, conquering
the reader due to the
lightness and depth that
go hand in hand in his
writings, the editor and
the preface deliver
wonderful texts to the
reader to present the
works, and in the first
of them the text that
presents the work has no
less than 26 pages. An
unusual fact for a
preface.
And after mentioning
these prefaces, the
reader has the wisdom of
a Master in his hands.
The well-known Emmanuel,
with his luminous legacy
in transmitting
spiritist knowledge and
in the great knowledge
of the evangelical
texts, presents true
scripts of action or
posture in the face of
the challenges of human
existence.
However, since we are
talking about
commemorating the
fiftieth anniversary, I
allow myself to bring
the reader excerpts from
the works, even as a way
of motivating the reader
to participate in this
moment, getting to know
the works.
In the Realm of Light:
The chapters add up to
more than 50 titles. The
sensitivity and wisdom
of the spiritual author
offer the reader a true
recipe for happiness in
the practical use of the
guidelines of the
Gospel. As well, the
healthy behavior
resulting from it,
capable of these
guidelines - if used or
at least sought in the
effort that one can
undertake personally –
to eliminate outbreaks
of disturbances so
common in our days.
Despite the fact that
the work has been
published for 50 years,
the up-to-date of its
content is a perennial
invitation that enthuses
the reader, offering
abundant reflections for
personal balance that is
capable of resulting in
family balance and,
consequently, social
balance.
Well known, however, is
our difficulty in
applying those
principles brought by
Jesus. Emmanuel,
however, facilitates
understanding in this
necessary exercise that
we still need to
persevere. The stimulus,
guidance and clarity of
those texts deserve
family study groups or
in Spiritist
institutions, in groups
that wish to deepen the
search for improvement
in their members.
I highlight two of the
chapters for the reader,
as a motivation for
further research:
In the chapter Before
the Goodness of God, we
find a precious page,
which we use for the
next paragraph.
After an introduction in
a few paragraphs, the
author refers in the
following three
paragraphs – one
paragraph for each case
– to: a) tyrants of the
past; b) cunning
malefactors and c)
intelligent criminals.
Note that the
classification well
applies to the present
moment for those who
allow themselves to be
seduced by
aggressiveness, by
crime, by dishonesty, in
short, by tyranny and
perversity of all kinds.
The spiritual author
places them in the
future in the recovery
of themselves, in
compliance with the Law
that governs our
destinies, in behavior,
decisions and reactions.
Therefore, one must
meditate on God's
resources and continue
in the performance of
duty. Emmanuel even
states “(...) the
goodness of God, without
fanfare, intervenes in
the causes that produce
them, restoring the
security of peace and
the march of progress.
(...)”. After all, as
the author ponders,
“(...) that, above all
our strength, you can
invariably count on
God's resources. I
suggest the reader
research for full
reading, typing Ante
a Bondade de Deus –
Emmanuel (Before God’s
Goodness – Emmanuel),
to realize the greatness
of the text.
After almost concluding,
he states and advises:
Whenever afflictions
visit you in the form of
illness or sadness,
humiliation or penury,
persecution or
temptation, loss or
disaster, do not
surrender to suggestions
of rebellion or
discouragement. Work and
wait, between the
pleasure of serving and
the happiness of
trusting, remembering
that if you are looking
for God's help, God's
help is also looking for
you.
However, he concludes
wisely:
The law of good always
operates and the
protection of God is
hidden or is coming.
This is after
considering the
multitude of
difficulties, obstacles
and afflictions that
often come together.
The most striking thing
is that the reflection
fits individually, also
in a family or
professional group, but
especially in the
context of the nation,
with its subsequent
ongoing challenges.
Check it out... You will
be surprised.
From the chapter Ante
a lei do bem (Before
the law of good) I
selected some partial
transcripts:
a) What looks like
illness to you is
the process and recovery
of health.
b) Small annoyances
that you categorize as
offenses will be
invitations to
re-examine the obstacles
that cripple your road.
c) Setbacks that you
interpret as being
ingratitude of loved
ones, usually just mean
modifications of the
Higher Designs,
d) Discord is a problem
that asks you for
pacifying action.
e) Domestic
disharmonies are nothing
more than a demand for
more service to family
members so that you can
reconcile definitively
with adversaries from
the past.
After almost concluding,
he states and advises:
Whenever afflictions
visit you in the form of
illness or sadness,
humiliation or penury,
persecution or
temptation, loss or
disaster, do not
surrender to suggestions
of rebellion or
discouragement. Work and
wait, between the
pleasure of serving and
the happiness of
trusting, remembering that
if you are looking
for God's help, God's
help is also looking for
you.
Nevertheless, he
concludes wisely:
The law of good always
works and the protection
of God is hidden or is
coming.
This is after
considering the
multitude of
difficulties, obstacles
and afflictions that
often come together.
In the Follow Me!
The book exceeds 60
chapters, always
compact, also with the
characteristic of
objectivity and
orientation to the
reader, with the
insurmountable lessons
of the Gospel. Hence the
title of the work.
The book has always been
in great demand at the
publisher. Be it for the
suggestive call, as for
the cover image. In
addition, of course, by
the author and medium
who signed it.
As mentioned above, such
chapters contain a very
special feature. The
spiritual author wrote
in such a way as to
facilitate the reader's
understanding, using the
essential thought and
main words at the
beginning of his
sentences, for better
use of the text. As one
can read in Wallace's
Preface – which makes
important considerations
about the dynamic
reading method, drawing
on the experience of
Professor François
Richaudeau, who the
reader is acquainted
with in expressive
detail in the work's
Preface – there is much
to be learned from the
style of the messages
that form the work.
Particularly, when
reading the Preface, I
already felt immensely
motivated to pick up the
book.
Wallace wrote in his
presentation of the
book:
For years, we have been
collecting messages from
the Spirit Emmanuel,
psychographic by
Francisco Cândido Xavier
and which are included
in this volume because
they have not yet been
published in book form.
He collected the
steering wheel each
time, with mastery and
singular intelligence,
completely devoid of any
sophistication, the
admirable spirit
approached an
interpretative angle of
the kaleidoscope of
life.
- "I've done
everything", "now I
can't do it anymore".
However, Jesus does not
act towards us in
similar limitations.
Every day, we are safely
supported and generously
tolerated. Let us
therefore be willing to
offer hands full of work
in the temple of
fraternal love. Every
moment is an opportunity
to help our fighting
brothers, out of love
for the Master who
sustains us. (...) Let
us remain, thus, of
souls turned to the
positive and incessant
good. In getting up each
day, let us repair the
pain and concerns that
surround us and offer
hands full of service to
the Lord, in the person
of others, keeping the
certainty that, in so
doing, we will gather
from others the
spontaneous help of our
needs.
It is not possible to
show indifference in the
face of such a
significant event. Two
fifty-year-olds, in
fact, respectable. Two
works, two treasures.
Gathered wisdom, living
guidance for balance.
We really hope to
motivate the reader to
know both works.
In addition, as
promised, here's a
summary of the chapters:
In the chapter “Hands
down on good”, the
author Spirit points
out:
We know that Christ
awaits us, above all,
beside our brothers on
Earth. Where
difficulties and trials
arise, there it is
waiting for us to
intervene so that the
fraternal concurrence is
immediately felt. Many
times, however, in front
of the stubborn and rude
companion, we exclaim,
discouraged:
It is not possible to
show indifference in the
face of such a
significant event. Two
fifty-year-olds, in
fact, respectable. Two
works, two treasures. Gathered
wisdom, living guidance
for balance.
We really hope to
motivate the reader to
know both works.