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José Passini |
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Words to the
evangelists of
childhood
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"Embodying, in
order to improve
himself during
this period, the
Spirit is more
approachable to
the impressions
he receives,
which help him
in his
evolution, and
those who have
the mission of
educating him
must concur for
this
purpose." (The
Book of Spirits,
383).
The Spiritist
perspective
about the child
differs
fundamentally
from that
sustained by the
doctrines that
preach the
oneness of
corporeal
existence. For
these religions,
the child brings
at birth, only
its biological
ascendants,
which were
inherited from
its ancestors,
near or remote.
The Spiritist
conception also
differs from
other
reincarnation
doctrines that
consider the
return of the
Spirit to the
material world
only for
punitive
purposes or, at
best, to fulfill
a mission.
Spiritism does
not deny the
missionary
reincarnation.
It teaches that
what is seen as
a punishment is
only a
consequence of
the law of cause
and effect.
However, it goes
further,
broadening the
understanding of
life itself,
when revealing
the evolutionary
aspect of
reincarnation.
Seen in this
light, the child
is an immortal
Spirit, with a
huge baggage of
experiences,
heir of herself,
who returns to
Earth in order
to acquire new
knowledge and,
especially, to
redesign its
course of
action,
adjusting it as
much as
possible, to the
principles of
the Gospel of
Jesus. Thus, we
learn, in
Spiritism, that
we reincarnate
to continue our
evolutionary
journey. Kardec
asked the
Superior Spirits
what is the use
of going through
the phase of
childhood. They
explained that
not only the
parents are
responsible for
the child's
education. Those
who, through
teachings and
examples, help
the child to
acquire new
knowledge are
also
responsible.
With this
assistance the
child is able to
redesign its
course of
action, i.e., to
re-educate
itself through a
conscious
effort, to reach
its
enlightenment, a
divine heritage
with which all
Spirits are
gifted according
to the teachings
of Jesus (Mt 5:
16).
School of
Evangelization:
Outpost of the
Spiritual World
-
Among these
"tasked to
educate it,"
(the child),
using the words
of the Spirits,
we are child
evangelists
linked to these
brothers,
newcomers from
the Spiritual
World, not by
ties of
consanguinity or
kinship, but by
the most sacred
ties of the
noble task we
accepted before
the Greater
Evangelist.
Therefore, we
understand that
we were given a
mission that is
the continuation
of the work
begun in the
Spiritual World,
preparing the
Spirit for his
return to Earth.
When we consider
the Spiritist
School of
Evangelization
as an Outpost of
the Spiritual
World, we must
meditate on the
scope and
responsibility
of the task that
is assigned to
us.
Aware of the
great
responsibility
of enlightening
consciences, it
is urgent that
we prepare
ourselves
properly,
through sincere
prayer, quiet
meditation, and
edifying
studies. Only
then, will our
words pass to
others the
magnetism based
on our deepest
convictions,
contrary to
surface
information.
Thus, we will
touch the little
ones, because
the one who is
not convinced of
what he says can
rarely convince
anyone. As an
example, it is
worth
remembering the
words of the
Benefactor
Alexander,
mentioned in the
book
"Missionaries of
Light," on page
311: "The one,
who teaches
virtue, living
this greatness
in himself, has
his word
strengthened by
a positive
magnetism,
spiritually
building up the
souls of those
who listen to
him. Without
this feature,
indoctrination
always becomes
vain." Thus, the
soft but firm
word will open
the doors of the
child's
understanding,
giving us the
opportunity of
sowing the
Gospel lessons,
now explained in
light of the
Spiritist
Doctrine.
Three major
concerns:
thinking,
feeling and
doing -
We should be
aware that the
Spiritist School
of
Evangelization -
affectionately
called the "the
little school" -
is the school
that most
clarifies,
despite the
short time we
have with the
child, and
despite the
misunderstanding
of many leaders
of spiritual
centers and
material
difficulties.
This is the
school that
provides the
implementation
of a new time,
of liberating
teachings, which
are able to
change mindset,
and which will
enable the child
to effectively
work for a
fairer, more
fraternal and
modern society,
as foreseen by
the Spirits.
We should also
remember that
Spiritism, when
it brings us
back to the
teachings of
Jesus, in its
simplicity,
objectivity, and
original
strength, takes
away from us
that mystical
feeling of
attending the
temple - the
so-called
house of God
- and reveals
the world as a
workshop of our
religious
experience, and
of our
improvement. It
also takes from
us another
religious
reference,
beyond the
temple - the
figure of the
priest, the
pastor, the
guru.
Keeping this in
mind, we must
think about what
we mean to a
child, who
watches us
effectively as a
religious
reference,
although we are
engaged in
showing the
child the
venerable
figures, who
have, through
time,
contributed for
man's
enlightenment,
and here we
emphasize the
greatest figure
of all, Jesus.
Therefore, we
must strive with
all the power of
our
understanding,
to develop
ourselves more
and more to be
able to
accomplish our
work with the
child. This
enhancement
involves three
main aspects
that should be
the focus of the
concerns of
evangelizing:
thinking,
feeling, and
doing.
Spiritist
centers must
consider
Evangelization
of the Child the
most important
work -
Thinking
makes us
reflect, and we
become fully
aware of the
value of our
work. When we
think of our
work in the
infant
evangelization,
we must evaluate
the level of our
commitment to
the task, the
time we dedicate
to it, how many
hours per week
do we spend
working on the
preparation of
the message we
will take to the
child. The child
expects our
guidance in
order to walk
safely through
this so troubled
world. We do not
think we are
great
missionaries or
enlightened
Spirits, but we
do have the
conscious of the
relevance and
importance of
our work, even
though our team
of children
attending
evangelization
classes is
small, and it
does not matter
if the class has
"only one!" In
addition, when
we feel any
doubts about our
effort, we must
remember that in
the psychic work
of obsession,
which should be
called
"evangelization
of the
disembodied,"
several people
strive,
sometimes for
quite a while,
with the purpose
of guiding a
single Spirit,
which is on a
wrong path,
often by not
having been
evangelized in
childhood.
When we examine
the results of
the work
developed in the
Spiritist
centers, it is
evident that
Evangelization
of the Child is
the most
important
activity. It
benefits the
Spirit from the
infant stage,
influencing his
course of
action, offering
him guidelines,
which will help
him not only on
his passage
through Earth,
but will also
serve as a
beacon to
enlighten his
conscience in
his life as an
immortal Spirit.
That is why,
recognizing the
value of other
tasks developed
in Spiritual
centers, we
easily arrive to
the conclusion
that the
Evangelization
of the Child
should take
precedence. This
activity should
be viewed with
greater
responsibility
on the part of
the leaders of
Spiritist
institutions. It
is the
continuation of
the work, which
started in the
Spiritual World,
when the Spirit
was being
prepared to
reincarnate.
We all have love
in us, in a
state of latency
-
When we are
discouraged, we
ought to
remember the
irreplaceable
value of our
task, specially
dealing with the
misunderstanding
of the leaders
of the Spiritual
centers, lack of
physical space,
of suitable
material, the
lack of
cooperation of
the parents
themselves, the
difficulties
with the child.
All these
obstacles were
meant to
withdraw us from
the blessed
harvest for
which we were
summoned.
The Evangelist
must also engage
in the
development of
his capacity of
feeling.
We all have love
in us, in a
state of
latency. This
divine heritage,
which is
revealed through
successive
centuries, can
be externalized
quicker by
creature's
conscious
effort. In
addition, the
Evangelist is
challenged to
love, because
who does not
love is not
capable of
teaching the
little ones the
meaning of love.
Thinking
is very
important, it is
essential.
However, to
think without
feeling can
lead us to a
very cold
attitude, very
calculated, and
which although
it is
mathematically
correct within
purely
pedagogical
parameters,
viewed in the
academic angle,
it is
inconsistent
with the spirit
of the work of
evangelization,
which should
excel by
encouraging the
development of
the virtues
established by
the Gospel.
Having this in
mind, our "doing"
guides us
through the
effort in the
preparation of
lessons, with
respect to the
content being
taught, the
material to be
used, but mainly
through the
effort of
preparing our
capacity to
feel, to
love,
enlightening us
so that our work
can enlighten
others too.
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