"When the Home becomes a sanctuary, crime is left outside. When the family prays together, Jesus is in the same home. When hearts beat together, united by Faith, balance offers consolation through blessings, and health pours the wine of peace for all" - Joanna de Angelis⁽¹⁾

 
It may seem insistence to resume some basic aspects of Spiritism, as the one discussed herein. But, it is not. Indeed, it is necessary.

Between knowledge and practice, between having ideas and experience, sometimes there is a long distance. This is no criticism, but simple observation. And it shows how much we are still human, too human, in dealing with deeper issues, those concerning the immortal Spirit that we are...

The point is that the practice of the Gospel at Home, in Spiritist homes, go from alternate flashes of enthusiasm, courage, perseverance, joy to those of dismay, indifference, duty (when this happens, it is still a good sign)! Sometimes, in extreme cases, the meetings are often canceled for the most unjustified reasons.

Is it our duty to do the Gospel at Home on a weekly basis? Well, if there is a good reason that justifies not doing the Gospel at Home, then there is no problem! However, which is the family that can excuse itself from:⁽²⁾ 

1) The opportunity to come together to exchange ideas, discuss personal and family problems, to commune of the same higher thoughts, under the inspiration of the Superior Spirituality?

2)  The cleaning of the home with our thoughts and enlightened feelings, making it easier for the Messengers of Goodness to work inside our Home?

3) To change the vibration pattern of our thoughts and feelings, clearing our minds so confused with lower vibrations, illness and imbalance?

4) The study and meditation of the Gospel, so that its lessons are better understood, felt and exemplified?

 5) The moments of peace and understanding that it offers us, allowing us to be more peaceful? 

Our cradle at home is our first school

In good conscience, no one can claim that all this is unnecessary in a home. Or that the Gospel at Home does not help us to be in peace of mind, feel balanced and enjoy the benefits of health!

Historical references to the practice of the Gospel at Home go back to the time of Jesus, as reported in Jesus in the Home, by the spiritual author, Neio Lucius. There, one can find the first narrative of these meetings, when the Master Himself, at Simon Peter’s, showed them the importance of the home before the world: 

"Our cradle at home is our first school and the first temple of the soul. Characters are forged in the homes. If the dealer selects the goods, if the carpenter cannot make a boat without molding the wood, how can we expect a community to be safe and in peace if a man’s home does not improve too? The world’s peace begins in our home. If we do not learn how to live in peace, behind closed doors, how can we expect to have harmony among nations? If we do not learn how to love our neighbor, side by side at our daily fight for survival, how can we respect our Eternal Father, which seems so far?"⁽³⁾

In the novel Resignation by Emmanuel, when the author describes the long and painful "heroism and martyrdom" of the personage Alcione, who lived in the fourteenth century, he tells us about the Gospel at Home, which took place at his master’s. Here are Alcione’s words:

"...we should not believe that Christ only brought to this world invigorating and affectionate words. He also brought us a guide to work, which we have to learn and follow, in spite of the major difficulties. For this purpose, it is essential to pay attention to our feelings and reasoning, working together with Jesus, on a daily basis, building our Faith”.

As it turns out, we are taught that our home is a privileged place of coexistence and learning. And Jesus, in this context, should always be the Greater Guide of our lives. However, to do so, we have to make an effort to keep Him with us in our home. 

How do the Gospel at Home?

As additional information, we can base ourselves on the publication of the Friends of Life Spiritual Guidance Center.

How to do it?

Choose one day of the week at the same time and, if possible, with the presence of all the members of the family or most of them.

Strictly observe this day and time to facilitate the spiritual assistance and make a habit of it.

Choose an inner part of the house where it is more silent and where you will not be disturbed so easily. Open the meeting with a simple and spontaneous prayer.

Comment briefly on the reading of a text of the “The Gospel According to Spiritism”, opened at random, or previously scheduled for study in sequence.

Make brief comments on the passage read, exchanging views with the group regarding the Gospel’s text, its teachings and practice in our daily life, avoiding discussions, criticism and judgments.

The meeting should be addressed by the head of the family, or by the person with more doctrinal knowledge, which shall encourage the participation of all and lead the explanations at the level of practical understanding of the present. Similar readings can also be made.

The duration should be up to 30 minutes, including the closing prayer, in which we thank the spiritual assistance, reminding about the next meeting.

Bibliography:

(1) “Messe de Amor” by Joanna de Angelis, psychographics of Divaldo Franco.

(2) Guidelines extracted from articles published by the Spiritist Brotherhood, Friends of Life Spiritual Guidance Center, and the Bezerra de Menezes Spiritist Group.

(3) Jesus in the Home, by Neio Lucius, psychographics of Francisco Candido Xavier.