Key points in spirit
social service

It is not the first time and certainly it will not be the last, that this magazine examines the topic spirit social promotion, special title written by Gebaldo José de Sousa, one of the highlights of this edition.

There are many references on spirit's works of the importance of so-called social assistance, one of the activities developed by the Spirits Houses that have greatly contributed to assure to the Spiritism the respect it gained by the society for just this job.

Homes for orphans, hostels, kindergartens, institutions for the elderly without breadwinner, work of child care and poor families and even to internal prison system - these institutions and activities under the name spirit, are well known throughout Brazil.

It has been taken 5 points from the books on the subject that it has been treated, such as those that make up the series called Our Home, written by André Luiz (Spirit), we believe are essential when dealing with service or social assistance provided to enlighten Spiritism:

• The practice of goodness is mere duty.

"The Gospel of Jesus (said to André Luiz that who was his earthly mother) reminds us that there is more joy in giving than in receiving. (...) Give always, my son. Above all, never forget to give of yourself, in constructive tolerance, in brotherly love and divine understanding. The practice of outsider good is a teaching and an appeal so that we get to do good inside. Jesus gave more of himself to the advancement of men, all of Earth's millionaires gathered in the service of, although sublime, material charity. Do not be ashamed to support those with Chagas disease and clarify the madmen who penetrate the Rectification Chambers (...). Work my son, doing well. Whenever you can, forget entertainment and search the useful service." (Our Home, chapter 36, page 198.)

• The good we do is never forgotten.

"In the lower circles, my son (his mother told him), the bowl of soup to the hungry, the balm to the leper, the gesture of love to disillusioned, are divine services that will never be forgotten in the House of Our Father." (Ibid, page 197.)

• It is not conceive the relief work to the next without the spirit of brotherhood.

"Not long ago (said Laura to André Luiz) I have heard a great teacher in the Ministry of Elevation ensuring that if he could, he would materialize himself in the flesh plans in order to say to religious in general that all charity, to be divine, must rely on the brotherhood." (Our Home, chapter 39, page 218.)

• The pattern of rescuing work in the world will always be Jesus.

"Jesus (said to André to his friend Vincent, who was also a doctor) was not only the Master, was doctor too. He left to the world the standard of cure for the Kingdom of God. He gave relief to the body and ministered faith to the soul. We, on the other hand, my dear André, in many earthly cases, not always relieve the body and often kill faith." (The Messengers, chapter 13, page 74.)

• We should give bread to feed the body, without forgetting the light that illuminates the spirit.

"In the early days of Christianity (said Irene to André Luiz), the majority of needy, come into contact with Jesus through the humble soup or warm roof. Washing lepers, treating madmen, watching orphans and helpless elderly, the followers of Christ gave work themselves, devoted themselves to the unfortunate, clarifying their minds, and offered lessons of substantial interest to the lay of living faith. How they do not ignore, we are doing the evangelical Spiritism the recapitulation of Christianity." (Workers of Eternal Life, chapter XII, page 190.) 

To all those who claim that the mere social assistance does not solve the problem of poverty, hunger and social inequality, and therefore do not confer this activity the importance it deserves, remember the always timely lesson that Jesus passed and Matthew, the evangelist, noted: 

"When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory; and all the nations will be gathered before him, and one from another, as a shepherd of the sheep goats; he will put the sheep on his right and the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right hand: Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; For I was hungry and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in; I was naked, and you clothed me; I was sick and you visited me; I was in prison and you came to see me." (Matthew. 25: 31-36). (The bold is ours.)

Is it necessary, before such expressive recommendations, say anything else?