Charity Laboratory

"Ananias headed and presided over the act. Sitting at the table, which the patriarch in the family, asked the blessing of Jesus for the good will of all. Then he made the reading of Jesus' teachings, splattering some sentences of the Divine Master in scattered scrolls. After commenting on the page read, illustrating it with the exposure of significant facts, of his knowledge or personal experience, the old disciple of the Gospel left the place, went through the rows of seats and lay hands on the sick and needy." (Paulo e Estêvão, Part II, Chap. I.)

The simplicity of primitive Christian worship is understood by Paul in his most beautiful expression. No elements of worship, no organized priesthood, no offerings or sacrifices. A simple and worshipful disciple of Jesus taking the word to teach the good news and comfort the afflicted, combining education and spiritual and material assistance. That image will never be extinguished in the mind of the apostle of the Gentiles. And it became fundamental in the transmission of the model of simplicity of efforts of outreaching to those who suffer.

Spirit institutions of education and social services are charitable laboratories. Not only for providing aid to those in need, but because they allow the development of private experiences of charity that form together the work of the experience of serving. Thus takes place the union of love each other to instruct yourselves.

Emmanuel said, a couple of times, we must thank the assisted for allowing us to practice charity. In fact, it is God who puts in our way opportunities to serve.

When someone asks us for help, he hopes that we take care of them and treat them leniently, respect and affection. Maybe they even like comforting words!

If we open our hearts, even if we can not help materially, our sincere and kind word can aid a heart that cries.

It is necessary that everyone involved in a service activity - whether moral, educational, material - always enter into agreements with a service plan, including ways of obtaining resources of maintainers of the institution. The formulation of a statute and bylaws ensures stability and discipline of home service, making it clear what are the priorities, methods and purposes to be achieved.

Whatever the purpose, let's start little ones, simple ones, simple, in order to place in our work, in a prominent place, the cornerstone: Jesus.

Humility and simplicity are key to setting goals and to attract God's messengers to direct the work and support in the fight. Yes, because we will be harassed by our enemies, the enemies of the assisted and the enemies of Jesus.

How many times we were disapproved by those who are outraged with the assistance we provide to their incarnated enemies!

How often threatened by enemies of good!

It is necessary, however, not to lose heart, not to be tired of doing good, even in the harshest trials (2 Thessalonians 1: 4; 3: 13).

For the sake of simplicity, we have to set free the environment of our service to others from all superfluous adornment, architectural complexity and all luxury because unnecessary (and not either to constrain poverty of the assisted, even if it is only moral poverty).

As the room of disobssession work should be simple, unadorned or ornaments, the spirit institution must also be simple, devoid of props and images from any religion, and absolutely functional.