Emmanuel, Spiritism and our commitment to the Spiritist task

"We have thus no goal other than to demonstrate our need of the methodical study of Kardec's work, not only to penetrate its essence of redemption, but also for us to spread its greatness through new facets of thought, convinced that other fellows will fight the battle, meeting our innate deficiencies, with the highest studies of reviving themes brought to the world by the apostle of Lyon. "- Emmanuel [1] 

Our Aim: 

Thinking about the work of the venerable apostle of the mediumship with Jesus, Francisco de Paula Cândido Xavier, I plan to write about some texts by Emmanuel. A cut-out of the vast body of writings by this spiritual benefactor, in this interexistencial partnership and his proposition of guiding us within the teachings of Jesus and Allan Kardec, this highly ranked spirit whose set of work lights up our journey towards greater knowledge and values ​​in favour of our happiness.

I intend, in this brief and limited analysis, to join the choir of voices that sees in Chico Xavier an example of a true Christian spirit, faithful to the principles embraced. His solidarity network, established by his activity with the needy of every kind and as a medium and man of goodness, not only stirs emotions, but also inspires plans of transformative action in the world.

In order to do it, I will base my writing on some excerpts from Emmanuel's works. “Religião dos Espíritos (Religion of the Spirits)”, “Seara dos Médiuns (Harvest of Mediums)”, “O Espírito de Verdade (The Spirit of Truth)" (together with other disembodied fellows) “Justiça Divina (Divine Justice)” and “O Consolador (The Comforter)”, all published by the Brazilian Spiritist Federation, seem to analyse some of the fundamental works of Spiritism.

I have assimilated from Emmanuel's works his attitude of doctrinal ideal disseminator always reverential to the master from Lyon. He invites us all to study and practice Spiritism, not wishing to form a school or retinues of followers. He has the goal of leading the reader in an educational work of paramount importance, towards the essential path of the spiritist knowledge, which, it never hurts to remind, is found in the kardecian works - see, to illustrate what I mean, the title I use to open this article.  

About complementary works 

The Spiritist Movement has agreed to name Complementary Works those books written after Kardec, assuming that, somehow, they would add something new to the spiritist revelation. From my point of view, we have, in general, a misreading of the issue, producing a conception of common sense that is generalised by the lack of criticism, ancestral religious heritage that even misunderstands the mechanisms of scientific progression of Spiritism by assuming that any mediumistic revelation could be understood as an update of Spiritism in its foundations.

The only time that Kardec uses the expression complementary works differently than what common sense says, he is referring to several works about the Spiritism [2] , i.e., the literary and artistic works (respectively, books, poetry, music, drawing and photography) that ensued what is fundamental. He does so in the last booklet launched as a catalogue, aiming to guide the organisation of what might be understood as spiritist library, able to gather almost everything related to the topic in question.

"The second part of the catalogue is further subdivided into four parts: an overall part containing 35 works, a poetry session with three titles, another about music with four pieces and the drawing section with seven works including a portrait, a photograph and a card-portrait of Allan Kardec. [3] 

One should keep in mind that those works would never replace the primary concepts confirmed as established truths, unless their conclusions strictly obeyed the epistemological criteria of the Spiritist Science, founded by Prof Rivail.

Thus, when speaking of the works psychographed by Chico Xavier, the missionary of the mediumship with Jesus, as complementary books, one must understand the meaning presented in the Catálogo Racional (Rational Catalogue) about their place in the face of the Spiritist Doctrine. According to it, they are works that ensued Kardec's, without ignoring their educational and practical value and philosophical derivative, no more and no less than that, let me clarify. 

Spiritism reviving Christianity 

For Emmanuel [4] , our responsibility is the Spiritism reviving Christianity, i.e., we must materialise the teachings of the Master of the Cross in our lives in the service of mankind's advancement already moving towards the era of regeneration.

When he makes a remark on the historical tradition of Christianity of men - tied to the spirit of intolerance and political sectarianism - detached from Christ's way of thinking, Emmanuel never ceases to express his criticism. He, then, invite us, in Palavra aos Espíritas (Word to the Spiritists), to the restoration of peace and dialogue between people, inspiring, those who have ears to hear, the fruitful inter-religious dialogue in the practice of unity.

Similarly, we cannot let the handling of the spiritist phenomenology blur the essence of Spiritism: its philosophy radically in tune with the Gospel of Christ, at the risk of enslaving ourselves to apparently intellectual and, at the same time, paralysing frenzies regarding the noble achievements that designate faithfulness to commitments.

In another text of the above-mentioned book, the former Roman senator, who had encountered Jesus more than two thousand years ago, says he does not ignore the pedagogical relevance of different religions. However, he points out something that what we the followers of Spiritism cannot forget is the doctrine's openness to free assessment, free from the shackles of dogmatism, addressing face to face the demands of rationality.

Enlightening mind and heart with the knowledge and moral values ​​of Spiritism, let us ascertain it through a process of authentic personal Christianising, known as the identification with the superior teachings of Jesus Christ, so that our living with the Comforter is profitable. 

University of Redemption 

Meditating on the value of spiritist knowledge for the follower, the Benefactor Emmanuel reminds us that we need to take the teachings in to our lives and, in the field of professional activities, to honour work with the seal of our faith, for "every action of good must overcome duty so that the act of serving may turn into love." [5]

Moreover, it rejoices in us the identification of the true wealth of this higher knowledge. The one that we reap in the doctrinal management, whose consciousness we demonstrated through work, so that we do not give in to any form of dazzlement which, as we know from studies on obsession that were left by Allan Kardec, can lead us into processes of terrible fascination and, consequently, of uselessness.

In another message [6] , through the mediumship of Chico Xavier, this luminous spirit establishes three distinct phases, in sequence, of the ownership of spiritist idea. They are warning, arrival and understanding.

The warning phase refers to a period of intensely active mediumship, among the forerunners of modern Spiritism, warning the reincarnated on Earth about the reality of spiritual life.

The period inaugurated by the psychic activities of the Fox sisters is marked by the arrival phase. Spirits detail in unison their post-mortem condition through the mediumistic concourse of those who, from the spiritual phalanx of servers of the Cause of Truth, were living in the flesh.

At the same time, the mediumistic and intelligent phenomenon teased the perception and invited to the scientific investigation a number of renowned European researchers, as eventually happened to the eminent pedagogue Rivail.

However, in Emmanuel's line of thought, the rest of us are experiencing, in regards to these phases of Spiritism, a period that should be marked by understanding, that is, in which we knew how to make realise fraternity and distribute moral relief in favour of the intelligences that, like us, journey through trials and atonement the earthly stage.

For that reason, we must enlighten people about what Spiritism teaches, by rescuing the knowledge promoted by Jesus within a schedule established by Himself for the participants in His fold. In this sense, in the words of the author in the study, Spiritism is the University of redemptionfor those who learn teaching how to teach as well as for those who teach and learn through teaching, as we know. 

What do we seek? 

Proposing specific meditation on the Gospel text that reflects a question asked by Jesus to his disciples as to what they sought [7] , the Spirit Emmanuel [8] leads us to exercise the same issue in our context of the Spiritist Doctrine servers today.

What we expect from the task to which we dedicate ourselves? In the different sectors and activities of the spiritist centre and movement in which we operate, what do we want from what we do? Anyway, what results do we want to achieve for the sake of our evolution and at the same time, of the work to which we dedicate ourselves, remembering, however, this very undertaking is under the direction of Christ?

For the accurate understanding and construing lucid response to the Divine Master, it is necessary to analyse what we do, to watch our speech, to meditate deeply observing our hidden aspirations and to identify the answer we are capable of giving to the Great Educator.

Following Jesus in Spiritism is living his apostolate, through bravely serving and cooperating in the building of a better world and, therefore, the spirit of service must be a constant spiritist work.

We tread in the current existence, through experiences of rectification with the Divine Law and work in the Spiritist movement. However, we owe it to the blessed educational need we have and divine care, not to personal value. It is appropriated, then, to be aware whether we are learning to serve, to free ourselves from the less cherished conditioning acquired through the non-refined religious attitudes from the past, which enticed political disputes, intolerance and moral misguidance.

Today, we give the emphasis to the Spiritist Doctrine, not to the vain egos or transitory worldly positions, making the Gospel of the Master shine in its essence and materialising it in us through the work guided by the sublime goodness. After all, "The everlasting leadership belongs to those who forget themselves, seeking the neighbour to serve him..." [9] , stated Emmanuel.

In the face of the Spiritist work

Graced by the mercy from above, we have received the spiritist instruction in this reincarnation, some from birth and others in various stages of the bodily life. However, the important point is that as spirits, disembodied or reborn in the biological body, we bear endless possibilities of evolution and are able to be useful as we persist in the good of the collective in which we operate.

Collaborating in the ranks of Spiritism for insignificant spirits like us is a top honour. Therefore, it is not right to withdraw ourselves from the service that we ought to do, nor to be the deserters of the duty, condemning ourselves to the choice of uselessness, as if we were sightseeing on Earth.

According to Emmanuel, not depending on any transitory titles or considerations of others, what really matters is "doing the right thing to do" [10]seizing the time that does not turn back, for one day without noble achievements is a lost treasure that cannot be recovered in the ticking of the clock.

The spiritist work, be it in any field of action in which we find ourselves, must honour the purpose of the Spiritism on Earth according to its foundations. On that issue, the book O Consolador (The Comforter) points out that the mission of Spiritism is not to destroy other faiths and not be located in the realm of ephemeral material triumphs. Nevertheless, it should clarify when the belief is rooted in misleading and distorted conceptions about the spiritual reality. At the same time, it must reveal its ethical proposal through its Philosophy and practice of the true spiritist who, in turn, represents "the worker of the regeneration of the Lord's Temple, where men come together in various departments, before many altars, but where there is only one Master, Jesus Christ." 11.

Without any pretence of hegemonic yearning in the atrium of the different manifestations of spirituality, the spiritist must focus his attention more on his personal enlightenment, rather than on converting others, even because the belief in Spiritism is a matter of certitude founded on reasoned faith, not mere compliance.

Remember that with Kardec "Spiritism is a moral teaching that strengthens the religious feelings in general and applies to all religions; it belongs to all and not to one in particular. Therefore, it does not advise anyone to change religion. (...)" [12]

The task in Spiritism requires enlightened engagement, passion and reason, commitment and work with the suffering souls within the guidelines of Jesus, without forgetting that the best advertisement one can do about the doctrine we follow is the identification of our activity with its principles dictated by the ever living.

[1] Religião dos Espíritos (Religion of the Spirits)- introduction.

[2] Catálogo racional (Rational Catalogue): works for the foundation of a spiritist library.

[3] CARVALHO, Larissa Camacho & LOUSADA, Vinicius Lima. Uma história do livro e de todos os livros: catálogo racional - obras para se fundar uma biblioteca espírita (A story of the book and all the books: Rational Catalogue - works for the foundation of a spiritist library)(1869). Proceedings of the IX CIEHLA, UFRJ, 2009.

[4] Religião dos Espíritos - Palavra aos Espíritas (Religion of the Spirits - Word to the Spiritists.

[5] Seara dos Médiuns - Ensino Espírita (Harvest of Mediums - Spiritist Education).

[6] Seara dos Médiuns - Aviso, chegada e entendimento (Mediums of Seara - Warning, arrival and understanding).

[7] John 1:38.

[8] The Spirit of Truth - What do you seek?

[9] The Spirit of Truth - The First.

[10] Divine Justice - Tasks.

[11] O Consolador (The Comforter) - question 353.

[12] Spiritist Review, February 1862 - Reply addressed to the Spiritists of Lyons at the New Year