We hereby continue the methodical study of "The Gospel According to Spiritism" by Allan Kardec, the third of the works of the Kardecian Pentateuch. The first edition was published in April, 1864. The answers to the questions suggested for discussion are at the end of the text below.
Questions for discussion
A. By mortifying our body, do we reach moral perfection?
B. What is the meaning of the parable of the wedding feast?
C. People, who spend their days in prayer but do not become any better, nor more charitable or tolerant, can we call them disciples of Jesus?
D. What is the meaning of the sentence: "To whom much is given, much will be required"?
Reading text
250. If our wealth came from our family, or if we earned it because of our work, we should never forget that everything proceeds from God, and everything returns to God. Nothing on earth belongs to us, not even our own body: death will dispose of our body and of all our material possessions. Let us have no illusions: we are trustees and not owners. God lent us material possessions under the condition that the superfluous, at least, goes to those who are in need. (Chapter XVI, section 14, Lacordaire)
251. Here, we have the doctrine that teaches us about the detachment regarding material possessions. "I shall summarize this teaching," - says Lacordaire - "Learn how to be contented with little. If you are poor, do not envy the rich, because wealth is not a condition for happiness. If you are rich, do not forget that your possessions are only entrusted to you and you must justify their use in the same manner as a trustee accounts for them." (Chapter XVI, section 14, Lacordaire)
252. Man can leave to his heirs his material possessions, which gave him pleasure during his life. However, if it is God's will, He can stop these heirs from using what they inherited. This explains why fortunes, firmly established, collapse with no apparent reason. (Chapter XVI, section 15, Saint Louis)
253. "Love your enemies, be good to those who hate you, and pray for those who pursue and calumniate you. If you love only those who love you, what reward will you receive? Do not the Publicans do so? If you greet only your brothers, what do you do more than others do? Do not the Pagans do the same? Therefore, be perfect as is your Father in Heaven. (Matthew, Chapter V, vv. 44-48.) These words: "Be perfect as is your Father in Heaven" should be understood as a relative perfection, to which humanity has access, and being relative it is the one that most approaches deity. The essence of perfection is charity in its broadest sense, because it implies in the practice of all other virtues. (Chapter XVII, sections 1 and 2)
254. Spiritism has not established a new morality. It only makes it easier for men to use intelligence and practice Christian morality, providing an enlightened and unwavering faith for those who still hesitate or doubt it. The true Spiritist and the real Christian are the same. (Chapter XVII, section 4)
255. Jesus explained the parable of the sower: "Whoever hears the word of the Kingdom, and does not pay attention, the evil spirit comes and takes away what has been sown in his heart. This one received the seed along the way. Whoever receives the seed in the midst of stones is the one that hears the word, and receives it with joy on the first moment. However, since there are no roots, it only lasts a while. When encountering setbacks and harassment because of the word, he considers it the cause of scandal and downfall. Whoever receives the seed among thorns is he who hears the word, but the concerns of this century and the illusion of wealth drown the word out and make it fruitless. However, the one who receives the seed in good ground is the one that listens to the word, pays attention and in whom it fruits, giving a hundred or sixty or thirty fold." (Matthew, Chapter XIII, vv. 18-23.) (Chapter XVII, section 5)
256. Duty is the moral obligation regarding our own selves and others. Duty is the law of life. The innermost duty in a man manifests according to his free will. The sting of conscience, guardian of inner probity, cautions and sustains him. However, it often proves to be powerless before the fallacy of passion. (Chapter XVII, section 7, Lazarus)
257. Duty is a practical summary of all moral speculations. It is a brave soul that faces the anguish of the struggle. It is strict and mild ready to give in to the most several hassles, but it maintains itself strong before temptation. The man who fulfils his duty, loves God above all creatures, and loves all creatures above him. He is both a judge and slave of his own cause. (Chapter XVII, section 7, Lazarus)
258. Duty is the most beautiful award of reason. It descends from reason, in the same way a son descends from his mother. It is man's duty to love, not to free life from evil, since humankind cannot get rid of evil, but because the purpose of love is to strengthen the soul thus allowing it to develop. Duty grows and irradiates in its highest form to each of the superior stages of Humanity, because creatures' moral obligation towards God never ceases. (Chapter XVII, section 7, Lazarus)
259. Virtue, in its highest level, is the set of all essential qualities that form a good man. The qualities of a virtuous man are to be good, charitable, hard working, restrained, and modest. Unfortunately, small moral illnesses accompany these qualities and diminish them. The one that boasts his virtue is not a virtuous man, because he lacks the main quality: modesty. He has, as well, its opposite vice: pride. Virtue, truly worthy of its name, does not like to boast. (Chapter XVII, section 8, François-Nicolas-Madeleine)
260. It is to virtue like this, well understood and practiced, that the spiritual benefactors invite us. It is to this truly and Christian virtue that they encourage us to dedicate ourselves. Let us remove from our heart all pride, vanity, self-esteem, which always maculates the most beautiful qualities. Let us not copy the man that presents himself as a model and boasts his own qualities to all complacent ears. (Chapter XVII, section 8, François-Nicolas-Madeleine)
Answers to the proposed questions
A. By mortifying our body, do we reach moral perfection?
No. Moral perfection does not consist of mortifying the body. Moral perfection can be found in all spiritual reforms through which our Spirit passed. To bend, submit, humiliate, and mortify our Spirit is the way of making our Spirit become more docile to the will of God and the only way that can lead us to perfection. (The Gospel According to Spiritism, Chapter XVII, section 11.)
B. What is the meaning of the parable of the wedding feast?
In this parable, Jesus compares the Kingdom of Heaven to a feast, where all is joy and happiness. Speaking of the first guests, He mentions the Hebrews, who were first called by God to learn His Law. Those sent by the king are the prophets, who came to urge them to follow the path of true happiness. Their words, however, were hardly heard. Their warnings were ignored, and many of them were slaughtered in the same way as the servants in the parable. The guests, who excuse themselves under the pretext of having to take care of their fields and their businesses, symbolize the mundane persons who are concentrated on earthly things and, therefore, are indifferent to heavenly things.
The Hebrew people were the first to believe in monotheism in public. God passes His law to them, first through Moses and then Jesus.isH It was from that tiny focus that light spread throughout the world triumphing over paganism and granting Abraham spiritual posterity as numerous as the stars in the sky. However, abandoning all idolatry, the Jews despised the moral law, to cling to the easiest: the practice of the cult abroad. Evil came to its maximum height, the nation, enslaved, was shattered by factions and divided by sects. Unbelief even reached the sanctuary.
Then came Jesus, sent to make them comply with the Law and to show them the new horizons of future life. The first to be invited to the great feast of the universal faith repelled the word of the Messiah and immolated Him. Therefore, they lost the fruit that they would have harvested from the initiative that was given to them. However, it was unfair to blame the entire people for this state of affairs. The Pharisees and Sadducees were mainly responsible, because they sacrificed the nation due to the pride and fanaticism of some and incredulity of others.
They are the guests who refused to attend Jesus' invitation to the wedding feast. He goes on: "Seeing this, the Lord ordered that all those, good or bad, which were found in the crossroads, were to be invited". Thereby, He meant that the word was going to be preached to all other peoples, Pagans and idolatrous, and these, welcoming it, would be allowed to the feast, instead of the first guests. However, it is not enough to be invited, it is not enough to call you a Christian, or sit at the table to take part of the heavenly banquet. It is necessary, first and under the express condition, to be dressed with a bridal gown, this meaning a pure heart and to comply with the law according to the spirit. Now, all the law is contained in these words: Without charity, there is no salvation. However, among all those who hear the word of God, there are very few who keep it and apply it usefully! Few are those that become worthy of entering the Kingdom of Heaven! That is why Jesus said: Many will be called, however, few will be chosen. (Ibid, Chapter XVIII, sections 1 and 2.)
C. People, who spend their days in prayer but do not become any better, nor more charitable or tolerant, can we call them disciples of Jesus?
No. Alike the Pharisees, such people have a prayer on their lips but not in their heart. By acting like this, they may submit men, but not God. In vain, they say to Jesus, "Lord, did we not predict, that is, did we not teach in your name, did we not cast out devils in your name, did we not eat and drink with you?" He will answer: "I do not know who you are, and turn away from me, you who commit wickedness, you that deny through your acts what you say with your lips, who offend your neighbor, who despoil widows and commit adultery. Turn away from me, you whose heart is full of hatred and bitterness, you that shed the blood of your brothers in my name, you who make tears run rather then dry them. For you, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, because the Kingdom of God is for those who are gentle, humble and charitable. Do not expect to bend the righteousness of the Lord by the multiplicity of your words and your genuflections. The single path which is open to you, to find grace before Him, is the sincere practice of the law of love and charity". (Ibid, Chapter XVIII, sections 6, 7 and 9.)
D. What is the meaning of the sentence: "To whom much is given, much will be required"?
These words show us that the one who knows much has a greater responsibility than the one who knows little or nothing. Therefore, if we are aware of Christ's teachings and we do not practice them, we shall certainly feel guilty, because we can say nothing do defend ourselves from our own conscience. Much will be required from the Spiritists, because much was given to them, but on the other hand, much shall be given to those who made progress too. (Ibid, Chapter XVIII, sections 10 to 12.)
