A. What happens to the guilty Spirit when he lacks resignation before his sufferings?
B. Why are there idiots and handicapped on this Earth?
C. What is the explanation for painful sufferings in a child?
D. What could be useful in a blind person's life?
Reading Text
259. The daughter of Mrs. B., from the city of Bordeaux, although she was a Spiritist and a Psychic, always asked God to soften the cruel trials her mother was going through. Her Guide advised her to ask for fortitude, calmness, and resignation to support them. The Guide told her, "In this life everything has its reason for being. You, yourself caused all your suffering. Each excess you practiced now has the effect of a deprivation. Every tear was shed to wash a foul, some crime. "(2nd Part, Chapter VIII, An ambitious Wise Man).
260. "Lack of resignation, added the Guide, cancels the suffering, which, therefore, would have to restart, all over again. Therefore, courage and resignation are appropriate, and what is necessary is to ask God and the Good Spirits to grant them. "As a result, he explained," Your mother was once a good doctor, living in an environment where well-being came easy, and in which she did not lack gifts or tributes. However, she was not philanthropic and, therefore, did not seek the relief of her brethren, but mindful of glory and fortune, she wanted to reach the pinnacle of Science, to increase her reputation and number of patients. Moreover, to achieve that purpose there was no consideration that would stop her." (2nd Part, Chapter VIII, An ambitious Wise Man).
261. The Guide then informed that when Mrs. B. was a practitioner, she made several experiments with her patients, without them knowing about it. She shortened the days of the old aged patients, weakened the strong with experiments and tests, driven solely by her greed and pride, since her desire for gold and fame was the only reason for her behavior. Thus, it took centuries of terrible trials to tame this ambitious and full of pride Spirit until repentance initiated the work of regeneration. "Courage, then, because if the punishment is long and cruel, the reward will be greater for resignation, patience, humility," concluded the Guide. (2nd Part, Chapter VIII, An Ambitious Wise Man).
262. The story of Carlos de Saint-G, a 13 year old boy, whose intellectual faculties were nil to the point of not recognizing his own parents, barely able to eat by himself, showed Kardec how idiots think and act. Today, we call them, in general, exceptional or special. (2nd Part, Chapter VIII, Charles de Saint-G).
263. Commenting on the case, Kardec teaches us that, "This evocation confirms what we always said about idiots. The moral nullity does not imply in the nullity of the Spirit, which, with exception of the organs, enjoys all his faculties. The imperfection of the organs is just an obstacle to the free expression of thoughts. It is, therefore, the case of a strong man who was momentarily clamped down." (2nd Part, Chapter VIII, Charles de Saint-G).
264. Ultimately, the Encoder, mentioning such people, reminds their relatives of the exceptional opportunity offered to exercise charity, the more meritorious as heavier is this burden of no material compensation. "There is greater merit, says Kardec, in the careful assistance of an unfortunate son than in a child whose qualities offer any compensation. Charity, being selfless, is one of the more pleasant virtues to God, and to those, who practice it, He always grants His blessings. This innate and spontaneous feeling is worth this prayer: Thank you, God, for having given us a weak being to support, a grieving being to console" (2nd Part, Chapter VIII, Charles de Saint-G ...).
265. The case of Anna Bitter is very expressive. Still young and only daughter, her death left her father desperate. The disease, which affected Ana, did not make her suffer. However, it was like an ordeal for her father since he suffered more than his daughter seeing her ill. Anna was resigned, he was not. Anna prayed, while her father cursed. The consequence was that when the father also passed away, he sought for her in vain everywhere in the spiritual world. "When I died, I thought I would find her, but I did not!" he said later. (2nd Part, Chapter VIII, Anne Bitter)
266. The medium's Guide stated that Anna's father was not atheist or materialist, but never bothered with God and his Spiritual future, since he was occupied with earthy interests. Deeply selfish, he would sacrifice everything to save his daughter, but without the least scruple, he would also sacrifice the interests of others to his personal advantage. Since he cared for nobody, except for his daughter, God punished him, taking her away from this Earth, his only consolation. Moreover, since he did not repent, God maintained them separated in the Spiritual world. "Since he cared for no one on Earth, in the Spiritual world no one cared for him too. He is alone, isolated, abandoned, and this is his punishment. What does he do in this situation? Does he approach God? Does he repent? No, he grumbles, he even curses, in a word, he does what he did on Earth," says the Guide. (2nd Part, Chapter VIII, Anne Bitter).
Answers to the proposed questions
A. What happens to the guilty Spirit when he lacks resignation before his sufferings?
He will have to restart the trial or the atonement, because by lacking resignation he canceled his suffering. So, all his suffering became useless. In this life, everything has its reason for being. You, yourself caused all your suffering. Each excess you practiced now has the effect of a deprivation. Every tear was shed to wash a foul, some crime. Therefore, we must bear with patience and resignation the moral and physical pain, however cruel they may appear. (Heaven and Hell, Second Part, Chapter VIII, An Ambitious Wise Man).
B. Why are there idiots and handicapped on this Earth?
The idiots, who we call today exceptional or special, are beings punished for the misuse of powerful faculties. They are souls imprisoned in bodies with organs that cannot work to express their thoughts. This moral and physical mute state is one of the cruelest earthly punishments, often chosen by repentant Spirits, who are willing to redeem their faults. (Heaven and Hell, Second Part, Chapter VIII, Charles de Saint-G).
C. What is the explanation for painful sufferings in a child?
Previous faults, atonement, but it can also be a test for the child's parents, as occurred with Anna Bitter. She served as a tool for her father's suffering. By seeing her suffer, his suffering was greater than hers. (Heaven and Hell, Second Part, Chapter VIII, Clara Rivier and Anna Bitter.)
D. What could be useful in a blind person's life?
According to Joseph Maitre, who experienced the condition of blindness in expiation of his faults committed in the past, the isolation due to his blindness was useful because during the long silent night his soul more freely reached the Eternal, having a glimpse of the infinite by thought. When finally the exile ended, the Spiritual world only gave him unspeakable joys and splendors. According to Francisca Vernhes, who was also blind, blind people, ordinarily, have other senses, if one may say so. To observe is an important faculty for them. Their memory is like a closet where their skills and trends are kept in a coordinated manner and there they stay forever. Moreover, since nothing outside can disrupt this faculty, their development can be remarkable by means of education. (Heaven and Hell, Second Part, Chapter VIII, Frances and Joseph Vernhes Maitre, The Blind.)
The End
