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Márcio Roberto
Silva Corrêa:
“The study of
the Gospel makes
it easier for us
to
put love into
practice”
The well-known
Brazilian
Spiritist
speaker and
researcher of
the
Gospel of
Jesus talks
about the
importance of
the Gospel in
our
lives and
how to study it
in a more
effective manner
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Márcio Roberto
Silva Corrêa (photo),
a civil engineer
and lecturer at
the University
of São Paulo,
became a
Spiritist in
1971. He is from
the city of Juiz
de Fora, in
Minas Gerais
state, but lives
in São Carlos,
in São Paulo
state. He is
also the
vice-president
of the Núcleo
Kardecista Paz,
Amor e
Fraternidade
Spiritist
Centre, where he
also gives
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talks and
lectures on the
Teachings. In
this interview, Márcio talks
about his
studies on the
Gospel of Jesus
and the 150th
anniversary of
The Gospel
According to
Spiritism: |
When did you
become
particularly
interested in
studying the
Teachings of
Jesus?
It began when I
was a child.
During the
Religion classes
at school, the
teachers asked
the students to
give their
interpretation
of the extracts
of the Gospel
they read. When
I was in my
early teens,
after my
grandmother
passed away, a
Spirist uncle I
had gave me The
Gospel According
to Spiritism as
a present, with
a subscription
of the Brazilian
Spiritist
Federation’s
magazine,
Reformador. That
was a big
encouragement to
carry on my
studies, with
the new
possibilities
provided by
Spiritism.
What is in your
opinion the most
striking aspect
of the Gospel?
The total
coherence
between the
Teachings and
the actions of
Jesus. There is
no other human
being who has
kept similar
consistence
between what he
preached and
what he
practiced.
This year we
are
commemorating
the 150th
anniversary of
the publication
of The Gospel
According to
Spiritism by
Allan Kardec.
What is the best
way of studying
this book?
The most
effective way of
studying this
book is to keep
deeply focused
and to approach
it with an open
heart. I would
mention here the
Parable of the
Sower, where we
learn that we
should make our
heart fertile
ground for the
germination of
the seeds sowed
by Jesus. We
must also
remember that he
is not only the
sower, but the
great cultivator
of our hearts.
As a researcher
of the Gospel
and taking into
account the
parables and the
Teachings of
Jesus selected
by Kardec in his
book, which ones
do you think
would offer us
the best
guidance to face
the challenges
of our daily
lives?
The Sermon of
the Mountain,
which sums up
Christianity in
a magnificent
way. It has the
essence of the
aspects chosen
by Kardec to
expand in his
bok. Mahatma
Gandhi, a Spirit
of Light
according to
Emmanuel in his
book, Pathway to
Light, said once
that if
humankind lost
all its
religious books
but kept the
Sermon of the
Mountain it
would have all
it needed.
What tips can
you give to
those who want
to go deeper in
the studies of
The Gospel
According to
Spiritism, so
that its 28
chapters become
effectively the
light in the
increasingly
difficult
challenges of
the modern
world?
To study and to
experiment,
testing the
benefits of
putting those
lessons into
practice. When
we study or
research, it is
very important
the role of
other books that
help us in the
interpretation.
The books of
Emmanuel will
play, in this
case, an
important role,
especially the
books of the
Fonte Viva
series, which
make a link
between theory
and practice.
The great
Brazilian
Spiritist
pioneer Cairbar
Schutel
published three
masterpieces on
the life and
Teachings of
Jesus. What
aspects of those
works would you
highlight?
He produced
indeed three
remarkable
books,
indispensable
for anyone
studying the
Gospel of Jesus.
His
interpretations
of the Gospel
are jewels. I
quote of them
here just to
raise the
curiosity of our
readers: “…the
Parable of the
Good Samaritan
is really about
Jesus; the
injured
traveller is
Humanity, which
had its
spiritual
possessions and
its liberty
plundered by the
powerful in this
world…”
How can we make
the Gospel of
Jesus more
relevant to the
anguished hearts
of human beings
these days?
We must show
that the Gospel
is a safe guide
to shorten the
distance between
happiness and
us. In chapter 6
of The Gospel
According to
Spiritism, the
Spirit of Truth
advises us:
“Spiritists!
Love. This is
the first
teaching;
educate
yourselves, this
is the second
one.” The study
of the Gospel
makes it easier
for us to put
love into
practice. And
love, on the
other hand, is a
permanent
incentive for us
to get into the
studies of the
Gospel of Jesus.
It is a “vicious
circle,” whose
benefits are
clearly
noticeable.
Is there
anything else
you would like
to add?
I have profound
gratitude to
Jesus for its
work of love and
the great
charity act of
sending us the
Consoler,
Spiritism, which
had been
promised to us
2,000 years ago.
I would like to
end with the
words of the
great Spirit,
Emmanuel: “Jesus
and Kardec are
linked to
perfection by
Divine Wisdon.
Jesus is the
door, Kardec,
the key.”
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