In the rich spiritist literature, a mediumistic work stands out that has not yet been properly understood and valued, and many hastily classify it as a history book, when the author himself explains that it is not a work about human history, but rather, a “contribution to the religious thesis, elucidating the sacred influence of faith and the spiritual ascendancy in the course of all terrestrial civilizations”. We are referring to the book On the Way to the Light, authored by Espírito Emmanuel, psychographed by the medium Francisco Cândido Xavier.

Still according to Emmanuel's words in the Anteloquy (presentation), the work is an effort “to show the true position of the Gospel of Christ”, and, furthermore, “our effort will only consist of notes outside the task of great missionaries of the world and of peoples that have already disappeared, clarifying the greatness and mercy of the Divine Master”. It is not, as we see, a work that rewrites the history of humanity, that details facts and brings new documents, but rather, a work that highlights the action of Jesus, as spiritual governor of the Earth, directly and indirectly, through the various missionaries who reincarnate here, or the spiritual masses of good that act on the characters who make up human history. To this end, Emmanuel follows the historical line of human times, without bringing outlandish revelations, as this is not the nature of Superior Spirits.

There is one fact, however, to be noted, as it is important: the book was written between August 17, 1938 and September 21 of the same year, that is, in just over thirty days, and was published by the Brazilian Spiritist Federation at the beginning of the following year, that is, in 1939, a few months before the start of the Second World War, which occurred on September 1st with the German invasion of Poland. When reading the work, we perceive the spiritual ascendancy of this event, with the spiritual author's concern in accentuating the action of the Spirits for the benefit of human beings, showing that we are not abandoned, that everything has its reason for being, and that from the rubble of the fratricide struggles a new era always emerge, under the aegis of Christ.

Emmanuel makes an expressive note in his text, reminding us that everything changes, everything passes with time, given the laws of reincarnation and progress; however, Jesus does not pass away. He is the only one who survives time and continues to illuminate our steps vacillating in this world, whether we are incarnated or discarnate, because humanity is the whole, it is the union of the corporeal world with the spiritual world.

Nothing, absolutely nothing, that occurs in human history, is the result of chance or solely the use of free will on the part of men, as Divine Law governs everything and places limits on our action, making us responsible for the consequences of our actions and decisions, in the wonderful and perfect functioning of God's justice. And as He is goodness and mercy, He does not abandon us, allowing the action of the discarnate upon us, for good and for evil, always within the limits of the Greater Law, leaving us the responsibility for the decisions and movements that make history. In other words: it is not only the incarnate people who make human history, as it also receives the help of the disincarnate people. This is Emmanuel's thesis, which he seeks to highlight in the book, showing that many events had the influence and participation of Spirits, including, in many cases, spiritual planning preceding the historical fact.

Spiritists know that Jesus is the most perfect Spirit that has ever been on Earth, being our guide and model, as we see in question 625 of The Spirits' Book, and through the universal teaching of Spirits, we also know that he, since creation of the planet, is the spiritual governor of it, therefore, of humanity. His incarnation was planned, and several missionary Spirits incarnated before him, and with him, to prepare the ground, so that everything was in order for him to carry out his mission. This is the approach of chapter 12, which we will highlight here: “The manger marked the starting point of Christ's saving lesson, as if to say that humility represents the key to all virtues. The definitive era of the spiritual majority of earthly humanity began, as Jesus, with his divine exemplification, would deliver the code of fraternity and love to all hearts.”

Emmanuel does not discuss whether Jesus was born in Bethlehem or not, whether the wise men existed or not, he just uses the figure exalted by the evangelists to highlight the purpose of the Messiah's coming, starting with the exemplification of humility. And he adds: “his lesson of love and humility was unique in all times of humanity.”

Highlighting the redemptive mission of Jesus, he informs that “Christ came to bring to the world the eternal foundations of truth and love. His word, gentle and generous, brought together all the unfortunate and all the sinners. He chose the poorest and most unadorned environments to live the intensity of his sublime lessons, showing men that the truth did not need the sumptuous setting of Areopagus, forums, and temples, to make itself heard in its mysterious beauty. His preachings, in the public square, occur in relation to the most unprotected and disqualified beings, as if to demonstrate that his word came to unite all creatures in the same vibration of fraternity and on the same luminous path of love. He peacefully combatted all official violence in Judaism, renewing the Ancient Law with the doctrine of enlightenment, tolerance, and forgiveness. He spread the clearest visions of immortal life, teaching earthly creatures that there is something superior to homelands, flags, blood, and human laws. His profound, energetic, and merciful word reformed all philosophies, clarified the path of science, and would have united all the religions of the Earth, if the impiety of men had not made the weight of iniquity worth the scales of redemption.”

Still in that same chapter, Emmanuel reminds us of the consequences of these lessons if properly applied by men in all fields of knowledge and human institutions: “From his unforgettable lessons, consequences arise for all departments of planetary existence, in the sense of renewing the social and political institutes of Humanity, with the moral transformation of men within a new era of economic justice and universal concord.”

Finally, in the last item, looking at human time and the infinite growth of the Spirit towards perfection, he declares: “the lesson of Christ remained forever on Earth, as the treasure of all the unfortunate and all the helpless. His word built faith in human souls, giving them a glimpse of their glorious destinies.”

We highlight in this text only the transcendent meaning of Christ's presence on Earth, and the moral and spiritual ascendancy of his teachings in the history of humanity, and forevermore, in a sample of what the reader will find in the pages of On the Way to the Light, a work mediumistic, authored by Emmanuel, by the blessed hands of Chico Xavier, showing that in all recorded historical facts there is always spiritual ascendancy, under the aegis of Jesus, with his divine love working so that we understand the need for good and love to achieve peace and happiness, right here on Earth, taking these achievements to the afterlife, in the spiritual homeland that awaits our return.

In fact, On the Way to the Light is not a history book, but following the recorded historical facts known to everyone, Emmanuel shows us that this history is not carried out apart from the spiritual reality of life, on the contrary, many facts have their origin in the planning and action carried out by the Spirits, in the constant interaction between those who are discarnate and those who are incarnate, in an interaction made in accordance with the sublime lesson and exemplification of Jesus: “love one another”.

Marcus De Mario is a writer, educator, speaker; he coordinates Seara de Luz, an online spiritist study group; he edits the Orientação Espírita channel on YouTube; he has more than 35 published books.