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. After the humility before God, which is the first law of all Christians?
B. How does Spiritism regard patience?
C. How can resignation be defined according to Spiritism?
D. What is mercy?
Reading text
135. My beloved ones, the time has arrived when what is considered an error will be explained, and it will become a truth. We shall teach you the exact meaning of the parables and show you the strong interconnection that exists between past and present. In truth, I say unto you: Spiritism already appears in the horizon and its messenger is here, and he will shine like the sun on top of the mountains. (John the Evangelist, Chapter VIII, section 18.)
136. My friends, what is this meritorious balsam that heals all types of heart wounds? It is love, it is charity! If you have this inner fire, what can you be afraid of? (Chapter VIII, section 19, a Protecting Spirit.)
137. In your grief, always lift up your eyes to Heaven and say from the bottom of your heart: "My Lord, heal me, but heal my sick soul first, before you heal my body; allow my body to be punished, if necessary, so that my soul rises to Thy bosom with the same pureness it possessed when You created it." My friends, after this prayer, which the good Lord will always hear, you will be given the strength, the courage and maybe the cure too for which you have humbly asked for, as a reward for your abnegation. (Chapter VIII, section 20, Vianney, a parish priest of Ars)
138. Those who are deprived of their sight should consider themselves blessed in their atonement. Remember that Christ said, if your eye has been sinful, it would be better to pluck it out and cast it into the fire, rather than allow it to become the cause of your punishment. Ah! How many are there in this world who, one day, when they are in absolute darkness, will curse the time they saw the light! (Chapter VIII, section 20, Vianney, a parish priest of Ars)
139. "Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the Earth. Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God." Using these maxims, Jesus considers gentleness, moderation, meekness, affability and patience, a law. He condemns, therefore, violence, anger and all unkind words that someone might use towards his fellow men (Chapter IX, sections 1 to 4)
140. By these words Jesus whishes to let us know that, when humankind follows the law of love and charity, then there will be no selfishness; the weak and peaceful will no longer be exploited or crushed by the strong and violent. This will be the condition of the Earth, when, according to the law of progress and Jesus' promise, this planet will become a happy world due to the removal of the bad. (Chapter IX, section 5)
141. When you love your neighbor, you are then benevolent allowing yourself to behave gently and mildly. However, it is not always prudent to believe in appearances. Education and social skills can give a man a false polishing. The world is full of these people, who have a false smile fastened to their lips and poison in their hearts; who are mild as long as nothing is contrary to their wishes, but bite viciously at the least provocation; those whose tongue utters beautiful words, valuable as gold, when speaking in front of you, but that same tongue turns into a poisoned dart when talking behind your back. (Chapter IX, section 6, Lazarus)
142. Milk and honey flow from their lips. However, this is not enough. If their hearts do not feel the same, then they are hypocrites. Those that are genuinely gentle and mild and not merely dissimulated, are never contradicted, because they are always the same in their public or private life. They know that appearances can deceive men, but no one deceives God. (Chapter IX, section 6, Lazarus)
143. The doctrine of Jesus teaches us, in all respects, obedience and resignation, two virtues which are the companions of mildness and which are very active, although men mistake them for the denial of: feeling and will. Obedience is the consent of reason; resignation is the consent of the heart. Both are active forces since they carry the burden of trials as a consequence of senseless revolt. (Chapter IX, section 8, Lazarus)
144. Virtue or vice mark each period - accordingly, it is considered a period of salvation or of loss. Our generation is marked by the virtue of intellectual activity; its vice is moral indifference. (Chapter IX, section 8, Lazarus)
Answers to the proposed questions
A. After the humility before God, which is the first law of all Christians?
The first law of all Christians, after the humility before God, is charity towards our neighbors. (The Gospel According to Spiritism, Chapter IX, section 4.)
B. How does Spiritism regard patience?
Patience is charity too. According to Spiritism, giving alms to the poor is the easiest form of charity. The hardest one and, therefore, much more meritorious is to forgive those who God placed in our path to be an instrument of our suffering and to test our patience. (Ibid, Chapter IX, section 7.)
C. How can resignation be defined according to Spiritism?
Both obedience and resignation are very active virtues, although men mistake them with the denial of feeling and of will. Obedience is the consent of reason; resignation is the consent of the heart. When we say that a person is resigned, we mean that, in his heart, he accepts the things that cannot be changed. This happens in a great number of situations in our life. (Ibid, Chapter IX, section 8.)
D. What is mercy?
Mercy is a complement to mildness, since the person who is not merciful cannot be mild and pacific. Mercy consists in forgetting and forgiving all offence. This is inherent to the spiritually developed souls, who have learned not to react to the blows delivered to them.
