Forgive others so that God may forgive you

1. Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy. (Matthew, 5: 7).

2. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Matthew, 6: 14 & 15).

3. Moreover if they brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. Then came Peter to Him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times? Jesus said unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but until seventy times seven. (Matthew, 18:15, 21 & 22).

4. Mercy is a complement to mildness, because the person who is not merciful cannot be mild and pacific. Mercy consists of being able to forget and forgive all offence. Hate and rancour denotes a Spirit without any elevation or magnanimity. Being able to forget offences is the mark of an elevated soul, which does not perturb itself with the blows it may be dealt. The one is always anxious, of a dark susceptibility and full of bitterness; while the other is calm, full of sweetness and charity.

Woe to those who say they will never forgive! If these people are not already condemned by mankind, then God will surely condemn them. What right has a person to demand forgiveness for their own faults if they are unable to forgive those of others? Does not Jesus teach that mercy must have no limits when He says that each one must forgive their brothers and sisters not merely seven times, but seventy times seven?

However, there are two very different ways of forgiving: the first is noble and great, truly generous without any hidden thoughts, which delicately avoids hurting the self-esteem and susceptibility of the adversary, even when that same adversary has no justification for his or her acts. The second, on the other hand, is when someone who has been offended, or thinks they have been offended, imposes humiliating conditions on the supposed adversary, making felt the weight of the pardon, which can only cause further irritation instead of calming; where, upon offering a hand to the offended, this is not done with benevolence, but rather with ostentation, so that the person may say to others - look how generous I am! In these circumstances a sincere reconciliation is quite impossible for either one. No, here there is no generosity, only a form of satisfying pride. In every dispute the one who shows him or herself to be more conciliatory, who demonstrates more disinterest, charity and real greatness of soul will always attract sympathy from those who are impartial.

- Allan Kardec.

Excerpted from Chapter X - Blessed are the merciful - of "The Gospel according to Spiritism" - Allan Kardec.

All virtues and vices are inherent in the Spirit

10. Because of the false idea that it is not possible for a person to reform their own nature, they judge themselves exempt from even trying to correct their defects. This applies especially to those defects in which the person willingly takes pleasure, or those which would take a great deal of perseverance to eradicate. This is why, for example, an individual who is prone to anger almost always finds excuses for this temperament. Instead of confessing themselves guilty, they accuse their organism and in this manner accuse God for their faults. This is yet one more of the consequences of pride to be found in the midst of our imperfections.

Undoubtedly there are temperaments which lend themselves more readily than others to violent acts, just as there are muscles which are more flexible than others, so lending themselves better to acts of strength. However, do not believe it is here that the first cause lies, but persuade yourself that a pacific Spirit, even when in a sickly body, will always be pacific. Just as much as a violent Spirit, even when occupying a lymphatic body will not be more mild, only that the violence will take on another aspect In this case the anger would be more concentrated, just as in the first case the anger would be more expansive.

Therefore it is not the body which gives the anger to those who do not already possess it, in the same manner neither does it cause other vices. All virtues and vices are inherent in the Spirit. If this were not the case, where would be the merit and responsibility? The person who is bodily deformed can do nothing to remedy this situation because the Spirit takes no part in it, but what can be modified is the actual Spirit, when it wants to, by means of strong desire. Does not experience show us up to what point the power of desire can take us when we look at the truly miraculous transformations happening all around us every day? Then let us convince ourselves that Man only remains bound by vices because he so desires! Those who really wish to liberate themselves can always achieve this end. If it were not so, then the law of progress would not be able to exist. 

- Hahnemann (Spirit).

Paris, 1863.

Excerpted from Chapter IX - Blessed are the meek and the peacemakers - of "The Gospel according to Spiritism" - Allan Kardec.

Anger

9. Pride induces you to judge yourselves to be more than you are and to repel any comparison which might discredit you. You consider yourselves to be so much higher than your fellow men or women, be it in spirit, in social position or even in personal advantage, that the least parallel irritates and annoys you. What happens then? You give way to anger. 

Investigate the origin of these outbursts of passing dementia, which make you resemble a savage by losing your self-possession and reason; and if you do, then you will almost always be faced with hurt pride. Perchance, is it not pride which has been hurt by a contradiction which makes you repel justifiable observations and angrily reject the wisest counsel? Even impatience originating from contrarieties, and often childish ones at that, comes from the importance which each individual gives to their own personality, before which it has been given to understand that everyone should bow down.

In their frenzy, wrathful people hurl themselves at everything, from their own savage nature to lifeless objects, breaking them because they do not obey! Ah! If they could but see themselves at these moments, looking on in cold blood! Either they would be afraid of themselves, or they would think themselves simply ridiculous! Imagine then the impression made on others! Even if it is merely out of respect for oneself, it behoves one to make an effort to overcome this inclination which only makes one into a pitiable object.

If we reflect that anger in no way helps, in fact it modifies our health even to putting our life at risk, then we would recognise that we are nothing more than our own victims. But above all, there is yet another consideration which should restrain us, that of the unhappiness this kind of behaviour brings to all those around us. If we have a heart, would not this anger be a motive for remorse for having caused those we love to suffer? What a terrible moral weight upon us if, in an excess of fury, we were to practise some act which we would deplore for the rest of our life! 

To summarize, anger does not exclude certain qualities of the heart, but it stops us from doing any good and may cause us to practise great evil. This then should be sufficient to induce mankind to make the necessary effort in order to dominate this trait. Moreover, for those who are Spiritists, there is an instigation to do this for yet another motive that of anger being against charity and Christian humility. 

- A Protecting Spirit.

Bordeaux, 1863.

Excerpted from Chapter IX - Blessed are the meek and the peacemakers - of "The Gospel according to Spiritism" - Allan Kardec.

Obedience and resignation

8. The doctrine of Jesus constantly teaches obedience and resignation, two virtues which are the companions of mildness and activity, although man wrongly confuses them with denial of sentiment and free-will. Obedience is the consent of reason; resignation is the consent of the heart Both are active forces since they carry the burden which has fallen upon them due to foolish revolt. The coward cannot be resigned, any more than the prideful and selfish can be obedient. Jesus was the very incarnation of these virtues, which were despised by material antiquity. He came to Earth at a time when Roman society was perishing in the failings of corruption. He came so that, even in the bosom of depressed humanity, the triumph of sacrifice and the renouncement of sensuality would shine forth.

Thus, each epoch is marked with the stamp of the virtue or vice which it has either to save or to lose. The virtue of this generation is intellectuality, the vice is moral indifference. We merely use the word 'activity' because a genius may suddenly rise up and discover for him or herself the horizons which will be seen by the multitude only at a later date. Whereas activity denotes the reunion of the endeavours of everyone in order to reach a somewhat less brilliant conclusion, but one which will confirm the intellectual elevation of an epoch.

Submit yourself then to the impulsion we have come to give your spirits. Obey the great law of progress which is the promise of your generation. Woe to the lazy ones, woe to all those not open to understanding! Woe unto them! Because we, who are the guides of humanity on the march, shall apply the whip and subdue the rebellion by means of the double action of brake and spur. All prideful resistance will have to be overcome sooner or later. However, blessed be all those who are mild for they will lend yielding ears to these teachings. 

- Lazarus (Spirit).

Paris, 1863.

Excerpted from Chapter IX - Blessed are the meek and the peacemakers - of "The Gospel according to Spiritism" - Allan Kardec.

Patience

7. Pain is a blessing sent by God to all His elected; so when you suffer do not allow yourself to become afflicted; rather bless the Omnipotent Who, through the pain of this world, has chosen you to receive glory in Heaven.

Be patient, because this is also a charity; everyone should practice the law of charity as taught by Christ, Who is God's Envoy. Charity given to the poor in the form of a]ms is the easiest of all. However, there is another kind of charity which is much more laborious and so consequently offers higher merit. That is to forgive all those placed in your pathway by God to act as instruments for your suffering and to test your patience. 

We know full well that life is difficult, being composed of so many apparently useless, insignificant and valueless things which act as repeated pinpricks and end up hurting us. However, if on the one hand we observe with care the duties imposed upon us, and on the other recognise the consolations and compensations received, then we must admit that the blessings are far more numerous than the pains. When our eyes are raised up to Heaven our burdens appear to be less heavy than when our brow is bowed down to the earth.

Courage, my friends! Christ is your model. He suffered far more than any of you and had nothing to offer penitence for, whereas we must atone for our past and thereby fortify ourselves for the future. So be patient; be Christians! This word summarizes everything. 

- A Friendly Spirit.

Havre, 1862.

Excerpted from Chapter IX - Blessed are the meek and the peacemakers - of "The Gospel according to Spiritism" - Allan Kardec.

Affability and mildness

6. Benevolence towards one's fellow-creatures, which is the result of loving your neighbour, manifests itself in the form of affability and mildness. However, it is not always a good thing to trust in appearance. Education and worldliness can give Man a thin veneer of these qualities. There are many whose feigned good-nature is nothing more than an exterior mask, like beautiful clothes hiding interior deformities! The world is full of such people with a smile on their lips but poison in their hearts;  who are mild as long as nothing irritates them, but who bite at the least provocation; those whose tongues are made of gold when speaking face to face, but change into a poisoned dart when speaking from behind.

Still in the category of those showing benign countenance, there are those domestic tyrants who make their families and subordinates suffer the weight of their pride and despotism. As if they are trying to get even for any constraints possibly imposed upon them while away from home. Not daring to use their authority on strangers who would call them to order, they want to at least be feared by those who cannot resist them. They are proud to be able to say "I give the orders here and am obeyed." But they never think that they could also add, "And I am detested."

It is not enough for milk and honey to flow from the lips. If the heart is never associated with these sentiments then there is only hypocrisy. Those whose affability and mildness are not mere pretence are never belied, for they are always the same whether in society or in privacy. Besides, they know that although it is possible to deceive Man, no one can deceive God. 

- Lazarus (Spirit).

Paris, 1861.

Excerpted from Chapter IX - Blessed are the meek and the peacemakers - of "The Gospel according to Spiritism" - Allan Kardec.

Insults and violence

1. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. (Matthew, 5: 5).

2. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. (Matthew, 5: 9).

3. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgement: but I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgement: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council; and whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. (Matthew, 5: 21 & 22).

4. By these maxims Jesus makes meekness, moderation, docility, affability and patience the Law. Consequently condemning violence, anger and all discourteous expressions towards others. For example, Raca was a disdainful expression amongst the Hebrews meaning a worthless person, and was accompanied by pronounced spitting and turning the head to one side. At one point Jesus goes so far as to threaten anyone who says to another - you are insane - with the fire of hell. It therefore becomes evident that here, as in all circumstances, the intention aggravates or lessens the offence. But why should a simple word become something so grave as to warrant such severe reproof? This is because every offensive word expresses a sentiment that is contrary to the laws of love and charity, which preside over all human relationships, and between them maintain cordiality and union. By sustaining hate and animosity we are undermining reciprocated benevolence and fraternity. In short, it is because next to humility before God, charity to your neighbour is the first law of all Christians.

5. But what did Jesus mean by the words "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth," when He had recommended that mankind renounce all worldly goods after having promised those of Heaven?

While awaiting heavenly riches, mankind has need of the Earth on which to live. Jesus is only recommending that we do not give more importance to worldly goods than to the others. By these words He wishes to say that till now worldly goods have been monopolized by those who are violent, to the detriment of the meek and pacific, who frequently lack even the necessities of life while others have superfluity. Jesus promises justice will be  done on Earth as it is in Heaven because the meek will be called God's children. When humanity submits itself to the law of love and charity, then selfishness will cease to exist; 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 this planet becomes a happy world because it has rid itself of all evil, according to the law of progress and the promise made by Jesus.

- Allan Kardec.

Excerpted from Chapter IX - Blessed are the meek and the peacemakers - of "The Gospel according to Spiritism" - Allan Kardec.

Blessed are those who eyes are closed (*)

(*) This communication was given in response to an appeal of a blind person, in whose name the Spirit of J. B. Vianney, a parish priest of Ars, was evoked.

20. My good friends, why did you call me? Was it because you wished that I put my hands upon the unhappy sufferer that is present and cure her? Ah, what suffering, dear God! She has lost her sight and darkness envelopes her. Poor child! Let her pray and wait. I do not know how to perform miracles, if God does not wish it. All the cures that I have been able to obtain, that you have been informed about, can only be attributed to He who is our Father. In your afflictions always lift up your eyes to Heaven and say from the bottom of your hearts: "Lord, cure me, but cause my sick soul to cure itself before you cure my body; let my flesh be chastised, if this be necessary, so that my soul may rise up to Your bosom with the same whiteness it possessed when You created it." After this prayer, my friends, may the good Lord always hear you. Then you will be given strength, courage and perhaps also the cure for which you have asked, in recompense for your abnegation.

However, since I am here in this assembly which deals principally with study, I will tell you that those who are deprived of their sight should consider themselves blessed in their atonement. I would remind you that Christ said it was better to pluck out your eye if it were evil, and that it was preferable to cast it into the fire rather than allow it to become the cause of your condemnation. Ah! How many there are in this world who one day, when they are in absolute darkness, will curse the time they saw the light! Oh yes, how happy are those who through atonement find they have been struck in their sight! Then their eyes will not be the cause of offence nor of their downfall. They can live the full life of the soul. They can see more than those whose vision is clear! ... When God permits that I open the eyelids of some of these sad sufferers and restitute the light, then I say to myself: Dear soul, why do you not wish to know all the delights of the Spirit who lives by love and contemplation? Then you would not ask to see images that are less pure and gentle than those you glimpse through your blindness!

Oh! Blessed is the blind person who wishes to live with God! More fortunate than you who are here at this moment, he feels happiness; it is tangible to him; he sees the souls of men and can rise up with them to the spiritual spheres where he can perceive what even the predestined of the Earth cannot manage to see. Our eyes, when open, are always ready to cause the downfall of the soul; whilst, when shut, they are always ready to help us rise up in the direction of God. Believe me, my good and dear friends, on many occasions blindness is the true light of the heart, whereas sight is frequently the angel of darkness which leads to death.

And now, a few words directed at you, my poor sufferer. Wait and be of good faith! If I were to say: "My child, your eyes will op en," how jubilant you would feel! But who knows if this joy would not be the cause of a great loss! Have faith then in the good Lord who gives us happiness and permits sadness. I will do everything for you that I am permitted, but on your side you must pray, and even more important, meditate on all that I have said.

Before I leave, may all who are here gathered together receive my blessing. 

- Vianney, parish priest of Ars (Spirit).

Paris, 1863.

21. Remarks: When an affliction is not a consequence of acts committed in this life, then we must look for the cause in a previous life. Everything which we call a whim of chance is nothing more than the effect of God's justice. He does not inflict wilful punishment, but desires that every penalty be in accordance with the misdeed. If in His goodness He has cast a veil over our past actions, He has also pointed out the way by saying: "Who kills by the sword shall perish by the sword." From these words we should understand that each creature is always punished according to the way in which he or she has sinned. If someone suffers the torment of losing their sight, then it is because their sight was the cause of their downfall. It might also be that this person was the cause of someone else losing their sight, perhaps in consequence of excessive work that had been imposed upon them by the one who has now lost theirs; perhaps also through ill treatment, lack of care, negligence, etc. In these cases the person responsible always undergoes the penalty caused by his own actions. On repenting, he may have chosen this very atonement, thereby applying to himself the words of Jesus: "If your eye is the motive for offence, then cast it out." 

- Allan Kardec.

Excerpted from Chapter VIII - Blessed are the pure in heart - of "The Gospel according to Spiritism" - Allan Kardec.

The supreme balsam

19. Let the little children come unto Me for I have the milk which will strengthen the weak. Let all those who are fearful, feeble, in need of help and consolation come unto Me. Let the ignorant come unto Me, so that I may enlighten them. Let all who suffer come unto Me, together with the afflicted and the unfortunate. I will teach them the great remedy which will soften their ills, revealing unto them the secret that will cure their wounds! What is this supreme balsam, my friends, which possesses such high virtue that it may be applied to all types of wounds suffered by the heart and heal them? It is love and charity! If you possess this divine flame, what is there to be afraid of? Then every moment of your life you will say: "Dear Father, I pray that Your wish be done and not mine; if it be Your pleasure to test me through pain and tribulations, blessed be it, because I know it is for my own good. If it pleases you Lord, have mercy on this weak creature, giving justifiable happiness to this heart and blessed be it yet again. But do not allow divine love to lie sleeping in my soul; make it rise up unceasingly and present itself at Your feet as witness of my gratitude."

If you have love, then you have the most desirable thing on Earth. You possess a most precious pearl which no occurance, nor malice of those who hate and persecute, can take away. If you have love you will have placed your treasure where the worms and rust cannot attack, having extinguished everything capable of defiling the pureness of your soul. Every day you will feel the diminishing weight of matter, and like a bird in the sky which no longer remembers the Earth, will continually rise up without ceasing till your soul, full of exhilaration, fills itself with the elements of the true life in the bosom of the Lord. 

- A Protecting Spirit.

Bordeaux, 1861.

Excerpted from Chapter VIII - Blessed are the pure in heart - of "The Gospel according to Spiritism" - Allan Kardec.

Let the little children come unto me

18. Christ said: "Let the little children come unto me." Profound in their simplicity these words do not contain just a call to children, but also a call to the souls who gravitate in the inferior regions where misfortune knows no hope. Jesus also calls to the infantile intellectuality of the adult, to the weak, to those in slavery, to the depraved and to the wicked. He could teach nothing to the physically infantile, still bound by matter and submitted to the yoke of instinct, as these had not yet reached the superior category of reason nor of free-will, which is exercised around them and for their benefit.

Jesus wanted mankind to deliver themselves to Him with confidence, in the same way that tiny tots, with their special appeal, win over the hearts of women, who are all mothers. Then He could submit these souls to His tender and mysterious influence. He was the flame which brought light to the darkness, that dawn light which announces the sunrise. He was the initiator of Spiritism, which should in its turn attract to Him not the children, but men of goodwill. Vigorous action has begun; it is no longer a question of instinctive belief and mechanical obedience; it is necessary for Man to follow the intelligent law which shows its universality.

Dearly beloved, the time has come in which, when explained, all fallacies will become truths. We shall teach the exact meaning of the parables and show the strong correlation existing between what was and what is now. In truth I say unto you that these great spiritual manifestations will open up the horizons and that this is the messenger which will shine resplendently as the sun upon the mountain top. 

- John the Evangelist (Spirit).

Paris, 1863.

Excerpted from Chapter VIII - Blessed are the pure in heart - of "The Gospel according to Spiritism" - Allan Kardec.