HUMILITYHUMILITYThe first virtue!

Humility, the first virtue!

Humility is a virtue much forgotten amongst you.

Of the many examples given very few have been followed.

However, is it possible to be charitable to your neighbour without being humble?

Chapter 7 – Pride and Humility, The Gospel According to Spiritism, Lacordaire Spirit

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What is Humility?

The Humility came from Latin “Humus”, that means “the ground under us” or “sons of earth”. The same origin of the words Human and Humanity.

Means that all of us Means that all of us are at the same high!are at the same high!

In terms of dignity, in terms of relevance and in terms of possibility.

Based from video “What is Humility?”, Doctor in education Mário Sérgio Cortella, Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo, Brazil, Youtube. 3

What is Humility?

“People that is Real Great knows that they are small and that’s why

they grow...

People who are People who are very smallvery small think it’s think it’s already big and the only way for already big and the only way for them to grow is them to grow is decreasedecrease Other Other

people!people!”.”.

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Based from video “What is Humility?”, Doctor in education Mário Sérgio Cortella, Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo, Brazil, Youtube.

Small people, decrease the Others!

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Does the power on Earth guarantee of humility?

275. Do the power and consideration which a man may have enjoyed in the earthly life give him supremacy in the spirit-world?

No; for in that World the humble are exalted and the proud abased.

Read the Psalms.”

The Spirit’s Book, Allan Kardec.

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How we can understand this elevation and this abasement?

a) “Do you not know that spirits are of different orders, according to their degree of merit? Therefore, he who has held the highest rank upon the earth may find himself in the lowest rank in the world of spirits, while his servitor may be in the highest. Is not this clear to you ? Has not Jesus said that ‘Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased, and whosoever humbleth himself shall be exalted?”

The Spirit’s Book, Allan Kardec.

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Are the “Poor in spirit” humbles?

1. Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. (Matthew, 5: 3)

2. Sceptics have mocked this maxim, as they have mocked many other things they do not understand. By 'the poor in spirit' Jesus did not mean those devoid of intelligence, but the humble, in as much as He said that the Kingdom of Heaven would be for them and not for the prideful.

The Gospel According to Spiritism, Chapter 7 – Blessed are the Poor in Spirit, Allan Kardec.

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What is being Humble?

“The humble avoid any way, the ostentation or the expecting of recognition, by anothers, of the good works that they are doing. He knows that the good must be done without fanfare and in silence, thus destroying the altars erected to his vanity.

To be humble is to recognize our smallness in face of the greatness of the universe and have full consciousness that everything belongs to God”

Book “Diretrizes para uma Vida Feliz” (Guidelines for a Happy Life, The Humbleness), Sergito de Souza Cavalcanti9

What is not Humility?

“There are those who understand humility, the poor or the beggar, in other words, those who have few material possessions. Pure mistake, there is wealthy men that, despite having lots of money, are truly very humble (…)

There are many poor people selfish and proud and many rich people humble.“

Book “Diretrizes para uma Vida Feliz” (Guidelines for a Happy Life, The Humbleness), Sergito de Souza Cavalcanti

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What is not Humility?

Subservience

Servitude

Submission

Fear

Weakness

Omission

Adulation

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MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL! IS THERE ANYONE MORE SPIRITUAL THAN I?

“By saying that the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to the poor in spirit, Jesus teaches that no one will be admitted without simplicity of heart and humility of spirit; that the ignorant person who possesses these qualities will be preferred to the wise person who believes more in himself than in God.“

The Gospel According to Spiritism, Chapter 7 – Blessed are the Poor in Spirit, Allan

Kardec.12

The “Kingdom of Heaven” belongs to the simple of heart!

“In all circumstances Jesus put humility into the category of virtues that bring Man near to God and pride into the category of vices that keep Man away from God. The reason for this is clear, for to be humble is an act of submission to God, whereas pride is a revolt against Him. For Man then, there is far greater value for his future happiness by being poor in spirit, as the world would understand it, and rich in moral qualities.”

The Gospel According to Spiritism, Chapter 7 – Blessed are the Poor in Spirit, Allan Kardec.

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The “Kingdom of Heaven” belongs to the simple of heart!

The Pride is concerned about who is right.

The Humility is concerned about what is right. (Anonymous)

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If the Humility is the virtue, what is the vice it fights?

Pride

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First child of Selfishness!

Humility

Pride

Selfishness and Pride

“In fact, by observing the results of all the vices and even of simple defects, it can be recognized that there is not one which does not more or less disfigure the sentiment of charity, because all of them have their beginnings in selfishness and pride, which are the negation of it ...”

Chapter 17 – Be Perfect, The Gospel According to Spiritism, Allan Kardec

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What is the greatest obstacle to progress?

785. ”Pride and selfishness. I refer to moral progress; for intellectual progress is always going on, and would even seem, at the first glance, to give redoubled activity to those vices, by developing ambition and the love of riches, which, however, in their turn, stimulate man to the researches that enlighten his mind, ...”

The Spirit’s Book, Allan Kardec.

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18Saul understood God only as a

powerful and inflexible Sir. (proud?)

Saul: Persecutor of Christians

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He needed to close your material eyes to open your

spiritual eyes

The Conversion on the way to Damascus

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Three years in the desert to

overcome pride and conquer

humility.

After 3 years in the desert: Paul

The name Paul originates in the Latin Paullus. It means "small", "short stature".20

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Often LIFE "puts us on our knees" to let go of our vices and conquer

virtues, beginning by the Humility!

Life asks us for Humility!

Great examples that have become small!

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Our greatest model: Jesus

Our greatest model: Jesus

“After washing the feet of his disciples, including Simon Peter, who had at first opposed this, the Lord told them that, very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.”

(John, 13:16 to 13:20.)

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Great in Humility:Emmanuel and Chico Xavier

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Emmanuel, Spiritist Journal, Nova Luz (New Light), 2000 July

Humility is not in poverty, it is not in indigence, penury, necessity, nakedness and

hunger. Humility is when the person have the right to

complain, to judge, to reprove and to take any understandable attitude in the personal brio,

but just blesses.

He not only preached and explained the virtues; They lived them.

“Know thyself.”“I only know that I know nothing.”

He valued the reason well orientedin the pursuit of good and truth.

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Great in Humility:Socrates, the Philosopher

Educator, master of Allan Kardec and necessarily precursor of the Spiritist doctrine.

Integral Education: education of the head, education of the hands and education of the heart.

Education by the nature. The child learn

observingand doing not only listening.

Great in Humility:Pestalozzi, the Educator

How can we practice Humility?

658. Is prayer acceptable to God?

“Prayer is always acceptable to God when dictated by the heart, for the intention is everything in His sight; and the prayer of the heart is preferable to one read from a book, however beautiful it may be, if read with the lips rather than with the thought. Prayer is acceptable to God when it is offered with faith, fervour, and sincerity; but do not imagine that He will listen to that of the vain, proud, or selfish man, unless it be offered as an act of sincere repentance and humility.”

The Spirit’s Book, Allan Kardec.28

Why should we be Humble?

“Remember that good spirits only give their aid to those who serve God with humility and disinterestedness; they disown all who use heavenly things as a stepping-stone to earthly advancement, and withdraw from the proud and the ambitious. Pride and ambition are a barrier between man and God; for they blind man to the splendours of celestial existence, and God cannot employ the blind to make known the light.”

The Spirit’s Book, Prolegomena, Allan Kardec.29

Virtue is among us!

“[...] virtue is not entirely banished from the earth, as certain pessimists think. Undoubtedly the evil still dominates, but when one searches in the shadow, one notices that under the weed there are more violets, that is, a greater number of good souls than one thinks. If they arise at such a time intervals, true virtue is not in evidence, because it is humble ...”

30The Spiritist Review - Journal of Psychological Studies,

Vol.6., 1863, Allan Kardec

… he content with the pleasures of the heart and the approval of the conscience, whereas the vice manifests itself Insultingly in the light; Makes noise because he is proud. Pride and humility are the two poles of the human heart: one attracts all good; the other, all evil; one is calm; the other, storm; consciousness is the compass that indicates the route leading to each of them. [...]

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Virtue is among us!

The Spiritist Review - Journal of Psychological Studies, Vol.6., 1863, Allan Kardec

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To conclude, let’s hear Jesus again!

The Sermon on a Mountain

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up a mountain and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

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The Beatitudes of Jesus

Matthew, 5, 1 to 12

Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.

Rejoice and celebrate, because great is your reward in heaven; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.

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The Beatitudes of Jesus

Matthew, 5, 1 to 12

The Question that Remains...

How can I "serve as ladder" for my brothers grow taller than I and

make their light shine?

https://www.slideshare.net/ricardoazevedo9216/humildade-a-primeira-virtude

Bibliography and ReferencesBibliography and References The Gospel According to Spiritism, Allan Kardec.

The Spirit’s Book, Allan Kardec.

Diretrizes para uma Vida Feliz, A Humildade, (Guidelines for a Happy Life, the Humbleness),Sergito de Souza Cavalcanti

What is Humility?, Mário Sérgio Cortella, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWZY9-6K4M4

As relações no além-túmulo (The relations in the after death), question 275. Grupo Espírita Cristão Despertar, https://pt.slideshare.net/patriciafarias32/livro-dos-espiritos-q-275-e-apresenta-fraternidade-sem-fronteiras

The Spiritist Review - Journal of Psychological Studies, Vol.6., 1863, Allan Kardec

Why Humility First, http://www.oconsolador.com.br/

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