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Spirituality

The Faith That Drives the Trailblazers of the World

Source: Interview given by Brother Paiva to the Portuguese journalist Ana Serra about his book "Reflexões da Alma" [Reflections of the Soul], launched in Portugal by Pergaminho Publishing House, in 2008. | Updated in January 2021.

Everything originates in the Spirit. The body is our provisional garment. The World Health Organization (WHO) has already pointed out the important role of spiritual health. There is in-depth research showing how Spirituality influences an individual's well-being. And the competent tool that we need to use to achieve peace of Soul, in such a needy world, is prayer, followed by the effective action of Solidarity (which should always guide the governments’ efforts), without which prayer—born from the connection with God (or, for those who do not have a religious belief, the experience of the noblest feelings)—could only, in certain cases, become yet another despicable personification of selfishness. To better understand a spiritual and socially active Faith, I have coined the expression Accomplishing Faith: the one that unites us with the Higher Powers, soothes our Soul, and encourages us to do Good in society. The Accomplishing Faith is, therefore, what drives the trailblazers of progress in the world, preventing stagnation in communities. Its duty is to create and operate in an intolerance-free environment, as intolerance has been one of the greatest pains of humanity for centuries.

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Those who go astray along the way cannot be used as a point of reference. A little explanation is needed. There are people who are special by virtue of their belief in the Celestial Power and who, by simply praying, move Divine Forces and achieve true miracles that solve problems that are unsurmountable to human providence, healing illnesses in a way that astounds reputable scientists. Examples of these remarkable mystics: Padre Pio (1887-1968) and Don Bosco (1815-1888), in Italy; Edgard Cayce (1877-1945), in the United States; Dzhuna (1949-2015), in Russia; Chico Xavier (1910-2002) and Father Antônio Ribeiro Pinto (1879-1963), in Brazil; Therese Neumann (1898-1962), in Germany; Saint Teresa of the Child Jesus (1873-1897), in France; Lúcia, Jacinta, and Francisco, from Fátima, Portugal.

How to heal the body

Tela: Vasily Polenov (1844-1927)

Title: The Healing of Jairus' Daughter.

So, let us take the opposite direction of the road that leads human beings to illness. Let us live in connection with the Heavenly Father. Let us not fall into the traps which make our bodies sick. And then it will become clear, even to the most skeptical people, that respect for spiritual things is a strong healing element. As I have already said, medicine is most effective where Love prevails.

José de Paiva Netto is a writer, journalist, radio broadcaster, composer, and poet. He is the President of the Legion of Good Will (LGW), effective member of the Brazilian Press Association (ABI) and of the Brazilian International Press Association (ABI-Inter). Affiliated to the National Federation of Journalists (FENAJ), the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the Union of Professional Journalists of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the Union of Writers of Rio de Janeiro, the Union of Radio Broadcasters of Rio de Janeiro, and the Brazilian Union of Composers (UBC). He is also a member of the Academy of Letters of Central Brazil. He is an author of international reference in the concept and defense of the cause of Ecumenical Citizenship and Spirituality which, according to him, constitute “the cradle of the most generous values that are born of the Soul, the dwelling of the emotions and of the reasoning enlightened by intuition, the atmosphere that embraces everything that transcends the ordinary field of matter and comes from the elevated human sensitivity, such as Truth, Justice, Mercy, Ethics, Honesty, Generosity, and Fraternal Love.”