It's not always easy to put things into practice

I went to Divaldo Franco's lecture on Tuesday in London. It was great! I was feeling in peace, but that same day I noticed how difficult it is to put everything we believe in into practice sometimes. I find it easy to have beliefs, but it's very difficult to give testimony of those beliefs. And I don't mean only the testimonies that we have to give in front of everybody, but also the ones in private, when only you and God know about them.
Sometimes I feel that, in society, people act in certain ways to fit in into whatever they think will make people like them better, but in private, between them, their consciousness and God, the story is different.

Although a new era is coming, where people are starting to want to be more good than bad, we still struggle to offer the other cheek. This is probably part of the process of trying to change for better, because no one changes easily and quickly. But the important thing is to persevere, even with any possible failure you might encounter on the way, while trying to do so. 

Sometimes I feel like I am being constantly tested in my weaknesses. And now I think that I understand better what Jesus meant when He said: "And if thy right hand offends thee, cut it off and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of they members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell". (Matthew, 5: 30-29).
This day, after Divaldo Franco's lecture,  I felt like I would like to physically remove every part of my moral being that wasn't good. Unfortunately, no one can do it physically, we all need to learn how to remove our moral flaws through changing ourselves for better and, I think that the majority would agree with me, it's hard!!!

I read in the chapter Blessed are the pure in heart, from the Gospel according to Spiristism, parts number 12 and 17, something that I think it explains what I mean: 

"12. In its most usual sense the word offence means any action which goes ostensively against morality or decorum. The offence is not in the action itself so much as in the repercussion it may cause. The word always implies a certain amount of commotion and dispute. Many people are content if they avoid causing offence in public, because this would cause them to suffer loss of prestige, so hurting their pride. They do their best to hide their mistakes as this is sufficient to quieten their consciences. They are, as Jesus said: "As white sepulchres which are full of rottenness, like vessels which are clean without, but dirty within."
But in the evangelic sense the accepted meaning of the word 'offence', used so repeatedly, is very much more generalised and this is why in certain cases its meaning is not understood. It becomes not only that which affects the conscience of another person, but also everything which is the result of vice and human imperfections, every bad reaction from one individual to another, with or without repercussion. In this case the offence is the effective result of bad morality."

"17. If your hand be the cause of offence, cut it off. This is a very strong statement and it would be absurd for it to be taken in its literal sense. It should therefore be understood that each one must destroy within themselves everything that might cause offence, that is to say all evil, by rooting out every impure thought and every tendency towards violence, corruption or depravity. It also means that it is preferable for a man to cut off a hand rather than use it to commit an evil action, or better still, to lose one's sight rather than allow one's eyes to conceive bad thoughts. For those who take the trouble to discover the allegoric meaning of His words, Jesus never said anything that was absurd. Nevertheless, many things cannot be understood without the key to decipher them and this key is offered to us through Spiritism."

I love the prayer from Francis of Assisi. He was extremely inspired when he wrote this prayer, and this prayer probably contains in itself what everybody should aspire to do properly one day... That's a prayer which always make me emotional and I wanted to share it with you, not mattering who you are or what you believe in: 

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love.

Where there is injury, pardon.

Where there is doubt, faith.

Where there is despair, hope.

Where there is darkness, light.

Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,

grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;

to be understood, as to understand;

to be loved, as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive.

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

Amen.

In french: 

Seigneur, faites de moi un instrument de votre paix.

Là où il y a de la haine, que je mette l'amour.

Là où il y a l'offense, que je mette le pardon.

Là où il y a la discorde, que je mette l'union.

Là où il y a l'erreur, que je mette la vérité.

Là où il y a le doute, que je mette la foi.

Là où il y a le désespoir, que je mette l'espérance.

Là où il y a les ténèbres, que je mette votre lumière.

Là où il y a la tristesse, que je mette la joie.

Ô Maître, que je ne cherche pas tant à être consolé qu'à consoler,

à être compris qu'à comprendre,

à être aimé qu'à aimer,

car c'est en donnant qu'on reçoit,

c'est en s'oubliant qu'on trouve, c'est en pardonnant qu'on est pardonné,

c'est en mourant qu'on ressuscite à l'éternelle vie.

In Portuguese:

Senhor: Fazei de mim um instrumento de vossa Paz.

Onde houver Ódio, que eu leve o Amor,

Onde houver Ofensa, que eu leve o Perdão.

Onde houver Discórdia, que eu leve a União.

Onde houver Dúvida, que eu leve a Fé.

Onde houver Erro, que eu leve a Verdade.

Onde houver Desespero, que eu leve a Esperança.

Onde houver Tristeza, que eu leve a Alegria.

Onde houver Trevas, que eu leve a Luz!

Ó Mestre,

fazei que eu procure mais:

consolar, que ser consolado;

compreender, que ser compreendido;

amar, que ser amado.

Pois é dando, que se recebe.

Perdoando, que se é perdoado e

é morrendo, que se vive para a vida eterna!

Amém

Now there is this song about this prayer in Portuguese that I love. I think the version in Portuguese prettier than the version in English. This song makes me really feel every word of this prayer and it makes me feel more determined to be a better person every time I listen to it. Hope you like it. 

Peace! 

Mrs. P