SHALL WE PRAY?
The video has English audio and English subtitles
Prayer of the Night July 20, 2026
If God be for us, who can be against us?
Romans 8:31 — King James Version (KJV)
THE HOUSE BUILT UPON THE ROCK OF GOD
“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.”
Matthew 7:24–25 — King James Version (KJV) [4]
In this video, Bishop Bruno Leonardo leads a night prayer focused on the importance of having one’s life founded upon the rock, which he identifies as Jesus Christ (0:27–0:29).
Main points of the message:
The parable of the house built upon the rock and upon the sand: The bishop uses the biblical passage about the two builders to explain that, although everyone faces struggles, problems, and storms in life (0:48; 5:19–5:30), those who build their lives upon the Word of God do not fall (2:19–2:39).
Struggles do not mean the absence of God: He emphasizes that being with God does not prevent difficulties from occurring, citing biblical examples such as Daniel, Joseph, and Job (7:03–7:27). The difference is that faith serves as a foundation that keeps a person standing in the face of adversity (4:43–4:49; 6:04–6:12).
Moment of prayer: The bishop offers an intercessory prayer asking that God be the foundation of the listeners’ lives and praying for strength and deliverance from discouragement and anguish (9:42–11:42).
Conclusion: He concludes with the Lord’s Prayer (11:58–12:48) and encourages the faithful to share the message so that the chain of prayer may continue (13:05–13:12).
Its peaceful and devotional message is relaxing and especially suitable for prayer, meditation, spiritual reflection, and moments of inner recollection.
Watch the Night Prayer of July 20, 2026
Preface: The First and Second Great Commandments
English Translation and AI Analysis by ChatGPT
When Jesus was asked which was the first commandment of all, He answered:
“And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.”
Jesus Christ — Mark 12:29–31, King James Version. [1]
These words of Jesus illuminate the central meaning of this book: God is one, He is our Father, and His presence dwells within each of His children.
To recognize God within oneself is to turn one’s heart, soul, mind, and strength toward Him. Yet this communion cannot remain confined to the inner life. The love of God must become visible through thoughts, words, deeds, compassion, forgiveness, patience, and service to others.
The First Commandment and the Second are inseparable. Whoever truly loves God is called to reflect His love toward every human being. Whoever loves their neighbour with sincerity reveals, through their own life, the divine presence that dwells within them.
The opening proclamation — “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord” — comes from Deuteronomy 6:4–5, where fidelity to the one God is joined to the commandment to love Him with one’s whole being. [2]
The commandment — “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” — comes from Leviticus 19:18. [3] In His answer, Jesus united these two scriptural foundations and declared that no other commandment is greater than them.
Thus, the spiritual journey presented in these pages is founded upon the two greatest commandments: to love God with one’s whole being and to love one
FILHO DE DEUS
SON OF GOD
By the Spirit Joanna de Ângelis
Psychographed by Divaldo P. Franco
The content presents profound reflections on self-knowledge, spirituality, and the individual’s relationship with life and with God. It addresses essential themes for spiritual and emotional growth, including one’s relationship with others, the condition of being an heir of God, indulgence, divine order, faith, forgiveness, self-forgiveness, the Light of God, the inner Christ, the will of God, new beginnings, harmony, enthusiasm, the Presence of God, patience, conduct, work, and the Love of God.
Its calm and reflective narration makes it relaxing and especially suitable for meditation, prayer, spiritual reflection, and inner recollection.
SON OF GOD
By the Spirit Joanna de Ângelis
Throughout the ages, various concepts concerning God have multiplied.
However complex they may have been, they have always proved insufficient to express the full greatness of the Creator.
Only Jesus succeeded in doing so perfectly, using simple language which, nevertheless, carried a high rational and emotional content, calling Him Father.
This excellent designation fills all the gaps left by other definitions and references.
God is the Creator Father, the Divine Progenitor, the Uncaused Cause of all beings and of all things.
You are a child of God, whose love floods the Universe and is present in the innermost fibres of your being.
For this reason, nothing should frighten you or afflict you excessively.
An inevitable destiny awaits you: the fullness of life!
Whether you attain it immediately or later will depend upon your free will.
Strive to achieve success in your inner endeavours, even at the cost of sacrifices, remembering that, in every situation, God is with you.
*
This small book was written for your difficult hours, for your moments of uncertainty and weakness, which all of us experience in one way or another.
Within its pages are timely guidelines which you, dear reader, certainly already know, but which we recall to you in order to lift your spirits and impel you to continue the struggle.
They are simple topics, yet of vital importance, especially when one is alone, enduring unbearable suffering and apparently having no path to follow.
God is our Father!
Rejoice in this certainty and be happy.
Hoping that our reflections may reach you and assist you in your ascent, we earnestly implore the blessings of the Father of Love upon all of us, His rebellious and needy children, as we acknowledge ourselves to be.
Joanna de Ângelis
Salvador, March 16, 1986.
GOD LOVES YOU
God loves you,
and you perceive it.
His tenderness
gently touches your face,
and His hands
sustain you.
His breath gives you life,
and His silent voice
reaches your ears,
with blessings,
with hopes,
and with guidance.
God seeks you
and finds you.
Now that you feel Him,
allow yourself to be penetrated
and guided
toward the happy destiny
that He has reserved for you.
God lives,
manifests Himself,
and expands His Love
through you.
You know it...
And wherever you may be,
He will always be with you.
1. A SAFE CORNER
Within every creature,
there is a safe corner
in which to speak to or listen to God...
A desert landscape,
a flowering garden,
a joyful stream...
A smiling dawn,
a rainy afternoon...
A song in the distance,
the face of a child,
a pastoral field,
someone in suffering...
The magic of a poem,
the glory of a sunrise,
the many colours of a painting...
A passage from the Bible,
an uplifting conversation,
a moving account,
an act of sacrifice,
a prayer...
Within every creature,
there is a safe corner,
reached through one of these
natural invitations,
where God is felt,
spoken to, and heard,
and where His love
is nearer and more embracing.
2 — GOD WITHIN YOU
God needs you.
He dwells in your inner world,
and you do not know Him.
He manifests Himself in your life in a thousand ways;
nevertheless, you remain unaware of Him.
He heartens you with hope,
radiating the love that keeps you in balance
within the structure of your body,
your mind,
and your emotions.
He sustains you through the air,
and His light,
radiating through the power of the Sun,
is the vitalizing agent of your energies.
His presence surrounds you,
emanating from within you.
It is essential that you identify the means
of consciously reaching Him,
significantly changing your intellectual
and moral conduct for the better,
so that you may draw more deeply
upon the benefits of this higher communion.
From Him you receive inspiration
for liberating growth,
for joyful action,
and for a harmonious existence.
Your thoughts,
words,
and deeds
must express this presence within you,
because, in some way,
you are immersed in the Ocean
of His omniscience.
You grow with God
in the conquest of the limitless spaces
of immortal life.
Thus, God needs you
so that, reflected in you,
He may be seen,
felt,
and loved by all,
each person striving likewise
to unveil Him within their own inner cosmos,
and to experience the fullness
that will one day pervade all lives.
3 — GOD, YOUR REFUGE
God is your perfect friend,
accessible,
always willing to listen to your complaints
and to present you with solutions.
He never grows tired
and never becomes exasperated.
When sought,
He responds patiently.
When rejected
through human ignorance or rebellion,
He remains discreetly waiting.
Silent,
He speaks through all the expressions of Nature,
manifesting Himself in a thousand ways
that cannot fail to be perceived.
Always indulgent,
He is a safe refuge
where consolation expands,
bringing tranquillity to the one
who seeks shelter.
He is sufficiently near
to know your needs.
Nevertheless,
He does not constrain you
or compel you to receive His help.
He offers you sublime suggestions
and sensitive counsel,
with the clarity of wisdom
that illuminates you inwardly.
At times,
He inspires you before events occur,
so that you may be spared from disastrous ones
and benefit from favourable ones.
With God in your heart and mind,
you will act with joyful determination
and carry out your tasks
with elevated dynamism.
He provides for all your needs,
but He does not take them upon Himself,
thereby nullifying your effort and worth
and making you a candidate for uselessness.
He blesses you
whether or not you seek Him.
Nevertheless,
if you elevate yourself in thought,
attuning yourself to His gifts,
you will better absorb the radiation
of this supreme love.
Do nothing
without relying upon this certain,
secure,
and paternal Friend,
who is God.
4 — YOUR BROTHER AND YOU
You have needs and expectations
that result from the workings of the laws of progress,
which impel you toward evolution.
You are not the only one who has them;
all creatures have them,
some in greater measure and intensity.
In your relationship with your neighbour,
you are called upon to conduct yourself
with understanding,
refraining from demanding that they live
according to your standards,
within your concerns and aspirations.
By acting in this way,
you will never suffer disappointments,
nor will you feel deceived
in relation to others.
Each person acts according to
their own powers of endurance
and their own achievements.
If you regard your friend
as someone in need of understanding,
from whom you should not demand,
but to whom you should offer,
freeing them from your emotional constraints,
you will see them grow and advance,
granting you the same opportunity
that you grant to them.
Should this seem difficult to you,
think about how much you would like others
to act kindly toward you,
and act toward them in that same way.
If your strength should fail you,
and hurt, anger, jealousy, and rebellion
seek to find shelter within you,
pray, so that you may acquire understanding,
certain that, just like you,
everyone is an apprentice of life.
Become patient and gentle,
forgiving the errors of others,
helping them to correct those errors
and to set themselves right inwardly.
Expand your capacities
for wisdom,
love,
and fraternal action,
in favour of those who still remain behind,
or of those who have gone ahead of you
and perhaps have forgotten you.
Never place your needs and expectations
above those that are present
in your brother,
for you already know how to act,
because you know the Good,
whereas he, perhaps,
does not yet.
5 — HEIR OF GOD
Considering your divine origin,
have you already realized
that you are an heir of God?
He created the Universe and life,
enriched His Work
with wisdom and beauty,
and, out of love,
placed you as an integral part
of these wonders,
granting you the opportunity
to enjoy them all.
By natural right,
you possess everything that is His,
needing only to develop
the gifts latent within you,
so that you may enjoy
all this opulence and grandeur.
Loved by God,
you are also heir
to sublime ideas,
which enable you
to conquer new spaces,
to penetrate the workings of life,
and to decipher
the challenging mysteries
that await you.
Your duty is to make yourself receptive
to the divine thought
present in everything and everyone,
so that you may perceive it
and put it into action
as you attain it.
You have at your disposal
all the goods and powers
that are within your reach.
However,
trust and faith are important,
indeed indispensable,
as is the effort required
to unfold the capacities
that lie dormant within you,
through which you will learn
to use these treasures
constructively and with integrity.
Whatever you lack
is not truly valuable,
for what is essential to life
is the wisdom to conduct it,
so that you may attain
not merely things,
but the fullness and abundance
that your right as an heir
places at your disposal.
If you remain
in spiritual childhood,
you cannot enjoy these goods,
because you do not yet know
how to use them.
However,
if you attain maturity,
you will gradually make use
of all the treasures of Creation,
rejoicing as a child of God
and therefore
His blessed heir.
6 — YOUR VIRTUE
Indulgence is a greatly forgotten virtue.
We all need it frequently
and rejoice
when other people exercise it
for the benefit
of our shortcomings,
needs,
and errors.
Only rarely do we remember
that we must exercise it
toward our neighbour.
It dignifies the one
who offers it,
just as it ennobles
the one who receives it.
There is no one on Earth
who advances
without needing it,
just as no person
can boast
of never having received it.
An indulgent heart
possesses a treasure,
not only for dealing
with the aggressions
and offences received,
but also for understanding
the spiritual condition
in which other creatures
find themselves.
By being indulgent
toward your brother’s conflicts
and insecurities,
you will help him
to regain balance
and acquire confidence
in life.
You will offer him love,
the lack of which
causes him suffering,
and you will help him
without arrogance
or humiliation.
By radiating indulgence
through fraternal understanding,
you will express harmony
and kindness,
maintaining optimistic communication
with family members,
friends,
and strangers.
The path of sanctification
is paved with indulgence,
which marks out
its very ground.
If others do not exercise indulgence
toward you,
then exercise it yourself,
for perhaps those
who are severe
and even cruel,
armed against you,
are practising this virtue
in their own way:
primitive though it may be,
it is a discreet light
being born
within their souls,
until it comes
to govern them completely.
Let this be
at least one virtue within you,
among the others
that you will yet acquire.
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7 — GOD’S ORDER
There is a divine order in everything.
Although you may not detect it,
it is manifested in all things,
expressing its origin in the Creator.
It is also present within you:
in the body,
in the mind,
and in the soul,
regulating your life
and fostering it.
If you succeed in identifying yourself
with this vibration that emanates from God,
there will be harmony in your existence,
in everything you accomplish,
and with whomever you may be.
You must seek it
if you do not perceive it
and notice only failures,
delays,
and discouraging challenges.
All these apparent setbacks,
however,
work together for your good
and for your progress.
Even though the path you follow
may appear filled with thorns,
hold firmly to the certainty
that God is responsible for everything,
and that, even so,
order — this divine balance —
will lead you toward the good.
By becoming aware
that you are not moving aimlessly,
but are travelling within the current
of the higher order,
you will overcome tensions and bitterness,
anxieties and sorrows,
because this breath of God,
which gives life to everything and everyone,
manifests itself within you
and through everything that concerns you.
Do not allow yourself
to resist this surrounding
and guiding energy.
Cooperate with what has been established
by the Sovereign Laws,
allowing them to cooperate with you,
bringing you peace
and blessing your hours.
8 — FORGIVE YOURSELF
The Gospel teaching warns
that one should be indulgent
toward the faults of others
and severe toward one’s own.
Only through a vigilant
and disciplined attitude in daily life
does a person achieve self-realization.
Understanding that earthly existence
is an illuminating experience,
it is entirely natural
that many lessons occur through failures
which, after being repeated,
are transformed into successes,
because of the processes
they set in motion.
Tolerance toward the faults of others,
therefore,
cannot be discarded
from the atmosphere of human
and social coexistence.
Without becoming complacent
toward your own weakness,
also exercise indulgence toward yourself.
Do not remain brooding
over the event in which you failed,
nor give life to the error
through its incessant recollection.
Upon discovering yourself at fault,
reconsider the situation,
calmly examining what happened,
and correct the occurrence.
You are a disciple of life
in constant growth.
Every step conquered
becomes a platform
for a new achievement.
If you become content
and remain stationary,
you lose excellent opportunities
for liberation.
If you become depressed and embittered
because you made a mistake,
you likewise delay your journey.
By accepting your limitations
and forgiving your errors,
you will more easily learn
to forgive others.
When you succeed,
move forward,
eliminating fear.
When you make a mistake,
forgive yourself
and break the chains
that bind you to the past,
continuing onward.
The person who loves
also loves oneself,
tolerating and encouraging oneself
toward new and constant undertakings,
ever broader
and more courageous
in the practice of good.
9 — GOD’S LIGHT
When the rays of the Sun
pass through a delicate stained-glass window,
it shines with beauty,
displaying powerful shades
in a magic of light and colour.
The human soul
is constituted of higher elements,
but it reaches fullness
when penetrated by divine brightness,
which waits only
to be received and filtered.
Like a cut diamond
that reflects an entire star,
the soul likewise becomes
a radiant heavenly body
when polished by suffering
and placed at the service
of its evolutionary purpose.
You need to understand
that your spiritual progress is urgent,
and that you are delaying it
because of the insignificant things
to which you bind yourself.
Great and challenging obstacles
lead the traveller to reflect
upon how they may be overcome.
Yet the thistles and stones
along the path,
which appear insignificant,
wound the traveller’s feet
and prevent progress.
Allow yourself to be permeated
by the divine light,
and illuminate the dark corners
of your life,
where jealousy,
resentment,
envy,
laziness,
and other unjustifiable imperfections
find shelter.
Created for stellar glory,
you are a cosmos in miniature,
emerging from the incandescent nebula
of the passions.
Move in harmony
under the action of God’s thought,
without departing
from your course.
The force of love’s attraction
leads everyone toward Him.
Radiate it with your whole being,
clothed in this light in such a way
that no shadow remains hidden
within your feelings.
It will reach your neighbour
and shine throughout the world.
With the light of God
shining within you,
you will reveal the goodness
and all the good that lie dormant,
which this light is able
to awaken into life.
10 — YOUR CHRIST
You possess unimaginable resources
that exist in seed form within your soul,
awaiting your encouragement.
For the time being,
you remain attuned to the regions of shadow
through which you once passed,
although you should already
have freed yourself
from their presence.
From time to time,
you discover all the strength
that lies waiting within you.
Jesus made use of His resources
to demonstrate the purpose
for which they were intended.
He calmed the winds
and restored tranquillity to the sea.
He freed those who were obsessed
and restored balance
to the obsessing spirits.
He healed illnesses
and restored those
who were sick in soul.
He multiplied loaves and fishes
and nourished spirits
hungering for truth.
He illuminated the Earth
and was never eclipsed.
You possess the inner Christ,
powerful and belonging to you,
but you keep Him bound,
without allowing Him to act.
Allow Him to spread through you.
He is harmony,
and you are unbalanced;
He is love,
and you are need;
He is light,
and you are shadow;
He is life,
and you struggle
within the chains of death.
With Him acting through you,
you will have the determination
to reject unhealthy thoughts
that become torments
and harmful actions.
You are, above all,
your inner world,
and because He dwells there,
you are wholly renewed,
allowing your potentialities
to flourish
for the fulfilment
of the programme of peace and life
to which you are bound.
11 — GOD’S WILL
The presence of God
provides us with peace,
increasing human resistance
for the struggles of daily life.
Subtle and powerful
at the same time,
it is a dynamo
that generates energy,
recharging the batteries
of the soul,
the mind,
and the body,
keeping them in stable conditions
of balance and action.
Just as illness results
from imbalances in the molecular fields
responsible for the functional harmony
of the cells,
health becomes established
when the divine current
passes regularly
through the system of action
that unites these particles
of vital importance.
With God,
fear disappears,
giving way to courage,
which expresses well-being
and inner security.
The remembrance of God
drives away worries
and insecurity,
allowing serenity
and confidence to arise.
The presence of God
neutralizes depressing
and harmful memories,
which become illuminated
by hopes of happiness.
In God you find the light
to discern correctly,
thinking properly,
speaking wisely,
and acting precisely.
Before God,
everything is possible.
Someone’s health,
success,
and your needs
are appropriately attended to,
because God is power.
Therefore,
when you have done
everything within your reach
and the results are not
as you expected,
do not become exasperated,
and wait a little longer.
This was not the right moment,
and had you achieved success,
it would not have been beneficial to you.
Allow, therefore,
God’s will to be done,
and never become discouraged.
12 — YOUR NEW BEGINNING
At every moment,
you can begin again
an edifying task
that was interrupted.
It is never too late to do so;
however,
it is very harmful
not to continue it.
Stopping an activity
for reasons beyond your strength
is a natural occurrence.
Abandoning it completely
is a moral failure.
Life is made up
of constant challenges.
One moves from one to another
on an ascending scale
of values
and intellectual-moral achievements.
One must always
begin living anew.
A disappointment
that seems to destroy
higher aspirations;
a failure
that appears to be
a total disaster;
a loved one who died
and left an unfillable emptiness;
a cruel illness
that shattered your resistance;
an addiction
that nearly led you to madness;
a financial loss
that destroyed every apparent
future possibility;
a betrayal
that might have driven you to suicide —
these are only reasons
to begin again
and never reasons
to give up the struggle.
If these negative events
did not exist
within human coexistence,
at the present stage
of development of humanity,
the incentives for progress
and liberation would be fewer.
Caught in the web
of any unforeseen
or already expected
terrifying problem,
remain calm and meditate,
instead of allowing yourself
to be swept away
by the turmoil
that will arise.
Take refuge in prayer
so that you may gain
strength
and divine inspiration.
As everything passes,
this too shall pass.
When that happens,
make your new beginning,
at first cautiously
and moderately,
until you fully reintegrate yourself
into fulfilling action.
Your new beginning
is a sign of approaching happiness.
13 — GOD ALWAYS
However terrible the situation may appear to you,
move forward without weakening.
Discouragement is a subtle enemy
that renders useless
the most beautiful undertakings of life.
If your friends have abandoned you
in the face of the economic or emotional failures
that have befallen you;
if relatives and loved ones
have decided to distance themselves
for reasons unknown to you;
if everything pushes you
toward the narrow boundary of solitude,
restore yourself inwardly
and wait.
You may feel alone
and may apparently be without company.
This, however,
is not a spiritual reality,
but the reflection
of the temporary state of soul
that assails you.
You are never alone.
Being an integral part of Creation,
it is within you,
just as you are within it.
Wherever you may be,
God is with you:
at home,
at work,
during recreation,
during rest,
in illness,
in health,
drawing from Him consolation
and strength
to continue performing
the duties to which you are bound.
You will feel alone only
if you cease to preserve
your conscious bond with His love.
Even then,
He will remain with you.
You are united
with all Humanity.
Some people leave.
Others arrive.
Do not become embittered
by those who depart.
Do not become overly excited
by those who arrive.
People pass by
like living vehicles:
they have a destination,
and you cannot hold them back.
Understanding this necessity,
become a friend and a brother
to whomever you meet along the way,
without retaining them beside you
or attaching yourself to their path.
Help them
and continue onward.
God alone, however,
is the ever-constant companion.
Therefore,
never allow yourself
to feel lonely.
14 — YOUR HARMONY
In order for you to live in harmony
with others,
and for them to live in harmony with you,
you need to maintain
a personal programme,
however modest it may be,
which is indispensable
for happy results.
The person who lives well with others
has succeeded in developing
a spirit of cooperation
and great naturalness
both in giving
and in receiving.
Small and simple acts
of consideration
constitute the first rule
for good human
and social relationships.
If you truly wish
to live in harmony,
try:
To be patient.
Haste is the enemy of friendship,
creating pressure upon others
and lack of control
in the person who cultivates it.
Therefore,
organize all your moments
so that you do not need
to live in agitation or anxiety,
bringing insecurity
to others.
Relax
and trust
that your moment will come
at the proper time.
To be charitable.
Everyone needs help.
Use your words
to lift weakened spirits
and encourage them
toward new struggles.
Do not criticize anyone
or expose anyone to ridicule,
not even
in jest.
Distribute kindness
according to the needs
of each person.
A charitable heart
is an island
where happiness resides.
To be loving.
Your love must expand
rather than restrict itself,
thereby reducing
its field of action.
In a needy world,
every drop of love
is like a ray of light
dispersing the darkness
and pointing out the way.
Break through your barriers,
your fears,
and your limitations,
and allow love to guide you,
flowing from you toward others.
By cooperating
and trusting in the good,
you possess the guideline
for harmony
with yourself
and with everyone else.
15 — GOD’S GOOD
Your thoughts are like seeds
that you deposit
in the soil of life.
They will always produce
according to the quality
that is peculiar to them.
According to what you desire
and project through your thoughts,
life will return it to you
in the form of events,
sensations,
and emotions.
Positive and encouraging thoughts
enrich you
and manifest themselves
in every area of existence.
Negative and depressing thoughts
weaken your spirit
and make you bitter
and nervous,
interfering with your behaviour.
Free yourself
from the unhealthy
and harmful thoughts
that you cherished in the past,
even until quite recently.
Allow yourself to become free,
preparing the generous soil
of your feelings,
so that optimistic
and active thoughts
may express
the perfect good of God.
Preserve the thoughts
that reveal love,
and you will feel surrounded
by ceaseless waves
of tenderness
and affection.
Maintain thoughts of peace,
and all the harmony of life
will resound
within you.
Preserve thoughts
directed toward health,
and you will feel strong
and fulfilled,
even though,
from time to time,
some weakness may arise,
without affecting the whole.
Think of prosperity
and abundance,
but not only
of material values.
Think also
of the other gifts of God,
which are essential
to life forever.
Think,
and you will live
according to the wave
you emit.
16 — YOUR WEARINESS
Weariness of life —
that kind of aversion
and displeasure toward existence —
is a sign
of a more serious problem.
It does not result
from continuous work
or from lack of rest,
but from an unhealthy
state of soul.
Silent rebellion
sustained by pessimism;
dissatisfaction generated
by hardness of feeling;
systematic ill will
toward every action —
these produce
this discouraging condition
that threatens
your evolutionary programme.
Urgently remove
this garment of unhappiness
that suffocates you,
and regain control
of your aspirations,
renewing yourself
in spirit.
Change the rhythm
of your activities
and give them
a new motivation,
which may dissolve
the wave of indifference
that surrounds you.
At every moment,
life imposes changes
that make growth possible.
At times,
through lack of discernment,
you adopt a change
that leads you
toward harmful consequences.
Nevertheless,
this alteration becomes providential,
because it destroys
the stagnation
that slowly poisons you.
Every new action
produces a specific stimulus
that renews
and calms
the person who undertakes it
with enthusiasm.
Moment by moment,
step by step,
through action,
you will feel rested
and willing.
Therefore,
make constant changes,
small or great,
that project you forward,
beginning with your way of thinking,
which must become
more objective and dynamic,
and with your way of acting,
with greater confidence
and wisdom.
Face each new day
with a wholesome disposition,
knowing yourself to be useful
in the work of God,
who grants you
unlimited resources
for the triumph
within your reach,
provided that you free yourself
from this unhealthy attitude
to which you give
the name weariness.
17 — GOD KNOWS
There are very difficult moments
that seem insurmountable,
filled with problems
and pains
that continue endlessly,
unknown even
to those dearest to you,
but God knows.
Many times,
you will feel
at the edge
of deep precipices,
in despair
and abandoned by everyone.
Nevertheless,
you will not be alone,
because in your torment,
God knows
what is happening to you.
When you are treated unjustly
and bear the stigma
of destructive slander,
and, experiencing
unusual anguish,
you are about
to abandon the struggle,
trust a little longer
and wait,
because God knows
the reason for what is happening to you.
Victimized by a cruel surprise
of destiny,
which prevents you
from carrying forward
your carefully prepared plans,
do not rebel
or surrender to despair,
because God knows
that this is better for you.
Crucified upon the hidden beams
of a persistent illness,
whose cause no one detects
in order to lessen its consequences,
pray
and wait a little longer,
because God knows
that it comes
for your happiness.
God knows everything!
It is enough
that you allow yourself
to be guided by Him,
and, attuned
to His mercy and wisdom,
seek to accomplish
the best,
marking your path
with footprints of light,
characteristic of the one
who has surrendered to God
and progresses
in God.
18 — ENTHUSIASM WITHIN YOU
Enthusiasm is fundamental
to life.
It is like the Sun
that makes everything fruitful.
Without it,
the landscape loses its colour,
and clouds hover,
obstructing the radiation
of the light of knowledge.
It is necessary
because it is stimulating
and renewing.
Whenever its intensity decreases,
interests fade,
giving way
to disturbing nostalgia
and bitterness.
An enthusiastic person
spreads optimism,
inspires effort,
and leads others
toward activities
that generate progress
and success.
On the contrary,
the one who loses enthusiasm
appears defeated,
depressed,
and depressing.
There are always problems
in life,
because they form part
of the process of stimuli
for evolution.
It is understandable
that disasters,
failures,
misfortunes,
and tragedies
occur alongside
success,
happiness,
and joy...
The correct attitude
will always be
one of enthusiasm.
Whatever negative
or harmful event
may present itself to you,
move forward
with enthusiasm,
burying the unhappy event
in yesterday.
To remember misfortunes
is to give them life,
fixing them
within the mental landscape
and causing
their harmful effects
to continue.
Having survived
any negative event,
become enthusiastic
about the opportunity
to continue,
without recalling
what happened before
and thinking only
of a happy tomorrow.
Nothing is healthier
than someone who triumphs
after harsh trials,
illuminating other lives
with the sunlight
of their contentment.
Be one
of these messengers of happiness
through your enthusiasm.
19 — GOD CAN
From an early age,
you have suffered mockery,
accusations,
and discouragement.
You were told
that you would never become anyone.
Failure was imposed upon you
as the only outcome
for your aspirations.
Your steps were restrained,
and your path was strewn
with heather
and stones.
You grew timid
and embittered,
truly unable to achieve success
in the undertakings you began,
which allowed your aggressors
to confirm
that gloomy prediction.
The invectives
that made your life unhappy
continue to echo
in your ears,
turning you into
an inveterate sufferer.
To a certain extent,
you are a victim of these factors,
whose spiritual causes
come from other lives,
when pride
and indifference
were the marks
of your character.
Both you
and your accusers
have forgotten
the power of God,
who destines you
to victory
over all adversities.
By ignoring
or setting aside
this power of Love,
you became a shadow
among the shadows of the world.
Nevertheless,
never forget
that God can do all things.
Although you may be moving
through shadows and mist,
God can draw you out of them,
propelling you
toward liberating light.
Marked by discouragement
resulting from unsuccessful experiences,
God can encourage you
toward new attempts.
Weakened by continuous illnesses,
which are the fruit
of past errors,
God can restore you
to ideal health.
Disturbed by negative
and merciless forces,
God can free you,
so that through love
you may redeem
the errors formerly committed.
In whatever situation
you may find yourself,
under the relentless pressure
of afflictions,
open yourself to the Father,
seek Him,
and trust in Him,
striving to assimilate
His thought
and His will,
thus attaining
inner fulfilment.
Remember:
God can do all things.
20 — CORRECT WITHIN YOURSELF
The outer world
seems fascinating to you
and rich in emotions.
With poorly restrained balance,
you desire to throw yourself
into the wave of pleasure
that takes hold of people,
dragging them along
in the intoxication of the senses.
They parade smiling
and youthful,
turning existence
into an endless celebration,
whose end is not announced,
because they leap
from one tempting experience
to another.
Seeing them
on television,
in society columns,
at the cinema,
and in public places,
you cannot avoid
the frustration
that grows within you,
empty of pleasures
and filled
with severe commitments.
You consider existence
to be a stepmother
and slowly succumb,
suffocated by tears.
Correct, however,
your judgment.
Perhaps those champions
of youth,
joy,
sex,
and illusion
are not as happy
as they appear to be.
The great majority
sell this image,
which impresses
the weak.
Others,
those who possess economic power,
saturated with existence,
use terrible stimulants
to escape boredom,
fleeing from themselves.
On Earth,
everything is temporary,
and soon,
exhausted,
they succumb,
forgotten,
in the shadows
of depression,
drugs,
madness,
and suicide.
No one escapes
organic deterioration,
which is a law of life.
Growing old
and dying
are normal phenomena.
However,
the person who wisely governs the body,
raising the mind
toward divine inspiration,
maintains an unaltered state
of inner health
throughout the inexorable march
toward the grave
and afterwards
toward the resurrection
of blessings.
21 — GOD WANTS
“God does not want my progress,
because my paths are blocked!”
“God does not want my happiness,
since everything concerning me
results in failure!”
“God does not want my well-being,
because only suffering comes to me!”
“God does not want my peace,
since struggle never leaves me!”
“God does not want my love,
because only bitterness
keeps me company!”
These and other exclamations
characterize the incorrect view
that a person holds
in relation to God,
especially when affected
by rebellion
or dissatisfaction.
Nevertheless,
God wants your progress,
but not the kind
founded upon dishonour
and vice;
God wants your happiness,
but not one made
of illusion
and false triumph,
which soon pass away;
God wants your well-being,
but within the structure
of a healthy inner life,
resulting from
a necessary moral purification;
God wants your legitimate peace,
after the longings
of the heart
have been calmed
and the debts
of conscience
have been settled;
God wants your love,
after the shadows
of conflict
and the instabilities
of your emotions
have been overcome.
Triumph in the world
is pleasure that passes.
Triumph with God
is harmony that remains.
God wants
what is best for you,
and because you still
do not know how to choose it,
He provides you
with the means
to attain it permanently,
without any possibility
of losing it.
22 — FAITH WITHIN YOU
Fanaticism is a vile distortion
of faith,
revealing a derangement
of the faculty of thought.
Systematic unbelief
is an emotional conflict
of long duration,
disturbing
the balance of reason.
Human beings believe
as an imperative of evolution,
through psychological inheritance.
Not every belief is rational
or subjected
to careful examination.
For many people,
it is also automatic
and natural,
expressing itself
through them.
Faith, therefore,
manifests itself
in a natural
and rational manner.
The first form
is inherent in the human being,
while the other
is acquired
through reasoning
and logic.
Religious faith, therefore,
arises spontaneously
or results
from a mental elaboration
confirmed by facts.
As a virtue
and therefore
a personal achievement,
it unveils
the broad horizons of life,
bringing peace
and encouraging struggle.
As an intellectual acquisition,
it becomes
an ever-burning light,
bringing clarity
to the most complex circumstances
of life.
Whatever form
your faith may take,
vitalize it with love,
so that it may expand
through the practice of good.
Faith is an active part
of the spiritual nature
of the human being,
whose fuel must be maintained
through prayer,
frequent meditation,
and the effort
to preserve it.
Do not put your faith
to the test.
It will be present
at the proper moments,
without any need
to submit it
to evaluations.
Learn to believe
in your own values.
The human being believes
through instinct,
assimilation,
and reason.
Place your faith in God
and absorb
the idea of the good,
for you were created
for a happy
and healthy life.
23 — THE PRESENCE OF GOD
When disturbance
and fear
seek to surround you,
immediately remember
the Presence of God
beside you.
The inner qualities
of wisdom
and love,
confidence
and peace,
although invisible,
are more powerful
than distressing circumstances
and the troubling states
of the soul.
In the presence of God,
you are able to unite
the heart,
the mind,
and the spirit
in a single bond.
It illuminates your reason
and dispels
the disturbing shadows
of discernment,
allowing it
to guide events
with balance.
This presence inspires you
with new
and surprising ideas,
rich in content,
opening space
for future accomplishments
marked by joy
and well-being.
It provides security
and protection,
because, as it radiates,
it restores order
and sets in motion
values that seemed
to be sleeping
and forgotten.
In turn,
share joy,
awakening others
who have surrendered
to pessimism,
so that they may renew themselves
and restore their connection
with activities
that should not be abandoned.
There are possibilities
that you had never noticed before
and that are available to you.
Groping in the shadows,
you neither saw
nor reached them...
With the presence of God,
they become accessible to you,
and His loving arms
surround you
through waves of comfort
that protect
and bring security
to all your undertakings.
The presence of God
is all the good
that you experience,
that nourishes you,
and that you distribute
with hands,
heart,
and soul
filled to overflowing.
24 — PRAYER WITHIN YOU
The human being,
consciously
or unconsciously,
needs to communicate
with God.
The latent presence
of Divinity
impels the person
to seek
the Inexhaustible Source,
in order to be nourished
by the energy
that sustains life.
A secret intuition,
a reminiscence
of experiences already lived,
or an inspiration
for the encounter,
speaks of the Higher Reality,
urging the establishment
of a two-way bridge:
one way
for appeals to travel,
and the other
for answers to return.
The most valuable resource
for this purpose
is prayer.
When you enter
the inner chamber
of the soul,
guided by the light
of prayer,
you achieve communion
with God,
who is present there,
and you are able
to nourish yourself
from this powerful Force
that generates
higher values.
The resources
already existing within you
are stimulated,
emerging in the form
of courage,
peace,
and joy.
The heavy shadows
that obscure intelligence
and numb the feelings
are cleared away.
Inner balance
is restored,
and the scale of values
changes
from the immediate
to the future,
from the temporary
to the permanent,
through a skilful perception
of one’s own reality.
Prayer is the strongest stimulus
available to the soul
for attaining fullness.
It lifts the being up
and transforms it,
because of the substance
of which it is composed,
opening mental spaces
for constructive action,
without which life itself
loses its meaning
and significance.
It is a light
kindled in the darkness;
nourishing bread
in scarcity;
strength
in weakness;
joy
in the barren landscape
of solitude.
Through prayer,
you rediscover
the purpose
of your earthly existence
and overcome
all the obstacles
that seem to prevent
your progress.
Make prayer a habit,
and allow light
and understanding
to strengthen you
in daily life,
as you dedicate yourself
to all the tasks
that concern you,
cheerful
and happy.
25 — GOD’S LOVE
In the majestic harmony of the Universe
and in its impenetrable grandeur,
the presence of God’s love
stands out eloquently.
Love alone is the perfect planner
of the infinite exuberance
of the galaxies,
and the exact mathematician
that gives them cosmic balance
with such precision
that it fills the human mind with wonder,
as it now begins to understand
the laws of support
and order
that prevail everywhere.
This love manifests itself
in the breath of life,
which gives a fragile root
the strength to split a rock,
or to draw from the humus of the earth
the fragrance of the flower
and the flavour of the fruit,
transforming water
and carbon dioxide
into wood
and sugar...
Its power attracts molecules
and perpetuates species,
establishing within the genetic codes
of heredity
the laws of connection
with ancestors
and the guidelines
for posterity.
Driving the spirit toward progress,
whose inevitability it establishes,
it created the process
of reincarnation,
so that, through countless stages,
the spirit may undergo
evolutionary experiences,
unfolding the seeds
that lie dormant within,
until it grows great
in the everlasting glory
of the good.
Never forget
the love of God.
Consider those around you
as your opportunity
to unfold love,
even when they are not capable
of receiving it,
and especially
for that very reason.
If they hinder you
or create difficulties
in the fulfilment
of your commitments to spiritual elevation,
try to love them
a little more.
When wounded or opposed,
set aside,
or disregarded by them,
do not react
in the same manner.
Act with benevolence,
for they are your brothers and sisters
who remain behind,
giving to them
as you receive
from those more advanced than you,
who serve as your example
and encouragement
to continue onward.
God’s love
extends over everyone.
Those who rise against you
as enemies
are, even if they do not wish it,
your brothers and sisters,
because they descend
from the Divine Progenitor,
whose love never separates itself
from His Creation.
26 — PATIENCE WITHIN YOU
Irritation is an evident sign
of emotional imbalance.
Patience, in turn,
reflects inner tranquillity,
founded upon unrestricted trust
in God’s designs.
Knowledge of the truth
brings calm,
because it enables the person
to know what is destined for them
and how to attain it.
Respect time,
using it correctly
and working systematically
and continuously
to reach the goals
you have set for yourself.
In every circumstance,
conduct yourself with fairness,
because you know
that the events of life
obey the laws of Causality,
and therefore submit to them
without allowing yourself
to be disturbed
by accidental and negative factors.
Once an action has been set in motion,
the results will follow
according to the kind
of movement undertaken.
Becoming irritated or impatient
only worsens
the course of events
that cannot be changed.
Therefore,
harmonize yourself with life,
acquiring the valuable treasure
of patience.
In destructive competitions,
wait for your turn.
In struggles for dominance,
remain in your place.
In the clashes of ambition,
remain at peace.
Use patience
as an instrument of struggle,
without losing your balance
when the many invitations
to despair
assail your powers of endurance.
Each experience
will grant you greater capacity
for other undertakings,
forging the metals
of your feelings
for broader victories.
Therefore,
remain alert and patient.
Knowing the “Law of Justice,”
you understand
that only what is necessary
for your evolution
happens to you.
Do not become distressed,
and do not hurry.
Without delay,
but with patience,
always act,
awaiting the proper result
of your endeavours.
Through patience,
you will conquer everything,
after first conquering yourself
for the good
and for peace.
27 — GOD REMAINS
Never abandonment,
solitude,
or misfortune.
God remains with you.
He is the generating centre
of power,
around which everything
and everyone revolve.
His is the positive language
that acts from a distance
in cosmic balance
and in the force
that attracts molecules.
Magnetically drawn toward Him,
we are linked
to one another
in the great work
of regeneration.
His action expands
and produces effects
that must be realized
through the living phenomena
of Nature.
When circumstances become adverse,
fostering shadows
and bitterness;
when illnesses prevail,
reducing your resistance;
when needs multiply
in a whirlwind
of anxieties;
when insults strike mercilessly
and everyone has gone away,
God remains with you.
When a person falls,
there is a disturbance
in the balance
of the Universe.
When that person rises again
and moves forward,
the harmony of the stars
is reorganized.
You are a cosmos
within the Universe,
and the laws
that govern your destiny
require you
to move harmoniously
around the King-Star.
God remains there.
Guides direct your steps.
Teachers conduct instruction.
Laws govern life.
Your life writes pages
that will influence
other lives,
remaining within them
as examples,
encouragement,
or defeat.
God always remains,
guiding and strengthening you
toward the happy destination.
Do not doubt Him,
and do not disregard Him.
Discover Him,
for He remains
with you.
28 — YOUR CONDUCT
Wherever you may be,
unimaginable treasures
await your active hands.
Within the generous soil
sleeps a rich harvest.
Within the singing stream
there is a potential power plant.
Within the stone
the column lies hidden.
Yet all await
the transforming action
of work.
The soil awaits
the plough
and the seed.
The current of water
needs proper channeling,
and the stone
needs the instrument
that will carve it
for the purpose
for which it is intended.
So it is
with the spiritual being,
who carries the Divinity within
and awaits the removal
of the obstacles
so that it may flourish
in abundance.
Education will be
the vigorous resource
that offers you
the valuable riches
that still lie dormant
within you.
The brain,
necessarily illuminated
by knowledge,
will allow inspiration
and speech,
technique
and vigorous thought
to emerge
for the miracle
of the transformations
you must accomplish.
The sublimated heart
will restrain
the torrent of passions,
opening space
for elevated feelings
to express themselves
in your conduct,
as a model
and demonstration
of what you carry
within yourself.
Let pain and work
be regarded
as the wonderful collaborators
of your growth.
Let goodness and love
become the agents
of your renewal,
so that, at every moment,
your conduct may reflect
your ideals,
and those ideals
may become your life,
in the name
of the unceasing good
that shines ahead,
which you desire to share
with all Humanity,
whom you are learning to love
and whom you desire
to serve
from now on.
29 — GIVE THANKS TO GOD
A sensible person
should never complain.
Clear-sightedness enables one
to understand
the greatness of life
and its resulting harmony.
When contemplating the Universe,
one is filled with wonder
before the magnitude
of the infinite star systems.
When examining the microcosm,
one is amazed
by the extraordinary manifestation
of life
in the equally countless expressions
of particles,
molecules,
and infinitely small elements.
Within the body, however,
the heart beats,
that perfect and vigorous pump
which works unceasingly
from its first impulse,
sustaining and vitalizing
the complex apparatus
of approximately
sixty trillion cells,
through two energetic movements —
systole and diastole.
This resistant muscle
is responsible
for the organic cosmos
in which you temporarily dwell.
It is not necessary
to examine other organs
for a person to have reasons
for gratitude,
feeling the divine pulse
within oneself.
To give thanks
for this majestic work
of the heart,
day and night,
in joy and pain,
in work and rest,
in pleasure and sorrow,
maintaining life
without even drawing attention
to itself
in its automatic operation,
is the least
that everyone should do
with joy
and spontaneity.
Give thanks to God
for the heart
so wonderfully designed
and constructed
to assist you
in the process of evolution,
through the stages
of reincarnation,
and forget the trivial matters
to which you cling,
fostering avoidable imbalances.
Therefore,
give thanks to God
for your life,
your body,
and your eternal being,
which moves swiftly
toward Him.
30 — YOUR GRATITUDE
There are those
who express gratitude
through the bombastic style
of words,
the eloquence of speeches,
and moving gestures
that become known
to everyone.
They appear
as grateful people,
bearers of merits
and feelings
that are widely praised.
Yet as soon as circumstances
change direction
and events cease
to serve their immediate interests,
they become disappointed,
depressed,
and frustrated.
Life is a hymn
of praise to God,
a poem of beauty,
a perpetual invitation
to gratitude.
Therefore,
there are only reasons
for thanksgiving
and very few needs
for requests.
Let your gratitude
be silent,
working through the good,
because the good
is the constant stimulus
of your existence.
Faithfulness
to the noble commitments
to which you have devoted yourself,
spreading waves
of optimism and hope;
a patient and kind attitude
beside those
who have lost their balance
and feel alone;
prayer imbued with love
on behalf of the sick,
the troubled,
and your adversaries;
perseverance
in meaningful actions
when others have abandoned them;
a mental atmosphere
of faith
and union
with everything and everyone —
let these be
the ways
through which you express
gratitude to God
and to Life,
for the honour
of being conscious
of your existence
and presence
in the Universe.
Let your gratitude
be the love
that expands
and spreads to all
who draw near to you,
experiencing the blessing
of being alive.
GOD LOVES YOU
God loves you,
and you perceive it.
His tenderness
gently touches your face,
and His hands
sustain you.
His breath gives you life,
and His silent voice
reaches your ears,
with blessings,
with hopes,
and with guidance.
God seeks you
and finds you.
Now that you feel Him,
allow yourself
to be penetrated
and guided
toward the happy destiny
that He has reserved for you.
God lives,
manifests Himself,
and expands His Love
through you.
You know it...
And wherever you may be,
He will always
be with you.
