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Rescuing One’s Citizenship

Originating from the Legion of Good Will’s permanent campaign against hunger and in favor of citizenship, which was launched by Alziro Zarur*1 (1914-1979) at the end of the 1940s with the popular “Soup for the Poor” initiative, the...

Never Retire From Life

In a tribute to all our older Brothers and Sisters I present to you extracts from my editorial from the 24th edition of the magazine Revista LBV (Jan/Feb 1992), which had been published previously in the 1980s by the Folha de S.Paulo...

A Citizen called Solidarity*

On August 9, 1997, Betinho, from Bocaiúva, Minas Gerais state, returned to the Spiritual World. I believe that one of the main contributions of the late sociologist was the mobilization of Solidarity throughout Brazil. Reason why he founded the...

Solidarity

Reflecting, Praying, and Acting in Solidarity

Since the early hours of Monday, February 6th, we have all been moved by the consequences of the earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale, whose epicenter was the city of Kahramanmaras, in southwestern Turkey, close to the border with Syria, and which caused huge destruction in both countries. Nearly 2,000 aftershocks were recorded after the initial tremor within a radius of 250 kilometers, which affected hundreds of municipalities. As of the closing of this article, the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported more than 35,000 deaths in the affected areas, in addition to tens of thousands who have been injured or are missing. It is estimated that around 1.5 million people are homeless. Israel, Iraq, Cyprus, and Lebanon also felt the effects of this earthquake, but fortunately there were no victims in those places. WHO also estimates that 26 million people have been potentially exposed to the consequences of this catastrophe.

We send our most sincere vibrations of solidarity to those who have suffered with what is considered to be the seventh biggest natural disaster of the 21st century. As for those who have gone on ahead of us on the path to the Great Spiritual Homeland, the World of Truth, we draw our comfort from the fact that the dead do not die. Wherever they are, they are more alive than ever. We pray for the compassionate support from the Heavenly Angels, Blessed Souls, Luminous Spirits, and Protecting Deities, in short, those friendly beings who embrace our disincarnate Brothers and Sisters in these days of pain. Jesus, the Ecumenical Christ, the Divine Statesman, welcomes all inhabitants of the Earth and the Heaven of the Earth with His Infinite Love. In His Redeeming Apocalypse, chapter 21, verse 4, He gives us strength:

“God will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

In these tragic times, our hearts are also filled with Faith as we observe the world’s empathy, with more than 70 countries having mobilized to send humanitarian aid and rescue teams. Brazil has also contributed to the relief efforts. In my fraternal speeches, I always stress the undeniable pragmatic value of Charity, Fraternity, and Generosity. It is absolutely not about pushing dry bread down the throat of a destitute person and then moving away from them as quickly as possible. Charity is the force that keeps us on our feet! Charity expresses strength, competence, quality, respect, love, affection, and a lot of other elements. When our lives are arid because of a lack of connection with God's Good Will, we sometimes hardly realize how much we need the Heavenly Charity!

That is why we invite everyone to reflect, pray, and act in solidarity. We need to unite our best feelings around those who are suffering and renew our Hope in the inexhaustible spring that supplies all life in the Cosmos: God, the Mother-Father of humanity, regardless of our beliefs or disbelief.

Sebastian Pena Lambarri - Unsplash

My Brothers, Sisters, and Friends who follow us on all the media: radio, TV, the Internet, in printed publications, and the huge audience of the Good Will Super Communications Network, on Earth and in the Higher Spiritual World, vibrate in the powerful ecumenical chain of prayers of the Temple of Good Will, chanting with me and with the talented Legionary Choir a fervent prayer in the form of poetry and music entitled “God Is My Strength.” Let us beg Heaven that the people on Earth, especially in Turkey and Syria, receive the Sublime Blessing of the prayers they are directing at this moment in time to the Merciful Heart of God or Allah, as our Muslim Brothers and Sisters call the Creator of the worlds. Grant us, Lord, these requests!

GOD IS MY STRENGTH

For my strength,
With my chant, is God.
For my strength,
With my chant, is God.

God is my salvation,
And in Him I will trust and I shall not fear.
For my strength,
With my chant, is God.
He is my salvation!
He is the God of Love!

He is the God of Love!
He is the God of Love!
He is the God of Love!
The God of Love!

 

 

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.”