2024 year ago, Jesus came to the world for our salvation

| December 25, 2024

On this day in December, much of humanity celebrates the birth of Jesus, the Divine Child. In the Beneficent Spiritist Center União do Vegetal, this day is celebrated as a day of light, peace and love – uniting hearts in the force of forgiveness and devotion. In his doctrine and teachings, Mestre Gabriel, the founder of the União do Vegetal, brought the greatness of Jesus, our Savior. In memory of this perfect day, the UDV Blog invited Counselor Ermanna Cavazzoli da Costa* to share her perspective on this date. We wish everyone a good read and a Merry Christmas!

Who didn’t experience the enchantment of Christmas as a child? Santa Claus would come and bring presents to the poor and rich children who deserved them because they had been obedient children, good friends, sincere, and dedicated to their studies. He would leave the presents under the tree on the night of the 24th. We would go to bed anxiously waiting for them and, at the same time, happy that the day was coming. At an early age, I learned the reality of who Santa Claus was, but I still had to work to deserve a gift.

The years passed, and for me this date began to lose its luster. I began to feel uncomfortable with the force of consumerism associated with it, with the increasingly ostentatious appeals made by the media, with the decorations covering Christmas trees everywhere, Santa Clauses, all just synonyms for presents.

Where are the nativity scenes with the Holy Family, the manger, the shepherds, the Three Wise Men visiting the Baby Jesus? Elements that remind us a little of the true meaning of this milestone left in history, with the birth and crucifixion of the Messiah, bringing the good news of the one God, showing the path to salvation, bringing forgiveness and love.

Needing to be remembered, renewed and strengthened by these teachings that lead to salvation, Mestre Gabriel, our spiritual guide, came to show how it is that we merit forgiveness, the value of family, the importance of fulfilling our duty, of doing good without looking at whom we are doing it to and of loving our neighbor as ourselves. I understand that Mestre Gabriel didn’t celebrate Christmas because every time we manage to practice some of his teachings, which are the same as Jesus’, it is Christmas; a little bit of God’s love is born in our hearts.

Let us present our family and friends with sincere attitudes, true feelings of gratitude, of love and recognition for the value that each one of them has in our lives, and look within ourselves to see just how much we are truly managing to be faithful to the teachings that the Divine Master Jesus and the Great Mestre Gabriel brought with so much sacrifice, and how much we still need to firm ourselves and feel gratitude for being able to be part of this great family that is the União do Vegetal.

The true brightness of Christmas is the light in our conscience that brings love to our hearts.

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*Ermanna Cavazzoli da Costa is a member of the Body of Counsel of the General Headquarters (Brasília – DF).