Faith That Moves Mountains

The power of faith — Religious faith and reasoned faith — Parable of the withered fig tree — Instructions from the Spirits: faith, hope, and charity — Spiritual faith and human confidence.

The power of faith

1. A father asks Jesus for help for his son, who suffered severe attacks. The biblical text uses terms and explanations common to that time to describe the child's condition. Today, seizures and other health symptoms need medical evaluation; they should not automatically be attributed to spiritual causes.

In the narrative, Jesus helps the boy. When the disciples ask why they could not do the same, he speaks about faith and uses the image of a mustard seed capable of “moving mountains.” (Matthew 17:14-20)

Matthew 17:14-20

2. Kardec interprets “moving mountains” mainly in a moral sense. Confidence and conviction can help us face difficulties that would seem impossible when we are dominated by fear and doubt.

The “mountains” would be obstacles such as prejudice, selfishness, fanaticism, pride, and resistance to change. Firm faith can give persistence and courage to continue working for good even in the face of these difficulties.

When we do not believe that something can improve, we may give up before even looking for possible paths. Confidence, by contrast, encourages action and perseverance.

3. In another sense, faith can also mean confidence that an objective can be achieved. This confidence helps us visualize the path and seek the means needed to move forward.

For Kardec, true faith is calm and patient. It does not need violence to assert itself. Aggressiveness and fanaticism, on the other hand, would reveal insecurity rather than solid faith.

4. The work also distinguishes faith from presumption. Having faith does not mean believing that we are superior or infallible. Sincere faith would be connected with humility and recognition of our own limits.

5. Kardec relates faith, magnetism, and healing within the Spiritist and scientific ideas discussed in the nineteenth century. These claims are part of the historical and doctrinal context of the work and do not constitute current medical evidence. Faith and spiritual practices may have personal value, but they should not replace diagnosis, treatment, or follow-up by health professionals.

Religious faith

Condition of unshakable faith

6. In the religious field, faith is confidence in the beliefs of a tradition. Kardec distinguishes blind faith from reasoned faith. For him, accepting everything without examination can lead to error and, in extreme cases, fanaticism.

A true belief, according to the work, should not be afraid of questions, investigation, or new knowledge. Demanding faith without allowing reflection would be a sign of weakness, not strength.

7. Faith cannot be imposed. Kardec states that it can be built when a person sincerely seeks to understand what they believe.

The original text criticizes unbelieving people, sometimes attributing their position to indifference, habits, or pride. Today it is important to recognize that people may believe, doubt, or not believe for many legitimate reasons. The principle we preserve is the invitation to sincere investigation without coercion.

The work interprets ease or difficulty in accepting spiritual ideas within the theory of reincarnation and learning from previous existences. This explanation belongs to the Spiritist Doctrine and should not be used to classify the worth or intelligence of someone who holds another belief.

Kardec also recognizes that the way an idea is presented influences its acceptance. For him, solid faith needs to be supported by understanding of what one believes.

Believing should not require abandoning reasoning or freedom of conscience. The work criticizes imposed faith and argues that questions and reflection should be part of religious experience.

This is the origin of the expression “reasoned faith”: a faith that seeks dialogue with facts, logic, and reason and is not afraid of being examined.

Kardec presents Spiritism as a path toward this reasoned faith. This is the doctrinal position of the work, and each reader remains free to evaluate it.

Parable of the withered fig tree

8. The Gospel tells that Jesus found a fig tree without fruit and declared that it would produce no more. The next day, the disciples found it withered. The narrative again relates the episode to faith. (Mark 11:12-14, 20-23)

The expression “is no longer of this century,” used in the previous edition, refers to the nineteenth century.

The continuation of the passage describes the withered fig tree and repeats the image of faith capable of moving a mountain. Kardec interprets this language mainly as a symbol of moral strength and perseverance. (Mark 11:20-23)

9. For Kardec, the fig tree full of leaves but without fruit symbolizes appearance without results: beautiful speeches that do not produce learning, comfort, or real transformation.

It also represents wasted opportunities and ideas that seem grand but produce no concrete benefit. Faith “with fruit” would be faith that becomes useful action.

The conclusion is to evaluate teachings and abilities also by the results they produce for good, not only by their appearance.

10. In the Spiritist view, mediums act as intermediaries in communications attributed to Spirits. The work presents this faculty as a responsibility directed toward learning and doing good.

Kardec emphasizes that mediumship would not be limited by wealth, social position, or level of education, reinforcing the idea that no one should be excluded because of these conditions.

Having a mediumistic faculty, according to the work, does not make someone morally superior. Its value would depend on responsible use and on the benefit it produces for the person and for others.

The message uses severe language to warn against misuse of this faculty. In simple terms: spiritual abilities should not be used for exploitation, vanity, manipulation, or harm to other people.

Instructions from the Spirits

Faith, mother of hope and charity — Joseph, Protective Spirit — Bordeaux, 1862

11. The message says that faith needs to be active. It relates faith, hope, and charity: trusting in a greater meaning for life can nourish hope and the willingness to love and help.

Faith is presented as a basis for moral growth. The message recommends strengthening it through reflection rather than depending only on other people's approval.

Sincere faith would be transmitted mainly by example. More important than speeches is showing through actions that belief produces kindness and responsibility.

Hope can also strengthen a person to go through difficulties without abandoning their values.

The message defends conscious faith: loving God while knowing why one loves, reflecting on what one believes, and understanding the purposes of the advice one chooses to follow. Faith is not presented here as permission to abandon critical thinking or concrete care for life.

Divine faith and human faith

A Protective Spirit - Paris, 1863

12. The instruction broadens the word “faith” to include confidence in one's own potential and in the direction chosen for life. Abilities can begin small and develop through effort and will.

The nineteenth-century text interprets miracles and phenomena linked to Jesus, the apostles, and magnetism as effects of natural laws not yet known. This is a historical and doctrinal hypothesis of the work, not a scientific conclusion established today.

The message calls confidence used in life's goals human faith and confidence directed toward spiritual aspirations divine faith. In both cases, conviction and perseverance can increase the capacity to act.

In moral life, this strength can support acts of charity, detachment, and change of harmful habits.

The message again attributes healings and phenomena to magnetism and faith. We preserve this statement as part of the historical Doctrine, but it should not be understood as health guidance. Illnesses and symptoms require appropriate evaluation, and medical treatments should not be interrupted or replaced by spiritual practices.