© 2024 Diego Betancourt
© 2024 Urantia Association of Spain
What joy I felt when I received the invitation to write this article! The invitation came like a whisper from the heavens, a whisper that awakened in my soul a torrent of memories and emotions. Like a gale that sweeps away tranquility, the quotes from The Urantia Book began to flutter through my mind, each with its own rhythm and melody. Dozens of pages, hundreds of phrases, thousands of words that had been my company during these ten years of reading, now presented themselves before me like a great library of memories and reflections.
But, like a sea that is stirred by the arrival of a storm, my mind became confused as I tried to choose the paragraph that had been my favorite. How could I choose just one, when each page had been a reflection of my soul, each sentence a drop of my heart? And it was then that I understood that The Urantia Book does not have a favorite paragraph, but rather that each reader finds his or her own favorite paragraph based on where the attention of his or her heart is placed at a given moment. It is as if the book had a magical ability to read our thoughts and feelings, to speak directly to our soul and tell us what we need to hear at that moment.
So, my favorite paragraph is not a paragraph in itself, but a reflection of my own spiritual path, of my own struggles and triumphs. It is a paragraph that tells me about the importance of family, of children, of perseverance and of hope. It is a paragraph that reminds me that, although life is a path full of twists and turns, there is always a light that guides the way.
My family is at a special moment, the time of departure is approaching, and my heart beats with a mixed rhythm of joy and sadness. Our eldest son, a young man of 19, is preparing to embark on a new path as a university student in Hungary, and although the distance will separate us, I am sure that the education he received in our home will provide him with the emotional and spiritual tools necessary to not lose his way. As a father, I feel an infinite and deep love for my son, a love that makes me thank God for the opportunity to experience this feeling.
I remember when I was a child, my favorite character was Charles Ingalls, the father of Little House on the Prairie. He inspired me to dream of being a good father, and now, after 22 years of marriage and two wonderful children, I can say that I have achieved my goal. My wife and I have raised our children in the faith of Jesus, and at this time in my life, Document 177:2, “Early Family Life,” took on special relevance.
When I read Jesus’ words to John Mark, my heart trembles and I feel genuine confidence that my son will fulfill the will that our Father has for him. I feel grateful for the opportunity to raise him with his sister, so I reaffirm my purpose of giving my intellectual and creative effort to spread the gospel of Jesus, especially to couples who enjoy their home life so that the family continues to be the model that guarantees us a better future as a civilization.
Therefore, my favorite paragraph from The Urantia Book is:
It is our sincere belief that the gospel of Jesus’ teaching, founded as it is on the father-child relationship, can hardly enjoy a world-wide acceptance until such a time as the home life of the modern civilized peoples embraces more of love and more of wisdom. Notwithstanding that parents of the twentieth century possess great knowledge and increased truth for improving the home and ennobling the home life, it remains a fact that very few modern homes are such good places in which to nurture boys and girls as Jesus’ home in Galilee and John Mark’s home in Judea, albeit the acceptance of Jesus’ gospel will result in the immediate improvement of home life. The love life of a wise home and the loyal devotion of true religion exert a profound reciprocal influence upon each other. Such a home life enhances religion, and genuine religion always glorifies the home. (UB 177:2.6)
In brotherhood
Diego
¶ References
- Index of the magazine “Luz y Vida” of the Association of Spain
- This article from the magazine “Luz y Vida Online”