In Roman mythology, Fame was the daughter of Earth and she used to serve Jupiter, in order to fulfil the tasks of spreading news, including those that were not so noble, such as rumours.

She had many eyes, ears and tongues, as well as feathers, as represented by Virgil, in order to satisfy the voluptuous needs to which she succumbed.

In other representations she appears with a trumpet, playing it.

Perhaps, it is from her weird and grotesque image that we have derived the personalist image of a human being who is in search of notoriety, of exhibition – frequently with lamentable consequences.

The many eyes and tongues caused the mythical character constant torment, as she could see multiple horizons and wished to conquer them, while she issued desperate voices, expressing dissatisfaction, in a cruel anxiety to do everything, reaching the pinnacles of exhibition and becoming insatiable.

Fame is the crown that success imposes on the victorious.

Normally, in the past, the crowing of heroes and winners was done with laurel leaves, which were substituted, by the vanity of temporal power, by golden plates, representing them, culminating in grandiose decorations with precious stones and noble metals to be put on kings, princes and popes, warriors and winners in disputes of every nature.

As some were heavy, due to the exaggerated ambition of their holders, with time their heads were tilted, and they would fall smashing to earth…

Fame exalts personalism and makes reality into a myth, imposing on the person the robes of invincibility, eternal youth, unrivalled power, of permanent distinction.

Because earthly life is made up of transitory elements, the fame of one day becomes bitterness on the other, the abandonment by his…. Imposes he who was triumphant for a moment and who then had to leave the podium to give place to the competitor who substituted him…

After fame, cruel oblivion and while it lasts, the conflict that derives from the existing contradictions existing between the idol that he seems to be and the being that he is, the strong and famous and the fragile individual, besides the war that he is forced to face, promoted by sick adversaries of his illusory honours.

Fame fades away easily, after intoxicating, generating morbiferal conditioning which are difficult to escape.

In the wagon of fantasy all kinds of famous people parade, and soon they are embittered by the perspectives of those other ones that follow them behind, ambitious and desperate…

If you have chosen the guidance of Jesus Christ for your existence, live in tune with his liberating proposals.

Fame enslaves, while His message fulfils.

Be in peace with your conscience, without allowing yourself to become involved in mistaken disputes for positions of importance, for special situations, for vanities.

May it not be acceptable to escape from the struggle necessary for moral growth, however, avoid the disturbing highlight which will expose you to the demolition of the dispensable relevant conquests.

Jesus allowed himself a crown of thorns, and it is not understandable that His disciples should dispute harnesses with precious stones that do not embellish the spirit with peace.

Do not avoid the clashes that your existence brings to you in your program of evolution, neither impose on yourself the receipt of the gratitude of the masses, of importance in society…

The more famous you are, the more challenges will be presented, disturbing.

Mme Curie, when she became the first woman to be honoured with the Noble Prize, became famous, and her idle admirers wanted her everywhere, and made her state emphatically: “Let me work” and she was laureate a second time, immersed in the research that immortalised her.

When Mahatma Gandhi was asked what was the message that he had for humanity, he answered with simplicity; “My life is my message”, refusing fame, that requires submission to human whims.

Mother Theresa of Calcutta, persecuted by irrational persons who wished to exalt her existence said: “I am a pencil in God’s hand”, and she allowed Him to write through her the eternal page of shining charity.

They certainly became famous, however, they remained simple and good, discreet and courageous, as at the beginning of the ministry they embraced.

Spare yourself the excruciating pains of inconsequent fame, and go ahead with peace of spirit.

Avoid fame, taking care not to slip on the ramp that takes to the top as well as to the gutter…

Let your satisfaction be the honour of doing the best, anonymously or not, however, pure and simple in heart, in such a way as that the hymn of love might sing in your actions of goodness.

Nobody has reached the notoriety of Jesus Christ, but despite that, there is no one who has given himself as much as him, suffering such a harsh and long persecution, that has been dragging on for almost twenty centuries…

Let your fame be that one that appears silently in the honour and the glory of serving and enlightening consciences for Him.

JOANNA DE ANGELIS

(Page received by the medium Divaldo P. Franco, on 04.03.1998, at the Spiritist Centre “Caminho da Redenção” – Pathway to Redemption – in Salvador / BA. Translated from the original Portuguese by Anna Sinclair