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Sri Sathya Sai Baba on Jesus Christ – Happy
Christmas
Every human being is potentially a messenger of God. But, today, men have become
messengers of the Lord of Death. They are traitors to their true human state.
Humanness demands that everyone should manifest the Divinity within him.
Everyone should be a real messenger of God and strive to
promote-peace and security in the world. There is no other path to be followed.
God’s message is sacred and totally free from self-interest.
(Here Swami narrated the story of the three kings visiting new born Jesus in the
manger) A lover of God is a me ssenger
of God. The one whom God loves is a ‘Son of God’. When one experiences both of
these, he becomes one with God- ‘Father and Son is one’.
Therefore, at the outset you must prepare yourselves to be messengers of God.
This means that you should live up to the message of God. The message calls for
service to all. Compassion, morality and integrity are essential elements in the
message. In propagating this message faith in God should be promoted. Love
should be the watchword. The absence of love gives rise to hatred.
“Realise God through Pure Love”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 28, December 25,
1995, Prasanthi Nilayam
Jesus was Karana-Janma, a Master born with a purpose, the mission of restoring
love, charity and compassion in the heart of man. He had no attachment to the
self, nor paid any heed to joy or sorrow, loss or gain. He had a heart that
responded to the call of anguish, and He went about the land preaching the
lesson of love. His life was a libation for the upliftment of humanity. Like
most seekers, He first searched for the Divine in the objective world. But He
soon realised that the world is a kaleidoscopic picture created by one’s own
imagination, and sought to find God within Himself. His stay in the Himalayan
monasteries in Kashmir and in other centres of eastern asceticism and
philosophical inquiry, gave Him greater awareness. From the attitude of being a
Messenger of God, He could now call himself the Son of God. The bond of
relationship increased, the ‘I’ was no more some distant light or entity; the
light became a part of the “I.” With the body-consciousness predominant, He was
a messenger. With the heart-consciousness in the ascendant, He felt a greater
nearness and dearness, and so the son-father bond seems natural at this stage.
Later as the Atman-consciousness was established, Jesus could declare, “I and My
Father are One”. The three stages may be described as, ‘I was in the Light’,
‘the Light was in Me’, and ‘I am the light’, and may be compared to the Dvaita
(dualism), Vishishtadvaita (qualified non-dualism) and Advaita (non-dualism)
stages as described in Vedic philosophy. The final stage is the one when all
duality has been shed. This is the essence of all religious disciplines and
teachings.
Jesus was honoured by the populace as Christ, for they found in His thoughts,
words and deeds, no trace of ego. He had no envy or hatred, and was full of love
and charity, humility and sympathy. Jesus’ original name was Isa which, when
repeated, is Sai. Isa and Sai, both mean Ishwara (God), the Eternal Absolute,
the Sat-Chit-Ananda (Being-Awareness-Bliss). In the Tibetan manuscript; at the
monastery where Isa spent some years, His name is written as Isha, which means
the Lord of all living beings. When Jesus proclaimed that He was the Messenger
of God, He wanted to emphasise that everyone is a Messenger of God and has to
speak, act and think like one. This is the true Karma-Kanda (branch dealing with
action and its reaction) of the Vedas; Sadhana (discipline) of Karma (work),
Japa (prayer), Seva (service) and Dhyana (meditation). When progress is
furthered, Jesus asserted, each one can recognise all as Sons of God, Children
of God, brothers and sisters of oneself, and so, deserving of worship. The
Upasana Kanda (branch of Vedas dealing with contemplation) is the scripture in
Sanatana Dharma (Eternal Universal Religion) for this stage. Finally, knowledge
ripens into wisdom and the goal of Jnana Kanda (branch of Vedas dealing with
spiritual wisdom) is reached, when each one realises, “I and my Father are One.”
“Isa”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 14,
December 25, 1978, Prasanthi Nilayam
The moving water of a river has the Moon in its depths; the still water of a
lake has also the Moon underneath; the sky has the Moon up above. The Moon in
the flowing river is broken and fragmentary; it flows fast, apparently, with the
floods. The Moon in the lake is calm, unmoved, undistracted. These two are but
reflections of the real Moon in the sky. The Moon reflected in the flood is the
Individual Soul, engaged in activity, embroiled in Maya, cause and effect. The
Moon reflected in the placid face of the lake is the Yogi, the Saint, who has
attained balance, equipoise, peace, dwelling in the One. The real Moon in the
sky is the Eternal Witness, the Absolute, and the Primal Principle.
Christ spoke of these three, when He made, one after the other, three
statements. Referring to the active individual soul, the flickering Moon, He
said, “I am the Messenger of God”, referring to Himself as the Yogi, who has
risen beyond dualities, and attained balance; He said, “I am the Son of God.”
Realizing that these two are but reflections, and that the real Moon is the
Witness in the sky, that He too is the Formless, Nameless Absolute; He declared,
towards the end of His life, “I and My Father are one.”
“Why Organize?” Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 13,
March 29, 1976, Hyderabad
The scriptures also say that the Atman, the Real Core of the individual, is
Ananda Swarupa (the very embodiment of bliss). But man being blind to this
truth, invites sorrow and anxiety to hold mastery over him and discards the joy
that awaits him. Every man is a messenger to fellowmen, entrusted with the task
of spreading knowledge of the joy that is being missed. If he misuses this
mission and fritters away his years in gratifying his senses, he only loses the
chance and reduces himself to the level of beasts. He who announced Himself as
the Messenger of God, developed, through the blossoming of Divinity and the
expansion of compassion and service in Him, to a stage when He declared Himself
as the Son of God. And then, finally, He rose to the status of ‘I and my Father
are One.’
When Jesus declares that He is the Son of God, He becomes entitled to the
paternal Majesty and Power. These He can claim only when He grows in the
qualities that His Father has. As a result He attains Sayujya (mergence), which
leads Him to assert, ‘I and my Father are one.’ The scriptures say, Brahmavit
Brahmaiva Bhavati (He who knows Brahman, becomes Brahman).
These three stages are referred to as Dvaita, Visishtadvaita and Advaita in
Vedic thought. Messenger and master, the two are basically separate, and so this
stage is one of Dvaita (dualism). The son and father, though two separate
entities, are bound by affection and kindred feelings and attitudes. They are
like the whole and the part, the body and the limb. This stage is called
Visishtadvaita (qualified non-dualism). And when the Son and the Father are one,
the stage is of Advaita (non-dualism).
Even a child would be eager to pass from one class to the next higher one; he
would hate being in the same class, vegetating for years. Then what can we say
of persons with intelligence and discrimination, satisfied with the attainment
of the lower steps? Jesus passed through the entire process and inspired all
mankind by His example and teachings, to be generous and kind, detached and
discriminating, and to bring Light and Love to all. He attracted people by His
miracles and transformed them into apostles and exemplary servants of man.
Sadhana is the name for the mental discipline and intellectual effort to realise
this Unity.
“Jesus”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 13,
December 25, 1976, Brindavan
Jesus declared at first that He was “a Messenger of God.” Who are these
messengers? They are of two kinds, Yamaduta and Avadhuta. Yamadutas are
messengers who inflict harm on people. Avadhutas are messengers who protect.
Jesus belonged to the second category. In due course, He recognised His own
inner Divinity. Then He declared, “I am the Son of God”. Thereby He proclaimed
His right to a share in all the qualities of God. When He acquired all the
qualities of the Divine, He announced, “I and my Father are one”.
“Ways of the Divine: Advent of Shankara”,
Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 29, September 7, 1996
The Traditional Nativity Scene
More than 2,000 years ago, when ego and pride became human nature, ignorance
reigned supreme and the demonic nature of man was at its peak, Jesus Christ
descended on earth and through His message of love and compassion demonstrated
the path of righteousness. Today, you must recognise the most important aspect
of the life of Jesus Christ. In the very beginning of His life, Jesus declared,
“I am a Messenger of God”. He proclaimed that all are embodiments of Divinity in
this human form, and all are messengers of God. He said that every ounce of this
human body till the last drop of blood should be dedicated to the service of
mankind. “A heart filled with love and compassion is the real temple of God”,
declared Jesus. The alarm clock wakes us by ringing the alarm at the right time.
The great sages of ancient times would wake man from the slumber of ignorance by
warning him at the appropriate time and in the appropriate manner. They would
warn man to recognise the Divinity which is all pervading. One must remember
these teachings and put them into practice every moment of our lives.
Celebrating the birthday of such a great and pious soul as just another ritual
is not what is expected. The day you understand the teachings of Jesus, and
implement them with your heart and soul, that day will really be the Birthday of
Jesus Christ. The words of such great people should constantly ring in your
hearts and should be the guiding light of your lives. Your real offering to God
will be the dedication of your life to practicing these teachings.
“The Descent of God is for the Ascent of Man”, Discourse 01, My Dear Students,
Volume 05
You celebrate the birthday of Bhagavan. But do you follow the teachings? You
will experience the fruits of celebrating the birthday only when you follow the
teachings. Jesus said, “Love everyone.” Christmas is celebrated, but how far
does one practise love? None at all. There is love in everyone’s heart. Share it
at least with ten persons every day. This is seldom done. People are keener on
receiving than on giving. They are willing to give away only things which they
do not relish. There is no sacrifice in this.
“Purity, Patience, Perseverance: Steps to Divinity”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume
26, November 23, 1993, Prasanthi Nilayam
It is therefore appropriate that the birthday of Jesus, who felt the need to
save mankind and who strove to achieve it, is celebrated; but, the celebration
must take the form of adherence to the teachings, loyalty to the principles,
practicing the disciplines and experiencing the Awareness of the Divine that He
sought to arouse. These days, the world is deriving satisfaction in mere words,
and in witnessing clever rules designed to cover up one’s faults.
The birthdays of the Great are honored by such hypocrisy and external pomp.
There is no examination in the light of the message they gave, nor, any effort
to practice it and derive the bliss it promises. The Great teachers belong to
mankind. It is wrong to believe that Jesus belongs only to the Christians and
the Christmas is a holy festival for the West only. To accept one of them as
one’s own and discard the rest as belonging to others, is a sign of pettiness.
Christ, Rama and Krishna- they are for all men everywhere.
“He whom Christ Announced”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 11, December 24, 1972,
Bangalore
It is not right to celebrate Christ’s birthday by feasting, drinking, singing
and merry-making. The ideals taught by Jesus should be put into practice. That
is the right way to celebrate His birthday. Whomsoever you adore, you must try
to live up to His teachings. What kind of devotion is it when the devotee does
not practice what he professes? It is pseudo-devotion. Remember the Lord with
love. Worship Him with love. Sanctify your life with love.
“Love - The Key to Human Unity”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 21, December 25,
1988, Prasanthi Nilayam
Far more beneficial than honouring the great is the practice of loving them.
Praise, glorification and eulogy raise them on to an unreachable pedestal. Love
binds one heart to another. Gratitude for the inspiration and instruction
received must bind the hearts in love. The celebration of Christmas should not
conclude with some carols, tableaux and made-up trees and Santa Claus. It must
be soaked in the resolution to practise at least a few of the lessons Jesus
taught us. The very first need is faith in God and in our own Divine Nature.
“Everyone is a Son of God”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 15,
December 25, 1982, Prasanthi Nilayam
The Birthday of Jesus must be celebrated by all mankind, for such Karana-Janmas
(a Master born with a purpose) belong to the whole human race. They should not
be confined to a single country or community…Carols and candles, readings from
the Bible and acting out the incidents that surrounded His Birth, are not enough
to celebrate the Birth of Jesus. Jesus said that the bread taken in the ‘last
supper’ was His Flesh, and the wine, His Blood. He meant that all beings alive
with flesh and blood are to be treated as He Himself and that no distinction
should be made of friend or foe, we or they. Everybody is His Body, sustained by
the bread; every drop of blood flowing in the veins of every living being is
His, animated by the activity that the wine imparted to it. That is to say,
every man is Divine and has to be revered as such.
“Isa”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 14, December 25, 1978, Prasanthi Nilayam
Special prayer session on Christmas Day at the Vatican
Today is the birthday of Jesus, celebrated amidst December snow-falls with
lights and Christmas Trees, and prayers. But it is useless to pray just one day
and forget God, the rest of the year. That is an empty show; it does not emanate
from the heart. We are true Christians only when we live according to the
teachings of Christ and practise them in daily life. Even if we follow two
teachings of His, that would be enough. Christ said, “All life is one, my dear
Son! Be alike to everyone”.
“The Way of Jesus”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 14,
December 25, 1979, Prasanthi Nilayam
People talk of the sacrifice of Christ as evidence by His crucifixion. But, He
was surrounded and bound, and crowned by the crowd who captured Him with a crown
of thorns, and later, nailed to the cross by His captors. A person bound and
beaten by the police cannot say that he has sacrificed anything, for; he is not
a free man. Let us pay attention to the sacrifice that Jesus made while free,
out of His own volition. He sacrificed His happiness, prosperity, comfort,
safety and position; He braved the enmity of the powerful. He refused to yield
or compromise. He renounced the ‘ego’, which is the toughest thing to get rid
of. Honor Him for these. He willingly sacrificed the desires with which the body
torments man; this is sacrifice greater than the sacrifice of the body under
duress. The celebration of His birthday has to be marked by your sacrificing at
least a desire or two, and conquering at least the more disastrous urges of the
ego.
…This day, Christmas, when we celebrate the birth of Christ, resolve to lead the
lives of loving service to the weak, the helpless, the distressed, and the
disconsolate. Cultivate tolerance and forbearance, charity and magnanimity. Hold
dear the ideals He laid down and practise them in your daily lives. The ways in
which Christmas is being celebrated now show how far men have moved away from
those ideals, how much ignominy they are heaping on His name! The midnight hour
is revered, illumination is arranged, the Christmas tree is set up, and then,
the night is spent in drinking and dance. It is a day of Holy Ananda, but, the
Ananda is reduced to the level of the poisoning excitement of intoxication!
Drink is so pernicious an evil habit, that when man puts the bottle in, he
himself gets into the bottle and cannot escape! First man drinks wine, then the
wine drinks more wine; and finally, the wine drinks man himself! He is sunk and
drowned in drink. Liquor destroys the humanity in man! How then can it develop
the Divinity in him? One must dance in Divine Bliss; instead, sensual dance is
indulged in as a deleterious substitute! Make your hearts pure, your activities
holy, and your feelings beneficial to all. That is the best way of celebrating
the Birth of Christ.
“He whom Christ Announced”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 11, December 24, 1972,
Bangalore
There is a custom of putting up a Christmas tree on this day (Christmas Day) and
worshipping it. The genesis of this custom can be traced to Germany. A preacher
by name, Jensen from England once visited Germany. When he was travelling in
Germany on his mission, he noticed some Germans attempting to offer a child’s
life as sacrifice to propitiate God who, they believed, lived in an oak tree.
The priest was worried and questioned them why they were offering an innocent
child as sacrifice to a tree. As they asserted that God lived in the tree, he
took an axe and cut the tree. To his surprise, he was shaken by an inexplicable
vibration from head to foot. He noticed the form of a child between the two
portions of the tree that was cut by him. This incident teaches the truth that
God lives not only in human beings but also in plants and trees. From that time
onwards people started putting up a Christmas tree and worshipping it on this
Christmas day. The system of worshipping Divinity in many forms including plants
and stones, which originated in Bharat, has been prevalent for a long time in
other countries also.
“Unity Based On Divinity”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 25,
December 25, 1992, Prasanthi Nilayam
Jesus taught people to love all beings and serve all with compassion. It is only
by practicing these ideals that you can truly celebrate His birthday. You must
live in love and lead a life of selfless service based on love. This is the only
right way of celebrating the birth of Jesus.
“Mother’s Love has Immense Power”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 39, May 6, 2006,
Brindavan
Jesus sacrificed His life and poured out His blood to instill Love and
Compassion in the heart of man, so that he may be happy when others are happy
and sad when others are sad. It is not by festivity and fun that you should
celebrate Christmas. Celebrate it, rather, by resolving and putting into
practice at least one of the ideals He enunciated, or endeavouring to reach at
least one of the goals that He placed before man.
“Jesus”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 13,
December 25, 1976, Brindavan
Christmas Darshan at Prasanthi Nilayam
The birthday of every great person is celebrated by those who adore and follow
Him. This day, being the birthday of Jesus is a holiday when offices and
factories do not work. It is not sanctified as a holy day. People attend the
church and join the rituals but return home to revel, drink and dance. The Cross
is forgotten when the Christmas season is on. The day must be dedicated to the
purification of one’s passions and emotions through meditation on the virtues
and values that Jesus held forth.
“One God: Basic Truth of All Faiths”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 18, December 25,
1985, Brindavan "Jesus had no trace of
ego in Him. He was filled with compassion at the sight of the meek and the
afflicted. Paul opposed Jesus in all matters from the very outset. Once Jesus
appeared in the dream of Paul and questioned him, “What harm have I done to you?
Why do you criticise Me so?” This caused Paul to ponder and realise that his
ignorance and ego blinded him to reality. Thereafter he became an ardent
disciple of Jesus. In every age, every noble soul had to put up with criticism.
People always have mistaken notions about good and bad. If only we understand
the truth in the Bible, we will come to the conclusion that there was no fault
in Jesus at all. Jesus always aspired to put people in God consciousness."
- “Love God wholeheartedly”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 31, November 24, 1998,
Prasanthi Nilayam
"Jesus was compassion (Karuna) come in human form. He spread the spirit of
compassion and conferred solace on the distressed and the suffering. Noticing
the torture of birds and beasts at the temple in Jerusalem, He reprimanded the
vendors and drove them out of the precincts. He drew upon Himself the anger of
the priests.
…Jesus was the target for many mighty obstacles and he braved them all. As a
result, His name and story and message are shedding splendorous light all over
the world now. Not only Jesus; every Prophet, Messenger of God, Teacher of Truth
and Spiritual Leader had to wade through ridicule, neglect and persecution.
…The Divine, though it moves among the entire sundry, can never be affected or
deflected. Envious folk heaped insults on Jesus. Even among His disciples, some
betrayed Him and deserted Him. Self-dominated people turn envious at greatness
and goodness. But since Prema of Jesus, had no trace of self in it, Jesus was
unafraid. The loveless are enveloped in fear. Love instills courage and promotes
adventure. It delights in daring. If you follow the Master, you can face the
devil, fight to the end and finish the game. Jesus was Love. Sathya Sai too is
Love. That explains the gathering of Christians of all sects, which we see here.
In Rome today, Catholics gather to celebrate the Advent of Jesus. The
Protestants celebrate it by themselves in their churches. The Jews are not
welcomed anywhere. But, in the Presence of Sathya Sai, all are equally welcome.
The Jews arraigned Jesus and demanded that He should be punished; in this
presence, Jews adore that very Jesus.
The Prema of Sathya Sai has transformed and transcended those memories. It made
them realise that there is only one caste, the caste of humanity; there is only
one religion, the religion of love.
…Compassion was His Message. He was sorely distressed at the sight of the poor.
This day, Jesus is worshipped but His teachings are neglected. Sai is being
worshipped but His teachings are neglected. Everywhere, pomp, pageantry, hollow
exhibitionism! Lectures, Lectures, Lectures! No activity, no love, no Seva.
Heroes while lecturing, zeros while putting what is said into practice. Develop
Compassion. Live in Love. Be Good, do Good and see Good. This is the way to
God."
- “Parama Prema”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 15,
December 25, 1981, Prasanthi Nilayam
"Jesus teaches infinite love and compassion. To resurrect love and compassion,
you must kill jealousy and selfishness, purify your hearts. Earn the true mercy
of Jesus. Follow the path shown by Him and reach the position He holds."
- “The Way of Jesus”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 14,
December 25, 1979, Prasanthi Nilayam
"Love must be manifested as Service, Seva. Seva must take the form of food for
the hungry, solace for the forlorn, consolation for the sick and the suffering.
Jesus was Himself out in such Seva. The heart full of compassion is the temple
of God. Jesus pleaded for compassion."
- “Parama Prema”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 15,
December 25, 1981, Prasanthi Nilayam
"Jesus is the embodiment of compassion. He looked with compassion at the poor
and the miserable and gave them succour. In those days, people used to treat
birds and animals without pity in the temple in Jerusalem. Jesus sought to put
an end to these cruel practices. From those times to the present, those who care
for the well-being of all living beings and humanity were subjected to many
trials and tribulations. Good people are always pursued by difficulties and
troubles. The messiahs, the prophets, saints and God-men have always suffered
from troubles and ordeals of various kinds. You should not bother about them.
Have faith in God. When you live up to the truths you believe in, you will be
indifferent to what others think. Jesus was unaffected by the persecution to
which He was subjected on a charge of treason. Moreover, whatever attempts may
be made to suppress good people, their goodness cannot be extinguished."
A fine diamond even if it is in a heap of garbage will not lose its brilliance
or its value.
A pumpkin, even if it is grown beside a hedge, will not lose its sweetness.
A peahen’s egg, even if it is hatched in a crow’s nest, will not lose its
colours."
- “Let Love Prevail”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 26,
December 25, 1993, Prasanthi Nilayam
"When Paul went on accusing Jesus, He lovingly went up to him and gave a
pleasing smile. The sweetness in the nectarine smile of Jesus transformed the
poisonous heart of Paul. Be always cheerful, even in times of adversities.
Always put up a smiling face, never a castor-oil face. “Happiness is union with
God”.
- “Sacrifice leads to Immortality”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 31, December 25,
1988, Prasanthi Nilayam
"Christ declared that God can be realised only through love. Once a high priest
in Jerusalem called Jesus and asked Him, “Are you King of the Jews?” Jesus
replied, “I do not say so”. The priest told Jesus, “You are leading the people
astray by Your wrong teachings. You are telling them that everyone can enter
Heaven only through You.” Jesus said that He had been telling the people to seek
the Kingdom of Heaven. The priest asked, “Where is that Kingdom?” Jesus replied,
“The Kingdom of Heaven is within you, within everybody. When this is My
teaching, how can I be accused of claiming that the Kingdom of Heaven can be
attained only through Me?” How did Jesus get the courage to speak in this
fashion? It was because He was proclaiming the truth. Truth is born of love,
which comes from faith in God."
- “Divinity through Love”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 20,
December 25, 1987, Prasanthi Nilayam
"Derision and denunciation follow the footsteps of the great in all ages. They
haunt them like the shadow which cannot be avoided. His own disciples turned
against Jesus, even those who adored Him and hung on His words. They did evil to
Him who did them good. But, Jesus wished well for those who insulted and injured
Him. This is a lesson badly needed today. No one should count the harm inflicted
on him and plan revenge. He must on the other hand return love for hatred,
fraternity for enmity. To behave otherwise is a sign of weakness, of want of
courage, of lack of faith in human goodness. Jesus won in this holy struggle. On
this day, we must cultivate in ourselves that conviction and that courage."
- “Everyone is a Son of God”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 15,
December 25, 1982, Prasanthi Nilayam
"Jesus advised one of His foremost disciples, Peter, to live in love, for Love
is God. Man can experience God only when he becomes the embodiment of Love,
which doesn’t seek anything or expect even gratitude in return, Love which
becomes sacrifice and service, spontaneously. When Peter listened to such
exhortations from the Master, he found a new joy welling up within him and a new
meaning in the word JOY. ‘J’ meant Jesus and the letter directed him to love
Jesus first. ‘O’ meant others who must be loved next. ‘Y’ meant yourself who
ought to be loved only last. But, look at the human condition today. Man loves
himself first, others next and Jesus last!
The body is the temple of God and therefore it has to be maintained, unaffected
by disease and distress. It has not been offered to man for catering to one’s
selfish vagaries. Jesus sanctified His body by sacrificing it for saving others.
He was conscious of that supreme purpose and duty. With faith in the oneness of
humanity, He stood against opponents and critics and confronted their
onslaughts."
- “Truth and Faith”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 19,
December 25, 1986, Prasanthi Nilayam
"Since Jesus bore all the difficulties with fortitude, He is being adored and
worshipped to this day. Once a young disciple asked Jesus, “O Master, when I am
faced with some problems, how am I to solve them?” Jesus replied, “O Simpleton,
do not seek solutions to your problems. Love God, who is installed in your
heart. Love even those that hate you because God is present in them also. How
can you ever have suffering when you love all? Your heart will be filled with
bliss when you love everybody.”
- “Overcome Jealousy with Love”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 33, December 25,
2000, Brindavan
"Jesus taught that God is Love. Instead of recognizing this basic truth, men are
allowing hatred, envy and other evil qualities to pollute their love. Man is
gifted with the quality of love not to express it for selfish purposes but to
direct it towards God. Jesus declared that there was nothing great about
returning good for good. They should do good even to those who harm them.
As Jesus went on with His preaching and drew multitudes towards Him, some of the
priests and those in authority grew envious at His popularity. This happens in
all countries. They started persecuting Him and charging Him with treason.
Jesus, however, continued up to the end to carry on His mission of Love and
Righteousness, first, as the Messenger of God, and later as the Son of God.
There is a reason for anyone coming in the human form. This may not be known to
all. Only the Divine knows the real purpose. Everyone should regard himself as a
Messenger of God and try to lead an ideal life. This means that one has to give
up selfishness and self-interest. This may not be easy. But with God’s Grace, it
should be possible to progress towards Self-realisation gradually.
Love is the means of developing devotion and achieving liberation, apart from
other things. Only the love of God is real love. It is the royal road for man to
realise the Divinity in him and in everyone. Look at the state of things in
Bethlehem, the birth-place of Jesus. Christmas could not be celebrated there
this year, because of the ill-feelings among the people.
How unfortunate that while the rest of the world is celebrating Christmas there
should be no celebration in the place where Jesus was born."
- “Love - The Key to Human Unity”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 21, December 25,
1988, Prasanthi Nilayam
"Develop the love of God. All other forms of love are not love at all, but only
fleeting and impermanent attachments. Man’s biggest folly is forgetting his
divinity. All should realise that they come “from God”. All are children of God.
Everyone should seek to get nearer and nearer to God. That is Sadhana. You must
feel that God is Hridhayavasi (dwells in the heart). You must develop compassion
in the heart, because without it the heart is only a stone. That is the message
of Jesus- the message of Love. Love is God. Live in love. Start the day with
love. Spend the day with love. End the day with love. This is the way to God.
Only the person who is filled with love will be dear to the Lord."
- “Realise God through Love”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 29, December 25, 1996,
Prasanthi Nilayam
Jesus and Judas
Tradition-minded and egoistic men considered Jesus a false prophet and they
tried by every means to thwart His mission. Jesus, however, did not waver. Faced
with opposition, He continued to be an example of living Truth, and to purify
society. Many disciples followed Jesus but throughout history, it has been the
experience of Rama, Krishna, Jesus and Muhammad that disciples however close are
seldom fully dedicated. Most are only part-time devotees. Jesus had 12
disciples, most of whom had faith in Him and lived His teachings. But, Judas
yielded to greed. He betrayed His Master for a mere 30 coins. He could not find
joy in life after this treachery. His mind gave him no peace. He had to seek
refuge in suicide.
Judas Betrays Jesus
Betrayal by people who pretend to adore is happening since ages. Corrupt, greedy
and selfish people spread falsehoods about their own Masters. We have heard of a
Judas, 2000 years ago. But in the Kali Age, people are obsessed with money and
Judases have multiplied. They seek to amass paltry riches whereas good
character, good conduct and knowledge of God are the three real treasures to be
gathered. Land and buildings, silver and gold, dollars and other currencies are
temporary and trivial. They are possessions only until life lasts. But those
three treasures will stay on, sustain and strengthen you until you attain union
with the Infinite.
- “The Way of Jesus”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 14,
December 25, 1979, Prasanthi Nilayam
Changes in the nature of the reactions and the lines of approach are brought
about by the whims of the moment, the turns and twists of desire and the
pressure exercised by the environment, the region and the times. Last night you
witnessed a play about Jesus enacted by the students. The disciple who was most
loved, Judas by name, decided to work against the Master, yielding to the low
temptation of a few pieces of silver. Greed for money is a demon that gets hold
of the weak. When one is overcome by it, one loses all trace of discrimination
and accepts with ease, wrongful ways of satisfying it.
The success of the task for which I have come will very soon reverberate
throughout the world. The truth that all faiths are facets of the One and that
all roads lead to the same Goal, is provoking to some persons. You witnessed in
the play on Jesus how His emphasis on the basic truths of good and godly life
was misinterpreted by even the leaders of religion, who sought to hide their own
failings by slander and falsehood. They even plotted to inflict torture on
Jesus. All the acts of Jesus were pure and holy, and filled with selfless love.
One can have adoration for one’s religion, but it should not be defiled by
hatred towards other religions. Be engaged, rather, in tasting the sanctifying,
sustaining stream of Divine love. That will confer lasting Ananda.
- “The Task will Triumph”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 14,
November 23, 1979, Prasanthi Nilayam
Jesus on the Cross
When Jesus was being crucified, He cried out to God, “O God, Why do You punish
me like this?” Immediately He realized the Truth and said, “O God, let Your will
prevail. It is You who has created me, sustained me, and protected me. I will
not act against Your Will. It was a mistake on my part to blame You”.
When He recognized His mistake, an ethereal voice said, “All are one my dear
son, be alike to everyone.” Once you recognize your mistake, Divinity manifests.
Man today does not recognize his mistakes; instead he looks for mistakes in
others. Do not be bothered about others fault; search for your own faults and
rectify them. Only then will your life be sanctified.
- “Develop Steadfast Faith in God”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 31, October 1,
1998, Prasanthi Nilayam
Jesus Christ on the Cross - The Day now celebrated as Good Friday
Only that person who has realized, “I am not the body, I am not the mind; I am
God verily”, is a real Jnani. When you say, “This is my body”, who are you? To
whom are you referring? The expression ‘my body’ connotes that you are separate
from the body. When you say, “This is my mind”, the mind is separate from you.
Similarly, when you say, “This is my Buddhi (intellect)”, it means the Buddhi is
separate from you. In all these expressions, what is that ‘My’? That ‘My’ is
‘I’. This ‘I’ is what was referred to by Jesus Christ as the ego that has to be
cut. That is the real significance of the cross. You cut the ego.
- “Install God in the Altar of Your Sacred Heart”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 42,
December 25, 2009, Prasanthi Nilayam
Jesus was crucified on the cross. Mother Mary could not bear that scene and wept
inconsolably. Jesus then remarked, “Why do you cry? This is natural. Whatever
has to happen will happen, hence you should not shed tears”… God can do anything
at His Divine will. Everything is God’s gift only. One has to realise this fact
and develop faith accordingly. If you are enjoying good times, it is God’s gift.
On the other hand, if you are passing through difficult times, it is also God’s
gift. You should develop such steady faith. If you are suffering from malarial
fever, you will be given bitter pills. That is also for your good.
- “Contemplate On God, the Real Hero for Victory”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 41,
December 25, 2008, Prasanthi Nilayam
The followers of Jesus have got broken into schisms on various counts; but, the
life of Christ is a lesson of Unity. When Christ was on the cross, ill-feelings
towards the men who tortured Him troubled Him. Suddenly He heard a voice
alerting him. “All Life is One, my dear Son Be alike to every one!” This was
followed by another admonition, “Death is the Dress of Life”. As one casts of
the worn clothes and dons another set, so, the soul dons and doffs bodies.
Therefore, Jesus was warned against hate and ill-feelings, as well as the
lamentation to which man is heir.
- “He whom Christ Announced”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 11, December 24, 1972,
Bangalore
Jesus was crucified on a Friday and He rose from the tomb on a Sunday. That is
why Sunday is taken as the day of worship and service in churches. Catholics
gave importance to Virgin Mary, the mother of Christ, while Protestants gave
importance to the birth of Christ. Catholics celebrate Christmas by worshipping
Mary on the evening of 24th and Protestants celebrate the birth of Christ on the
25th.
- “Unity Based On Divinity”, Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 25,
December 25, 1992, Prasanthi Nilayam
Source: Sai Vani: Avatar on Mahapurushas
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