You don’t need me to tell you that we are living in a complex world with many temptations, both good and bad. In fact, it has always been this way. But now, because of population growth, ever increasing forms of new technology, and the continual unfolding of the Information Age, everything is happening at the speed of light. Put another way, karma is unfolding with unparalleled intensity. Therefore, Yogananda’s words are particularly poignant: “An ideal existence is not impossible, but it is for a different time and realm reserved for those who have graduated from the learning assignments of earth life. For the ordinary man in his present stage of evolution, a life without difficulties would be of little value. Such a life would offer no lessons of growth, no transformations of inflexible natures into godly consciousness, or no compelling incentives to seek and know one’s Maker.”
The world in which Jesus was born had its own level of complexity. And though he was a sinless avatar, he voluntarily exposed himself to the very same temptations we face. Otherwise, he would have been a sham of a spiritual teacher, and not the “world savior” he has become. Today, I am focusing on one of Jesus’ temptations found the the Gospel of Luke:
Then the devil led Jesus to Jerusalem, made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you,’ and, ‘With their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.’”
Jesus said to him in reply, “It also says, ‘You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.’” When the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time.
I want to put Jesus’ temptation and our response to it in the context of the war in Ukraine. Jesus stands on the top of the temple, symbolizing his state of God Consciousness. The devil attempts to get him to leave his state of consciousness and not take the spiritual life so seriously. He asks him to forgo his spiritual practices because God has his back and will take care of everything. Spiritual teachers refer to this inane perspective as “cheap grace.” Yet Jesus flatly rejects the folly of the devil’s logic. Jesus paraphrased response is, “Yes, God is good, all good, but I must use my free will to choose truth, beauty, and goodness rather than naively believing I can do whatever I want without suffering any consequence.”
The tragedy unfolding in Ukraine is impacting the whole world. Humanity is undergoing a period of intense purification. The worst thing that we can do at this moment in history is give ourselves over to the chaos. We must stay grounded in God‘s love. We must not be drawn into the ever-prevalent tide of fear, hopelessness, and hate. We need to stay in a very high state of consciousness; we need to pray, meditate, love, and to keep the eye of our soul firmly fixed on God. Indeed, God will help us to overcome the present darkness, but we have to do our part in the equation. We have to avoid the tempting charm of cheap grace. Every act inspired by the spirit of truth, beauty, and goodness moves the world toward peace, justice, and true freedom. We must all do our part to re-dream the world with God.
Divine Beloved,
Now more than ever,
We must stay close to you.
