As human beings we constantly aspire to greater and greater levels of meaning, joy, and love; we can’t help ourselves. This is not a bad thing at all. Rather than denying or repressing this aspirational aspect of our nature, we should both accept and embrace it, even celebrate it. We glorify God to the degree we are fully alive. Far too often religion is presented as something burdensome, morose, and joyless. Nothing could be further from the truth! The great spiritual masters of history attracted followers specifically because they were overflowing with life, creativity, joy, and love. They empowered their followers to realize their souls’ deepest aspirations. Consider the words of Jesus from today’s Gospel, John 6:34-35:
“I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”
It is very hard to warm up to, and even harder to love, God in the abstract. However, in and through Jesus and the Gurus, God becomes personal, relatable, and lovable. As we open our hearts to these emissaries of heaven through prayer, meditation, and devotion, they meet us where we are, fill our minds and hearts with wisdom and love, and then carry us to new heights. Never doubt their nearness, their concern for you, or their unconditional love. Yogananda tells us,
“It is an erroneous assumption of limited minds that great ones such as Jesus and Krishna are gone from the earth when they are no longer visible to human sight… Jesus Christ is very much alive and active today. In spirit and occasionally taking on a flesh and blood form, he is working unseen by the masses for the regeneration of the world. He is deeply concerned for mankind and wishes to give his followers the means to attain the divine freedom of entry into God’s Infinite Kingdom… To reestablish God in the temples of souls through the revival of the original teachings of God-communion propounded by Christ and Krishna is why I was sent to the West by Mahavatar Babaji”
Master Jesus,
Beloved Guru Yogananda,
You meet me where I am,
Fill me with wisdom and love,
And carry me to new heights.
