It is tempting to believe that history is unfolding in a haphazard manner, that there is no rhyme or reason to the events that unfold in our lives, and that everything is just a roll of the cosmic dice. In such a worldview, we are lucky if we can live our lives minimizing our suffering and maximizing our pleasure before we die.
The birth of Christ says no this nihilistic nonsense. Over 2000 years ago in the unlikely backwater town of Bethlehem, a historical event of epic proportions occurred: God irrevocably pitched His tent among us in the person of Jesus. The loving intelligence that birthed the Big Bang and guided the evolutionary process of creation, that spoke through the Jewish prophets and inspired the Bhagavad Gita, literally became flesh in the person of Jesus. God as an abstract idea became forever touchable, knowable, and lovable.
Humankind’s ultimate destiny was made clear in the prologue to John’s Gospel: “The light shines into the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” God is acting within our collective and individual histories, no matter how dark or difficult they might be, to bring about the birth of Christ Consciousness within the human family. History is moving toward an inexorable conclusion: love will win, and truth, beauty, and goodness will absolutely rule the day. As John the Baptist tells us, ”I am baptizing with water, but one who is mightier than I is coming, who will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals.
How does this Christmas truth become a living reality in our lives? A Russian saying gives us the answer: “In order to get to know someone, one must eat a pound of salt with him.” Live your life as though God does exist. Pray as though heaven is really listening, and love as if love is the most powerful force in all of creation. Always be ready to decide for the good, the better, and the best. The good news is that Jesus was born two thousand years ago, he is still with us today, and God is still with us today. 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. This is not so… Jesus Christ is very much alive and active today; He is working unseen by the masses for the regeneration of the world.”
Guruji,
You tell me of
Jesus and Krishna,
And lead me to them
With great love.
