Daily Reading 117. Swamiji talks about the impact of the Lord Jesus.

Taken from Mother Radha’s notes, written at Swamiji’s feet.

[At Christmas time one year, Swamiji said:] Nearly two thousand years ago, a humble person [Jesus Christ] was born in a stable among the sheep. This was a simple birth and a humble beginning, but the soul was, and is, so high – higher than any plane on Earth. What is your name and fame compared to that?

Yet the great ones did not speak of themselves as great, but as the servant of the servant of the servant of God. ‘Lord, thou traceth thy birth to a humble stable of a donkey that carries the burdens of men.’ He carried the karma of those who came to him. He carries the karma and projects it into the future – of dharma.

In the Bible it says God made us in His image – that is love, mercy, sacrifice and truthfulness. That is the message of God. Mould your mind, your thought, into the image of God. Then you can say, ‘I am perfect, even as my Father in heaven is perfect.’

Sri Ramakrishna said, ‘We move from consciousness to Consciousness.’ This indicates that we move from duality to the ONE. Jesus Christ was conscious of duality when he asked [on the cross], ‘Why hast Thou forsaken me?’ When he manifested the Spirit, he knew there is no two. Hence: ‘I and my Father are One.’

Hanuman was asked by Rama, ‘What do you think of me?’ He replied, ‘When I think you are the body, then I am your servant. When I think you are the jivatma [individual soul], I am your part. When I think you are Spirit, I am Thyself [the supreme soul].’

Jesus Christ said, ‘I am the vine and you are the branches – I am the son, and you are the Father – I and my Father are One.’ Burning a candle is like the sacrifice of his life. The candle gives light, to light the image of God. But it grows smaller and smaller and smaller till it is no more – then there is only God’s image. Yes. Your life should be like that, and my life should be like that – burning with tapasya [austerity, self-denial], with yearning, with bhakti [devotion], with knowledge [jnana].

Thou art all sons and daughters of God, born in the stable to carry the burdens of others. The child of [Mother] Mary is prakriti [nature]. May the spirit of Jesus the Christ and the great ones, render you pure. May you be born in it today, that you may sacrifice yourself at the altar.

Sri Ramakrishna said he was Mother Kali. The great ones go beyond caste, colour and creed. Even stones and grass yearn for the touch of their feet. What is the message? God dwells right in your heart – that means He is the source of the source of the body – that means the heart. Jesus Christ said, ‘The Kingdom of God is within you.’ He exhorts [urges] us to serve man. Jesus Christ did not sit in one place, not like the selfish yogi who sits in a cave. No. He went from place to place – to save people – he taught them. He said, ‘Anything that is done to the least of these [mine] is done to me.’ Jesus Christ said, ‘The Kingdom of God is within you.’ And Swami Vivekananda said, ‘Service to man is service [and worship] of God.’

Jesus went out to meet the poor and miserable people. Did not Jesus love children? He said, ’Till you become as little children, ye cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.’ A child does not bear a grudge – every impurity is flushed out because of its love for its father and mother.

There is no reason why we, who worship Sri Ramakrishna, should not adore Master in the manifestation of Christ. Sri Ramakrishna one day saw Jesus Christ, and the Lord Jesus was absorbed into Sri Ramakrishna’s body.

Underlined words are hypertext links to clarification, explanation or other sources. Just tap on them.

The free-to-read or download, 396-page Flipbook version of Swamiji’s biography, ‘A Life Lived For Others‘, is available by clicking HERE. If you’d prefer the PDF version, please click HERE.

For our gurubhai Atmaprakash Kramer’s beautiful pictorial ‘memoir’ booklet of the Ramakrishna Centre of South Africa, Avoca Ashram, please click HERE.

There’s also a Facebook site for Swamiji’s posts now. They feature newer readings published more recently. Click HERE to view.

These recordings or the excerpts from them, were made from the early 1970s onward, by Mother Radha, a close devotee of Swamiji’s and edited for uploading here by our gurubhai and her son, Brother Tim. Please be mindful that what Swamiji was saying may have been specific to those with him at the time.