Sri Saibaba Temple of Universal Weekly News Letter Christmas Edition volume 86

[Sri Saibaba Temple - Nashville]

Sairam

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

 

  

Jesus and Our Baba came to the world in physical form during different time periods and both are avatars of the divine almighty.

We see Jesus Christ in shiridi sai’s life when he takes himself other people’s

Karma . The moment he suppresses other’s illness , he develops boils on his body. Even his life was sacrificed to cure Tatya.

True to Baba's word, Tatya fell sick and was bed-ridden; and so he could not come for Baba's darshana. Baba was also down with fever.Tatya had full faith in Baba and Baba in Lord Hari, who was His Protector. Tatya's illness began to grow from bad to worse and he could not move at all but always remembered Baba. The predicament of Baba began to grow equally worse. The day predicted, i.e., Vijayadashami was impending and both Ramachandra Dada and Bala Shimpi were terribly frightened about Tatya and with their bodies trembling and perspiring with fear, thought that as predicted by Baba, Tatya's end was nigh. Vijayadashami dawned and Tatya's pulse began to beat very slow and he was expected to pass away shortly. But a curious thing happened. Tatya remained, his death was averted and Baba passed away in his stead. It seemed as if there was an exchange. People said that Baba gave up His life for Tatya; why He did so? He alone knows as His ways are inscrutable. It seems, however, that in this incident, Baba gave a hint of His passing away, substituting Tatya's name for His.

 

The speck and the log (Matthew 7:1-5, Luke 6:41-42)

 

 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the

speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to

remove the speck from your brother's eye."

Matthew 7:1-5 (Also Luke 6:41-42)

* This parable was told as part of a larger sermon, in which Jesus was teaching His followers how to live their lives.

* The parable starts with a statement about what the parable is about. A lot of Jesus' parables end with the meaning, or sometimes go without Him giving the meaning. Here he gives the command, and embelishes with the parable to explain His point.

* The command "do not judge" is followed by a warning "or you will be judged".

* According to the Strongs interpretation the word for "judge" means to to "...separate, put asunder, to pick out, select, choose..."

* Jesus explains what type of judging he is talking about through the parable "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to

the plank in your own eye?" He is talking about the hypocritical type of judging that points out wrong in others lives and ignores the wrongs in own life.

* The parable ends with the person who has removed the "plank" in their own eye able to help their "brother".

A lot of people use this passage of scripture to try and argue that it is wrong to make a moral judgement about the way that other people live.

This is a wrong view of this parable. Other places in the Bible (and even a few verses later in Matthew 7:15-20) we are taught that we need to be able to evaluate and

consider what God approves of. How can people recognise their sin in order to be saved from their sin, if they aren't told that what it is they do that is sinful. Critical

and reflective thinking are important in order to help other people. Jesus is talking about a different type of judging in this parable.

This parable speaks against the type of judgemental attitudes that try to make others look like less than we are by pointing out their flaws without acknowledging our

own. It tells us not to be hypocrites and to judge ourselves first, lest we deserve the same criticism we have for others. This is a section of God's church which ignores

this commandment to not be hypocritical. When we judge ourselves, we recognise we are sinful and our approach to others sin is with love and humility because we

identify with them. If we deal the "plank in our eye" (the sin in our lives), we are then able to help others with the "speck in their eyes" (their sin) by pointing them to

the solution that is needed by both parties.

It is important to note the "then you will" in verse five. This shows that it is appropriate and permissable to judge with love, but onlyafter we have acknowledged and fixed our own mess.

           

            Proverbs 6:16-19

English Standard Version (ESV)

16 There are six things that the LORD hates,

    seven that are an abomination to him:

17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue,

    and hands that shed innocent blood,

18 a heart that devises wicked plans,

    feet that make haste to run to evil,

19 a false witness who breathes out lies,

    and one who sows discord among brothers.

 

Baba says it in a simple way

“Before you speak ask yourself: Is it kind, is it necessary, it is true, does it improve upon the silence?”

  

Here are some more

 

 

Jesus also explains in Matthew (12.36) that any idle words a man speaks will have to be accounted for on the judgment day. So you must also avoid idle words and gossip."

Satcharita: In Chapter XXI, Baba chides the Pandharpur Pleader for his part in joining others at the bar-room in reviling Mr. Noolkar for his faith in Baba.

 

And again in Matthew (25.35-46) we find that it is expected that a good Christian must feed and clothe the poor, and take in the homeless, though they be strangers, for as much as you do this for them, you do it also for Jesus."

Satcharita: In Chapter IX, page 56, Baba tells Mrs. Tarkhad (who had fed the hungry dog), "He, who sees Me in all these creatures, is My beloved. So, abandon the sense of duality and distinction, and serve Me as you did today."

 

"In Matthew (19.20-30), a man comes to Jesus and wants to follow him, but Jesus tells him to first sell everything he has and give the money to the poor. However, the man could not bring himself to do that and sadly went away. Jesus explained to his disciples that hardly any rich man can enter heaven; it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle."

Satcharita: In Chapter XVI & XVII is the story of the rich gentleman who wanted quick Brahma-gyan. Baba tells him "Unless you completely get rid of your avarice or greed you will not get the real Brahma."

 

"In Luke (9.61-62), there is the story of a man who came to Jesus and asked to follow him, but first simply wanted to bid farewell to his family. But Jesus rejected him and said that no man, having once put his head to the plough and looks back, is fit for the kingdom of God. In another place in Luke (9.59-60), Jesus orders a man to follow him, but the man requests that Jesus first allow him to bury his dead father. Jesus, however, says to let the dead bury their dead, and go preach the kingdom of God."

Satcharita: In Chapter XXXI, Page 165, Baba chides the Chennai's sanyasi Vijayanand who on hearing of his mother's illness, wanted to go to her side. He says, "If you so loved your mother, why did you take Sanyaas? Attachment makes misuse of an ochre garb."

 

 "In Matthew (18.34-35), Jesus says that the Lord will punish you if you do not forgive everybody of their trespasses against you."   

Satcharita: Chapter X, Page 59:  Baba says, "If anyone does any evil undo you, do not retaliate. If you can do anything, do some good unto others".

 

Shirdi Sai Baba appearing as Jesus Christ to Officer Curtis - Jagadguru Sri Shirdi Sai Baba Scenes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1876tnJAe8

 

Editorial Team

Temple Seva Committee

Sri Saibaba Temple of Universal Oneness

Nashville , TN