Be in Love
~by Fr. Richard Rohr~
"The central practice in Franciscan mysticism is that we must remain in love. Only when we are eager to love can we see love and goodness in the world around us. We must ourselves remain in peace, and then we will find peace over there. Remain in beauty and we will honor beauty everywhere. this concept of remaining or abiding moves all religion everywhere out of esoteric realms of doctrinal outer space where it has been lost for too long. there is no secret moral command for knowing or pleasing God, or what some call "salvation," beyond becoming a loving person in mind, heart, body and soul. Then you will see what you need to see. Jesus did not say, "Be right." Jesus said, "Be in love." -- Fr. Richard Rohr
“HIS PEN HAS IN IT FIRE WHICH WILL BURN THE IGNORANCE OF THE WHOLE WORLD.”
Govinda dasi found some old Indian newspapers from the 1970s in her attic, in boxes, and one had an article about Srila Prabhupada written by an astrologer:“Nobody can read this chart; if they say they can they are simply lying. This personality comes and goes at his own sweet will; he is not bound by anybody or anything. The stars are lined up perfectly—there is no question of karma. He is working directly under the will of God. And when he writes, his pen does not have in it ink. His pen has in it fire which will burn the ignorance of the whole world.”
May this be an inspiration to us all.All the best,Rukmini Walker
The Quest for Wholeness
In honor of the 70th appearance day of Bhakti Tirtha Swami, which was several days ago, here is a message from him about honoring relationships. ~ Rukmini Walker
by Bhakti Tirtha Swami
" Two whole personalities who come together have the opportunity to develop a strong relationship. They are not excessively dominant or dependent, nor do they manipulate each other to shore up their insecurities. Such people do not behave like beggars, looking for someone to rob or perform miracles for them. Even if they ultimately fail to attract a partner, they will not feel lost, because they appreciate everything that the Lord has done for them. Instead of trying to acquire something for themselves, they will want to share with others. In such a state they come to resemble--in their own small way-- the reservoir of Divinity, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who radiate Love to everyone."
Is the Universe Friendly?
"I think the most important question facing humanity is, ‘Is the universe a friendly place?’ This is the first and most basic question all people must answer for themselves.
"For if we decide that the universe is an unfriendly place, then we will use our technology, our scientific discoveries and our natural resources to achieve safety and power by creating bigger walls to keep out the unfriendliness and bigger weapons to destroy all that which is unfriendly and I believe that we are getting to a place where technology is powerful enough that we may either completely isolate or destroy ourselves as well in this process."If we decide that the universe is neither friendly nor unfriendly and that God is essentially ‘playing dice with the universe’, then we are simply victims to the random toss of the dice and our lives have no real purpose or meaning."But if we decide that the universe is a friendly place, then we will use our technology, our scientific discoveries and our natural resources to create tools and models for understanding that universe. Because power and safety will come through understanding its workings and its motives.""God does not play dice with the universe,"--Albert Einstein
Gitavali
In another passage in the Gitavali, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura states: Oh merciful Lord, this is my specific submission at Your lotus feet. I do not ask for bodily happiness, knowledge, wealth or followers... Let whatever attraction I presently have for material sense enjoyment be transformed into attraction and affection for Your lotus feet. I pray not only that this affection for Your lotus feet remain unvarying in all circumstances of happiness and distress, but that day after day it continues to grow by the influence of chanting Your holy names. Wherever I take birth, be it in the animal species, in the heavenly planets or in hell, may ahaituki bhakti ever grace the heart of this servant, Bhaktivinoda.
Your mercy is a great wonder
Your mercy is a great wonder, nondifferent from You. It is pure eternity, knowledge, and bliss. It can empower me to always remember and glorify You in pure love. It can obtain for me Your loving sidelong glance. It can enable me to see You absorbed in the company of the cows and the gopas and the gopis. Thus for a helpless person like me it is the ultimate resort of all hopes. Your wonderful mercy is ancient and eternal but also ever new and fresh. To your mercy, again and again, I offer my obeisances forever.
--Srila Sanatana Gosvami
Dedicate this one life
I ask you to dedicate this one life to the Lord. I do not want you to undergo the process of saṁsāra, of repeated birth and death, any longer. Engaging wholeheartedly in the process of bhakti is not too difficult a sacrifice for attaining eternal existence. To be free of enemies, once and for all, to be permanently liberated from ongoing negative bombardments that we are forced to face every single day—whatever price we have to pay for that, it is worth it. Even if we have to live every single day in anxiety and frustration, being misunderstood, it is worthwhile because of what is ultimately attainable. If the goal is not wonderful, then of course, it is not desirable to pay a heavy price. If the goal is not permanent and we have to ultimately give it up only to enter again into the many complications from which we ran, then it is not a very captivating aspiration. But, if the end result is that all suffering is destroyed—death, disease, old age, and constantly living in an environment in which we have to struggle to survive—then it is worth it.
--Bhakti Tirtha Swami, Surrender
Photo by Emilio Martín on Unsplash