Christmas Meditation

Every festival be it Christmas, Janmashtami or Diwali should simultaneously be a day of celebration and a day of contemplation. Christmas is as much about celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ as it is about remembering his life, his sacrifices and his teachings.

I thought of sharing a few teachings of Jesus Christ which when contemplated, practised and applied can truly make our lives meaningful.

What shall it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and suffers the loss of his own soul?

If God is all you have, you have all you need.
The kingdom of God is within your own hearts.
Knock and the door shall open, seek and you shall find.
Don't build your treasures in this world - for it will be stolen by thieves, corroded by rust and rotten by time
If you have faith as much as a mustard seed and you tell a mountain to move - it will move.
The meek and humble inherit the kingdom of God.
Love God with all your heart and soul
Love your neighbors as yourself.
Those among you who is sinless can cast the first stone.

When Srila Prabhupada went to the West, one reporter asked him if he had come to America to convert Christians into Hindus. Prabhupada answered "No, I have come to make them better Christians". Whatever our religion may be, the true purpose of every religion is to help us develop our love for God.

So, on this joyous occasion of Christmas let us follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ and try to mould our lives in such a way that we can deepen our connection with God, develop genuine integrity and be an instrument of God's compassion and love in this world.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas.

- Achyut Gopal Das

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