Today, we celebrate Christ's birthday. It is said that when Jesus was born in a manger, three kings were led by a star to Jesus's place of birth. ln fact, they were not kings but three shepherds. One of them, seeing the infant Jesus, observed, "This child will be a lover of God". A second one said, "No. God will love him." The third one said, "Verily He is God Himself" .
The true significance of these three statements is,
To love God is to be His Messenger.
To be loved by God is to be a son of God.
The final state is to be one with God.
As Jesus said, "I and my Father are one." Thus. all persons are messengers of God. This means that they should divinise themselves. When can men call themselves sons of God? Recognize what pure actions are done by God, selflessly for the sake of all. There is no trace of self-interest in Him. Everything He does, says, or thinks is for the good of others. On the other hand, everything men do, speak ,or think is born out of selfishness. Men have become puppets in the hands of selfishness. Men can describe themselves as "sons of God" only when they are completely free from selfishness and become Godly. To call yourself the "son of God", you have to manifest the qualities of the Father.
Jesus exemplified the spirit of social service. The inspiration for this came from His mother, Mary. From His childhood, Mary taught Him such good qualities as truth, kindness, compassion, and justice. Jesus had learned His lessons from His mother and developed His spiritual faith. After they returned from Jerusalem, Jesus felt that service to His parents was His foremost duty, because He owed everything to them. ln this spirit, He used to assist His father in His carpentry work. Joseph passed away when Jesus was thirty. He sought His mother's permission to devote Himself to the service of the needy and the forlorn. After leaving home, Jesus had Himself baptized by John. Then for forty days Jesus observed severe austerities, without food and drink. At first, He considered Himself to be a "Messenger of God". After the penance, He realised He was the Son of God. He began His ministry with a group of fishermen as His first disciples. He taught them that they should first seek the Kingdom of Heaven. To enter that Kingdom, they had to cultivate loving hearts. Then, their hearts would become the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus further declared to them, "I and my Father are One".
Today, Christmas is celebrated in many countries. In every country, small groups of people go to their respective churches, listen to the sermon, and return to their homes. In some places people eat, drink, and make themselves merry. But nowhere in the world can you find Christmas being celebrated with the solemnity and holiness found in Prasanthi Nilayam. Here are gathered men and women from all countries. There are many denominations among Christians, and the members thereof celebrate Christmas in their separate ways. Only in Prasanthi Nilayam do Christians of all denominations and men and women of other faiths join to celebrate Christmas. All of them work in unison. Here is a concrete manifestation of the Brotherhood of Man and the Fatherhood of God.
(Divine Discourse: 25 December 1994)
