HEART TOUCHING REFLECTIONS FOR CHRISTMAS.

Every moment of our life is most precious. We should not fritter it away in useless pursuits, but devote it in the search of self and God through prayers, meditation & reflections as we celebrate the Christmas.

• Let the season of Christmas be a period of stocktaking. Let us turn within, recognize our weaknesses and try to overcome them. Let us sink down all differences and sit together in all loving devotion for God. Let us purge our souls and cleanse our hearts, for unless we are pure, we cannot see the Kingdom of God, much less enter into it.          
   If you can love your God with all your heart, with all your strength and with all your soul and love your neighbors as yourselves; if you can forget your prejudices and differences, your hatreds and petty jealousies; if you can love even your enemies as Jesus did, who died uncomplaining on the Cross, then all things shall be added unto you and you will achieve spiritual peace here and hereafter. 
  • We have passed here now so many Christmas eves. There is need to take stock today where we stand, how far we have travelled. Let us do so calmly but seriously.  The Journey may be long but has to be completed. Life is running out, let not vain pursuits deflect us from our Noble Path.  The grace of God is overwhelming and is extending far and wide. Through His grace the long and tedious journey back to our Eternal Home is cut short and rendered full of melodious charm. His Gracious Love is overflowing, and He is waiting for you at the door of your heart. Let us open up to him in steadfast devotion and whole-hearted faith in Him.

• God is Love, our soul is also Love, and the way back to God can be achieved through Love. Men are in the clutches of perverted love. If it is developed in the right direction, under the guidance of God, way back is ensured by listening to the rapturous strains of the Word reverberating in all creation.                                                                                   Thus, Blessed are they who find refuge in the Lord, Jesus Christ. Once His, He never leaves or forsakes us till He fulfills His promised of guiding, whoever comes to Him, to the True Home of the Father.                                                                                                     Christmas is celebrated for Christ was born this day but the real Christmas will be celebrated when we really make up our minds to fulfill the aim of Christ's birth, viz., to enter the Kingdom of God within us, and bring the same on earth.      

•  May be worldly affluence has swayed you too much or you had thought the misfortunes have descended too quick, which may not in reality be so, for ups and downs are a normal feature of life. They come as a result of well planned Divine Dispensation. So worry not if dark clouds are overhanging or wild rumors of universal destruction are set afloat as even the darkest cloud has a silver lining somewhere, you have a clear way before you. Your duty is two-fold—corporal and spiritual—as you have the body and the spirit. Both are intertwined and interlinked and need to be performed diligently and lovingly without damping your enthusiasm in any way.                                                                                                                                           For to shirk one's duty is timidity, to face it with determination is manly, to take the results with cheer is bravery and to adjust one's life according to one's environments is invigorating and peaceful. Always remember that you are under the protective wings of our Lord Jesus Christ and he is always extending His grace and protection. He is always by your side.  You may stumble and fall, but His loving hands are always there to pick you up especially in this season of Christmas.

• There is suffering in the world, and men and women wander in darkness. In such a world let us go about in prayers; giving love and compassion to all. Let us serve the poor and broken ones, serve our brothers and sisters and those around us. Let us not waste energy in questions and controversies. Let us light a few candles at the alter of suffering humanity. This will be achieved by having right understanding, viz., all mankind is one. The soul in man is the essence of God. We are members of the same family of God. We are all brothers in God.                                                                       When we learn that God resides in every heart we should have respect and love for all. This realization must dawn on mankind as we celebrate the season of Christmas

•  Each action has a reaction. As you sow so shall you reap. Let your physical sojourn be sweetly ethical, loving, co-operative and tolerant. Without these the great spiritual flights evade you. Be watchful. We are on way to perfection. We are not perfect. There may be failures on your part and misunderstandings amongst yourselves. The former ,should be met with by the motto of forgive and forget and the latter by reconciling them by mutual loving contacts. There may be a lot of dross and imitation displayed in colourful and charming fashion to deflect you. All movements which sanction you to sensual life cannot take you beyond the senses. Let not their catchwords waylay you. Be steadfast and careful.                                                                                                           Feelings, emotions, visualizations and inferences are all subject to error. You know because you see something beyond the emotions and feelings. Let not your faith give way to your detriment. With faith in God Almighty, proceed on from day to day.     Put your trust in Him and you will have all the necessary inner help to face the days ahead.

•  You may read libraries of books. Of what avail are they? You may have many meritorious acts. What avail are they? Far are you from the Beloved if there be not the longing in your heart. Consume hundreds of books in the fire. Let your heart blossom forth with the sweet remembrance of the Lord. Be absorbed in the white radiance of the Beloved. Be absorbed and you will know that the Jesus is but One with God. He appears in every picture. In every race and religion, every prophet and saint, every scripture and song, is the shining 'One' revealed.                                                                                                                                      Let your inner-self be overflowing with the love of Jesus Christ so much so that all thoughts of yourself be lost in Him. Saint Paul said: "It is I, not now I, but Christ lives in me." May his Peace reign in your life now and forever.. AMEN

•  Standing at this milestone in time we must recall our past and maintain a regular diary from day to day of all our thoughts, words, and deeds, and see where we stand. Devote time to spiritual practices so that you make a commendable progress on the spiritual Path and reach the Goal before us.                                                                                     This year is going out and the New Year will soon be ushered in. The present year is gone old. Let it depart. You need not worry. It had been kind to you--not so kind as it should have been. But God willed it so.                                                                                                                                             However, you must strive to be different from what you are during the present year. Strive to reach Him, be a true devotee, crave for blessings from the Almighty. Pray for His mercy. Promise unto Him that you will go up the Divine Path at any cost and nothing shall deter you from achieving this object.                                                                   The New Year will be happy for you if you do not waver in the Divine Path or slacken your pace therein. Remain firm and go ahead, trusting in  God’s plans for your Life.

•  Man is what he thinks about all day long. One can only live one moment at a time. Emerson said: "There is no moment in eternity more important than this moment." All real good or evil that may befall him is from himself. If a man lives in a good or bad way in the real present, he will ensure the same in the future. If you have bad thoughts for others, you will harm not them only but yourself as well, as thoughts are very potent.                                                                                                                                          So try to live in the living present, forgetting the past and the future—and fill every moment of your life with simple trust in Him in all loving devotion. He will manifest in you when you choose and turn your face to Him. God is love and love is God, and the way back to God is also through love.

-     Christmas is a festival of joy and jubilation celebrated all the world over to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ--the Prince of Peace. The fact that the Word (manifested at the human pole of Jesus) was made flesh and dwelt amongst us for the guidance of the bewildered humanity. He said: "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life." "No man cometh to the Father, but by me".                                                                                                                 

     In all we do during this season, may we not be carried away by the feasting and forget the core value of Christmas: Christ came to redeem us thus giving us hope for life everlasting if we believe in him (John 3:16). 
    Click here to view and join Matters Of The Heart on Facebook.

     [If you like this article, please share it with someone you love by clicking on the share button below]