Part 4 — Final Installment
In Christian circles, the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus are two separate events. The former when Jesus offers his life to redeem sins; the latter, the power of God over death itself. Few, I suspect, see the two as inextricably linked: the sacrifice of the little self for the beatitude of the great, soul-self.
Humans sacrifice in many ways: for their, or their children’s education; to get fit and healthy; to hold one’s tongue; to work overtime to complete an important project; to do, basically, what needs to be done! I don’t mean to trivialize the crucifixion but to point out that the resurrection of his soul-force is directly the result of Jesus’ willingness to do the will of the Father even unto torture and death. In its most fundamental form, this is what life invites us to do, every day to some extent.
The Bhagavad Gita has a quaint way of describing how yagya (sacrifice) fuels the world as when clouds gift their water to the earth; the sun, its power in heat, light and life to the earth; and so on. The principle of sacrifice is described as that which generates and completes the circle of life. Since ancient times humans perform “sacrifices” (even human sacrifices!) to “appease” the gods. There is a deep and intuitive understanding that all life has its source in an invisible realm of consciousness to which we owe acknowledgement and gratitude for the gift of love and life.
Sacrifice can be performed from a range of attitudes such as that of the merchant who bargains but wants something; as one who is aware and deeply grateful; or, as one who expresses love while asking nothing in return.
Jesus who is an avatar — a soul who has returned to human form with no compelling karmic necessity except to express God’s love and wisdom to others along the path — sought nothing from anyone in making his sacrifice on the cross. The universal truth teachings of India state that God has manifested this universe by vibrating a part of his consciousness into visible form and impregnating all vibration with the seed of his intention, love and joy. Thus, the true “son of God” is that immanent, indwelling consciousness at the still heart of all motion.
A human who achieves realization their own true nature as a son of God can become an avatar if, after achieving full realization, they return to earth. Thus, there are, in a manner of speaking, “two” sons of God: the universal, indwelling seed of God-consciousness in all creation, and its full, conscious realization in a specific individual soul.
This is the purpose of creation: God hidden IN creation seeks to realize God AS creation and then, united as one, ascends beyond creation into the transcendental Spirit. It is a drama of hide and seek played over vast epochs of time and space with no real end. But once an individual soul is free, that soul is forever free. It may or may not ever return to human, or any other, form.
Ours is a strange generation or culture. I don’t think our known history can reveal to us the degree to which the spirit of sacrifice has been eclipsed in the lives of countless millions who have been given the opportunity to make comfort and pleasure a priority. It will not last; it cannot last; and for our soul’s own salvation into higher consciousness, it should not last. “A comfortable life is not a victorious life,” Yogananda stated.
Surely, we can see the truth of that great drama in the life of Jesus Christ! You and I probably won’t face the spiritual challenge of crucifixion but “sufficient unto the day are the challenges thereof” as Jesus himself put it.
I think we of goodwill are being invited to raise our energy both to go into silent, inner communion with Spirit for attunement and guidance, and to stand up for truth, compassion and justice in ways big or small, personal or universal, as befits our growth.
Let this life, then, be a victorious one of integrity, attunement to the divine will, courage and calm compassion. May the Easter egg of new life, new hope and true joy be ever yours.
Nayaswami Hriman