1942_06_21 - The Pillars of Life

[hristo]

The Pillars of Life

Rila Lectures  – June 21, 1942 (Sunday)

Gospel of John, chapter 10

 

Reflection.

 

Today, most people strive for great things. They know that in the mechanical world, great things shrink, while in the organic world, they grow; yet, they still strive for the great. The great must shrink to be accessible; the small must grow and enlarge to be known and studied. A person is born small and gradually grows, becomes large, in order to know oneself. The seed that is planted in the ground is small, but after some time it grows and a large tree comes out of it. In the summer, the heavy rains decrease, and the seeds grow, become large. When a person imagines himself to be larger than he actually is, he begins to shrink. This process is unnoticed. To make it painless, one must shrink consciously. Addressing the people of Israel, Christ says: "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the Kingdom." He does not say "do not be afraid, large flock," but says "little flock."

Knowing the law of diminution and magnification, one should not strive to become great. To strive for greatness means to constantly encounter contradictions. All disputes and misunderstandings in life occur between great people, over great things. When disputes and misunderstandings cease, then love will come. That is why it is said that love comes last. A life that is not illuminated by love remains forever in darkness. It is also known that nothing grows in the dark. Therefore, if you want to use the conditions of life - strive for love - which illuminates and uplifts everything.

 

"He who does [ND1] not enter the sheep pen by the door, but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber." (– 1st verse). Now, what can the thief be associated with? – With the pride within a person. [ND2] It makes a person internally dissatisfied and forces them to steal. In man, there is a big ego that constantly grumbles and criticizes. No matter what it is given, it always remains dissatisfied. It sees mistakes everywhere and says: “This is not well done, it should not be so”. It dwells on the negative aspects in life and criticizes them. If it decides to speak about the world, it will say that God did not create it well, did not foresee everything. The big ego has some plan for the creation of the world, but if it is forced to apply its plan, it will find itself in a difficult position – it neither knows what its plan is, nor is it capable of carrying it out.

The modern people deal with both - big and small things. They prefer the former and neglect the latter. Their eyes can see only the big things. If they have a meeting somewhere, they want to be more numerous. In this endeavour, they would say: "Too many cooks don't spoil the broth." Despite this, today few of us are on the mountain; most have remained in the lowlands. What is the reason for this? – The poor conditions of life: war, insufficient food, lack of transportation. Man is not a bird, to spread its wings and fly here, to hear what is being said, and to return back. For the physical world, physical conditions are needed. It is not enough to have only an impulse – material conditions are also needed.

 

What is the strongest impulse in life? - The impulse of love. It brings light into the human mind, warmth into the human heart, and strength into the human soul. When the impulse of love acts in a person, then all great and beautiful things are built. If love enters you, give it first place. In front of love, every dispute gives in. Why argue with love, whether it is real or not? Which love is real? - The one that brings life and light. How long does this life last? - As long as love is present in the person. In order to prolong his life, the man must guard love as the apple of his eye. If he does not guard it, if he treats it carelessly, it leaves him. Terrible is the situation of the man whom love leaves. As soon as it leaves him, his life ends. This shows that there is a close connection between life and love. Keep love within you, so that you do not fall into the contradictions of life, so that you do not lose your inner peace and contentment. Where is love? - Everywhere. There is no place in the world where love is not present. There is no being in the world that love has not visited. Man's delusion lies in the fact that he seeks love in a specific place and under specific conditions. Love is everywhere and in everything.

 

Many complain about their lives and say that love has not visited them. The reason for this lies within themselves. They expect love to visit them, for it to come to them as a guest. This is impossible. Love has already come into the world. Whoever seeks it must go to it themselves. If you think otherwise, you are creating contradictions for yourselves. Expecting love to come to you as a guest is like expecting the sun to visit you. Get up early and greet it. Open your windows, and it will illuminate you. Today you also went out to greet the sun, but you did not see it - a small cloud overshadowed it. This is not a contradiction, because the sun rose even behind the cloud. Clouds are not scary, it would be scary if the sun disappears from the horizon and stops rising. If you didn't see it today, you will see it tomorrow.

Okay, I'll translate that for you:

This morning, only seven people came to the Peak. The number seven represents the days of the week. God created the world in seven days. So, each of you represents one day of the week - from the days of the creation of the world. No matter how few you are now, love still manifests itself. It manifests itself in small things; it hides behind small things. A small stream is a manifestation of a large spring. Small streams and rivers flow from large springs. In the small manifestations of love lies such power as in the large ones. It is preferable for the water of the spring to flow little and constantly, rather than much and suddenly. If it flows all at once, the spring dries up.

People want to see the great manifestations of love. This is impossible. Love manifests itself everywhere in small ways. He who has eyes to see will encompass all the small manifestations of love into one and will have the manifestations of great love in front of him. It manifests itself in all beings simultaneously. Gather all its manifestations in one place to form a clear idea of love. He who does not grasp the relations of all beings to himself as relations of one whole, denies the possibilities of love and asks himself: What can love do in me and what can I do in it? He does not suspect that the manifestations of love in the parts are manifestations of the Whole.

 

Christ says, "Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am also there." Animals gather in one place, and so do people, and angels, and archangels, all in the name of love. As a result of these gatherings, something great is created, which will be seen in the future. While love works, large or small clouds would appear, which aim to hinder it. Behold, a small cloud covered the sun this morning, and we could not see it. What does the cloud represent? - The current war, in which Christian nations are fighting. You will say that war is a contradiction in life. As much as the cloud is a contradiction to the sun, so is war a contradiction to people. Nature allows war as a natural consequence of bad and distorted human life. Through it, the evil that has accumulated in human hearts for centuries will flow out. The evil will flow out, and the sun will rise above the clouds, shine again and send its light and warmth throughout the world. Then the contradictions will disappear, and people will understand that life is possible even without war. The life of lovelessness creates war. The life of harmony and love excludes war. Today people are fighting for material things, who should own more land, who should rule in the world. One day, when love manifests itself in its fullness, all beings - people, animals and plants - will benefit from its abundance. Those who are below the level of man will benefit from his love. Man, in turn, will benefit from the love of those who are above him. Love is an inexhaustible source of strength and blessings.

 

Christ says, "I and my Father are one." So, I, the little one, and the Father, the Great One, are one. The world is the little beginning, and the Father is the Great and Eternal [ND3] Beginning. The little one must grow and keep in touch with the Great Beginning, the Father. Therein lies the strength of the human being. As the sun moves in a circle, so Love moves in a circle and surrounds us. As it describes a circle around us, it encircles us with its bonds and thus protects us from evil. As we are in the circle of the sun, so we are in the circle of Love. Therefore, as long as the sun is around you, and you are within it, you should fear nothing. Know that love surrounds and protects you as the earth protects the seeds you planted in it. He who is discouraged and thinks that he can achieve nothing, has gone out of the circle of the Sun and out of the circle of Love. This is impossible. One cannot go out of the orbit of the sun; it is even more impossible to step out of the orbit of love.

 

A life with goodness as a pillar; a life with justice as a pillar; a life with prudence as a pilar, this is the life of love.

Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

A lecture by the Master, held at the seven lakes of Rila, June 21, 5am 1942 

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John 10 – The Good Shepherd and His Sheep

1 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. [Matthew 7:15; Ezekiel 34:2]

2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.
5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”
6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.

7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.
8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them.
9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. [John 3:16; 1 John 5:11]

11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. [Psalm 23:1; Isaiah 40:11; Hebrews 13:20]
12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it.
13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—
15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.
16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. [Isaiah 56:8; Acts 10:34–35]
17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again.
18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

19 The Jews who heard these words were again divided.
20 Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?”
21 But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” [John 9:6-7]

 

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Further Conflict Over Jesus’ Claims

22 Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter,
23 and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.
24 The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us clearly.”

25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me,
26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.
27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. [Romans 8:38-39]
29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.
30 I and the Father are one. [John 1:1; Colossians 2:9]

31 Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him,
32 but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”

33 “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”

34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are "gods"’? [Psalm 82:6]
35 If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside—
36 what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?
37 Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father.
38 But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.”
39 Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.

40 Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed,
41 and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a sign, all that John said about this man was true.”
42 And in that place many believed in Jesus.

 

Преведена от - Елеонора Петковоа