The following talk was given on Christmas Eve 2004 by Swami Medhasananda at the Zushi Centre.

"Today is a very special day, celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Around the world this special event is being celebrated, not only in churches, but in many homes of devoted Christians. Also in the many branches of the Sri Ramakrishna Mission on this day Christmas Eve is celebrated."

"We still wonder at the divine phenomenon that appeared as Jesus Christ on this earth," he said. "So many people are born and die - like crops they come and go. But there are a few who while they die physically, they don't die spiritually." Swami noted Jesus Christ, Gautama Buddha and Sri Krishna as some examples of these few whose impact on humanity is tremendous; whose impact grows in course of time. "We see that although Jesus Christ was born some 2000 years ago, so many people worship Him. So many people accept Him as the ideal of life. So many people accept Jesus Christ as their eternal shelter. More than 2000 years ago Jesus called those who are tired, who are worried, come to me, I shall give you peace. And they get peace."

Swami asked if such a thing could be possible without some divine power acting behind such personalities; that this surely wasn't possible by human power alone. "Jesus himself declared, 'I am the son of God'. In one sense every man and woman is a child of God, but when Jesus said he was the son of God, it was meant in a very special sense. When Sri Ramakrishna would say, 'I am the child of Mother Kali', he would say it in a very special sense." Swami pointed out that when Mother Mary had conceived, both she and Joseph were concerned, but an angel appeared before Mary and in a dream to Joseph assuring them both with the message that the Holy Host was to be born to them as the son of God. The reason for their concern was that the child had not been conceived through normal relations between husband and wife. They were thus assured that this birth was the will of God.  "So this angel, too, announced that Jesus was not an ordinary child, that he was the son of God."

"So in what sense was Jesus the son of God?" he asked. "It was, of course, in a very spiritual sense. To express this relationship between Jesus and God, this human analogy has been used. As a son is devoted to his father, in a much more intense sense, a much deeper sense, Jesus was devoted to God." To illustrate, Swami said that according to Hindu scripture an ideal son is one who reveres his father as the essence of religion, as his great guru, as heaven itself, and in pleasing him all the gods will be pleased with him as well. "The father is respected by the son, loved by the son, served by the son and the son always takes care to please the father. Such a son inherits the qualities of the father. He inherits the property of the father."

"When we look at this in terms of such human relationships, we can begin to understand the special nature of such a relationship between the devotee and God. Once Sri Ramakrishna said, 'As the son inherits the property of the father, similarly a devotee of God inherits the property of God.' Sri Ramakrishna explained that these properties are not worldly properties, worldly wealth, but devotion, wisdom, compassion, love and spiritual realization. These are the divine qualities; the divine properties inherited by the devotee. In the case of Jesus Christ we see these things in much deeper, more intense sense. "

In another approach at conveying this special sense, Swami continued, "As is believed by Hindus, God incarnates Himself as a human being to show the way to all humanity, this is why such personalities as Jesus Christ, Gautama Buddha and Krishna appear on earth. They come to reveal the spiritual path to devotees. We can combine these two ideas; Jesus the son and God the father, as Jesus declared; the human relationship between God and the devotee; between God and Jesus Christ; and also the Hindu idea of the incarnation of God, to understand Jesus Christ better." 

In further examining Jesus Christ as such a special manifestation of God, his very special relationship with God, as the son of God. "First let us think of the birth of Jesus Christ, being born by the will of God," Swami said. "Then again, he showed wisdom in his very childhood, as when he offered wisdom to arguing scholars providing them with understanding of the problem." Jesus was aware of his temporary relationship to his parents and his permanent relationship with God, as upon returning to his parents after being missing for some time he answered their worried concerns by stating that his real father is God.

"Again, Jesus had very little formal education but he learned well from personal experience. He was devoted to spiritual practice for some 18 years - a period of his life that very little is known, but is believed he went to India and Tibet to practice. This is not accepted by all, but what is important is that during this period he experienced the highest of realizations."

"There are three types of spiritual realization in terms of relationship with God," he continued. "There is one in which the aspirant realizes that God is the father and he is the son; that God is the master and he is the servant. Then there is another type in which the aspirant realizes that he is part of God. Still there is another type in which the aspirant realizes he is one with God. If we study the Bible we understand that Jesus had all three types of realization. He often said he was the son of God. On another occasion Jesus said, 'God is the vine and I am the branch.' Still he remarked, 'I and my father are one.' In Hindu philosophy these are the three realizations mentioned as dualism (dvaita), qualified non-dualism (visishtadvaita) and non-dualism (advaita). These show what great spiritual realization he had.

"His methods of teaching were different between disciples, to whom he offered direct teachings, and people in general, to whom he offered parables. The parables, taken from practical life, were given so that people could understand, appreciate and remember his messages. In our Bible reading this evening, we see that he taught the core of spiritual principles to his disciples and he said that when he taught the people, he took the help of parables."

"We can see there are differences between an ordinary teacher,  a realized soul and Jesus Christ in the matter of teaching spirituality. While a teacher can explain religious ideas well, it is beyond their power to impart spirituality. Even realized souls cannot necessarily impart spirituality to others, and even if they do, they do so in a limited way. But Jesus Christ could not only teach spirituality, he could impart spirituality to others. By a touch, a mere wish or a prayer he could change the course of a person's life. He could make a sinner a saint. That is why Jesus Christ is so very special."

"Then also think of the other qualities of his character. What infinite compassion he had. What tremendous love he had. Think of his forgiveness, as well. The very persons responsible for his death - he was praying that God forgive them. He was the living example of what he taught. In his teachings he would often emphasize love and compassion and he, himself, was the embodiment of love, compassion and forgiveness."

"And think of his egolessness. On many occasions he would heal sick individuals and possessed souls always declare that it was only by the power of God that he could have done so. And the real reason he performed these miracles was that most people would not believe in God without witnessing some miracle. Just so that people would have faith in God he would perform miracles. Not just for the sake of miracles, but to firstly cure the afflicted and, secondly, so that they would understand the glory of God through them."

"Then, finally, three days after his crucifixion, there was the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Surely, an ordinary person or a even realized soul cannot have this type of power, the power of the resurrection. It shows that Jesus could not be killed by any physical means. He was crucified because he allowed himself to be. To him life and death made no difference. With that resurrection an earnest devotee may have the vision of Jesus Christ, even today."

"That is why we mentioned today that even though they die physically, there is no death for these great incarnations of God. They can appear if someone really wants to see them. In the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna there is a reference to an Indian Christian whose surname was Misra. He had renounced the world and was living the life of a monk as a devout Christian. He had come to see Sri Ramakrishna and narrated a vision he had had of Jesus Christ. He said that his vision had been so beautiful that the sight of the most beautiful woman would be insignificant in comparison. And we also know that Sri Ramakrishna also had a vision of Jesus Christ. By these examples we know that although Jesus Christ died some 2000 years ago, this distance of time is not so important. Even now Jesus Christ, in fact, appears if one is very earnest in having his vision."

"So we mentioned many of the rare traits that show Jesus Christ was an incarnation of God; not an ordinary person; not an ordinary religious leader; not an even a rare realized soul; that he was much, much greater than all these. That's why when Jesus said he was the son of God, we should understand it in a greater sense. Let us pray to Jesus Christ to bless us; so that we can grow in devotion to God; so that we can grow in faith to God. Om, Shanti, Shanti, Shanti, Hari Om." ･