Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Sanctify the New Year



"Therefore, O Embodiments of Divine love! Recognise that the Samvatsara (new year) connotes God who bears several appellations relating to Time. Sanctify the new year by engaging yourselves in pure, selfless and ennobling activities. As far as possible, avoid causing harm or pain to others. As you sow, so you reap. Whenever you feel disturbed by a sense of anger, envy, pride, jealousy and the like, be alert and resort to the contemplation of the Lord."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~
(New Year message to a vast gathering of devotees in Prashaanthi Mandir on 1-1-1991)

Quotable Quotes



"Compassion is not religious business, it is human business;
it is not luxury, it is essential for our own peace and mental stability,
it is essential for human survival."

~ Dalai Lama ~

Monday, December 28, 2015

Sai Madhuryam



All the objects in this visible universe are 
Extremely beautiful, attractive and pleasing. 
The Divine is immanent in the entire cosmos. 
The cosmos is filled with love. 
The Supreme Self is the embodiment of love; 
Hence if love encounters love they merge; 
Hence if you develop your love 
You become eligible to achieve Oneness with the Divine.

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

Divine Wisdom



May All Living Beings of All the Worlds be Happy



Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Have a Blessed Christmas



"Today (Christmas) is mainly celebrated by Christians, but do not make the mistake that it is only for Christians. It is a holy and happy occasion to be celebrated by the entire mankind. Get rid of religious and philosophical differences and enlarge your matha (religion) and mathi (mind). There is only one God, and He is the indweller of your heart. If you realise this truth, the entire humanity becomes a single race.  There is only one religion in the universe and that is divine love (prema)." 

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~
(Divine Discourse - 25.12.1999)




May this Christmas fill your life 
with peace, joy and love!

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Time



"Every act in daily life can be sanctified by dedicating it to God.  By dedicating all thoughts to God, man can achieve peace.  There is no need to wait for a suitable time for embarking on this exercise.  The time is at your beck and call.  Great people do not wait on Time.  They make Time their servant."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~
(Divine Discourse - 1.1.98)

Sunday, December 20, 2015

The Gold Wrapping Paper

Once upon a time, there was a man who worked very hard just to keep food on the table for his family. This particular year a few days before Christmas, he punished his little five-year-old daughter after learning that she had used up the family's only roll of expensive gold wrapping paper.
As money was tight, he became even more upset when on Christmas Eve he saw that the child had used all of the expensive gold paper to decorate one shoebox she had put under the Christmas tree. He also was concerned about where she had gotten money to buy what was in the shoebox.

Nevertheless, the next morning the little girl, filled with excitement, brought the gift box to her father and said, "This is for you, Daddy!"
As he opened the box, the father was embarrassed by his earlier overreaction, now regretting how he had punished her.
But when he opened the shoebox, he found it was empty and again his anger flared. "Don't you know, young lady," he said harshly, "when you give someone a present, there's supposed to be something inside the package!"
The little girl looked up at him with sad tears rolling from her eyes and whispered: "Daddy, it's not empty. I blew kisses into it until it was all full."
The father was crushed. He fell on his knees and put his arms around his precious little girl. He begged her to forgive him for his unnecessary anger.
An accident took the life of the child only a short time later. It is told that the father kept this little gold box by his bed for all the years of his life. Whenever he was discouraged or faced difficult problems, he would open the box, take out an imaginary kiss, and remember the love of this beautiful child who had put it there.
In a very real sense, each of us has been given an invisible golden box filled with unconditional love and kisses from our children, family, friends and God. There is no more precious possession anyone could hold.
(Author unknown)

All I Want for Christmas



Dearest Swami,
I don't need a white Christmas or presents galore,
I don't need silver bells or sleigh rides,
All I want for Christmas is your gentle smile,
And to know that You're always by my side.

I don't need Christmas trees or new toys,
I don't need sweet puddings or Christmas pies,
All I want for Christmas is to see Your smiling face
Amidst the shining stars in the sky.

I don't need silver or gold,
I don't need diamonds or pearls,
All I want for Christmas is to live Your message
And bring gladness to the earth,
With little deeds of kindness and little acts of love.

Dearest Swami,
On this Christmas day, may I wish you joy and gladness too,
But please don't send me a doll
For all I want for Christmas is a sack full of love to
LOVE ALL and SERVE ALL!

~ Divine Blossoms ~

Friday, December 18, 2015

Giver of Hope



Tonight as I was walking into the hospital to start my shift, a young man stopped and asked me to give a flower to a patient. When I asked where she was, he stated, "Just any patient and keep one for yourself for being a giver of hope for your patients".

It is nice to know that there are people out there with selfless hearts.


~ Dana ~
(Sept.10, 2013)

Quotable Quotes



"When we feel love and kindness towards others, 
it not only makes others feel loved and cared for,
but it also helps us to develop inner happiness and peace."

~ Dalai Lama ~

Thursday, December 17, 2015

True Devotion



"Your names and forms are different but the principle of love is the same in all of you.  That is why I address you as the "embodiments of love".  Love is always one, it should not be divided.  Consider God as one and love Him wholeheartedly.  Such one-pointed love towards God can be termed as true devotion."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~
(Divine Discourse - 13.4.2005)

Sai Madhuryam



Tuesday, December 15, 2015

The Magic of Christmas




"Joy to the World", the carollers sang out
as last minute shoppers scurried about
desperately seeking that one special gift
that would give Christmas morning a magical lift.

As an old man stood standing listening to the song,
midst all the madness of the bustling throng,
in a shaky hoarse voice he began to join in
singing the words of the famous old hymn.

One by one people stopped with their madness
to join with the old man for a moment of gladness.
By the time the carollers finished with singing the song
the whole throng was united as they all sang along.

As if by magic from out of the sky
church bells rang out from a chapel near by.
And when it was over the people greeted each other
with messages of good will they shared with one another.

You see that magical lift the shoppers sought for so long
was not in the buying or scurrying along.
That magical gift so desperately sought
was the Spirit of Christmas - which could never be bought.

~ Tom Krause ~

Sunday, December 13, 2015

Christmas Memories

Christmas is a time of great faith, hope, and love. As you get older it is also a time of cherishing wonderful memories. This happened to me as I was sitting quietly listening to Christmas carols today. I relaxed, closed my eyelids and felt my eyes tear up under them as I allowed the flood of childhood, Christmas memories to wash over me once again.

I remembered how we were a poor family by today’s standards. We lived in my Grandma’s old house that was a combination of two shanty cars and several other rooms that my Dad later built on. Yet, we were so rich in all the important things in life.
I remembered getting up on a bitingly cold, December morning and watching my Dad build a fire in the stove. I remembered pulling on my oversized winter coat that had been my older brother’s and warming myself by the fire before heading outside with my Dad and brothers to chop down a Christmas tree. I remembered Dad letting me pick the scraggliest, ugliest looking tree over my brothers’ objections and how the limbs could barely support the ornaments and lights when we decorated it. I remembered watching my grandmother, “Nanny,” slowly pulling her ancient Nativity scene out of a box and putting it under the tree with such reverence, gentleness, and tenderness. I remembered too the kiss she gave the baby Jesus before placing him in the manger.
I remembered listening to my Mom sing along with the Christmas carols on the radio while she cleaned the house. I also remembered the beautiful look of pure peace and happiness she would get on her face whenever she sang, “Silent Night.”
I remembered the note my Mom and Dad wrote for Santa and put on our front door, because I was worried that he would skip our empty house while we were at midnight Mass. I remembered as well trying to stay awake for the whole midnight service at our Church, but falling asleep on my Mom’s lap instead.
I remembered the Italian-American Christmas dinner where freshly baked bread was served along with the turkey, Pasta Fasul was served along with the mashed potatoes, and you could get Provolone cheese as well as pumpkin pie.
I remembered the eager anticipation of waiting to open my presents on Christmas morning. They were few in number and never very expensive, but they always brought joy to my young boy’s heart. I remembered playing with them too for months and sometimes years to come.
Most of all, though, I remembered the unwavering love in that house. It made every day feel like Christmas. It was there in our hugs and smiles, laugher and tears, arguments and agreements, triumphs and tragedies. Even when that house burned down, the love remained. It gave me a hint of the Love that God has for us all. With it we felt like the wealthiest family in the whole world.
Mom and Nanny have passed on to Heaven now, but the memories of their love at Christmastime and all through the year live on in my heart and mind. It is like what the great author Leo Buscaglia once wrote: “Love never dies as long as there is someone who remembers.”
May your life be full of loving memories at Christmastime and always. And may you create new ones every single day. Have a Merry Christmas.
~ Joseph J. Mazzella ~

Saturday, December 12, 2015

Quotable Quotes



Foster Love



"Foster love in your hearts and redeem your lives. Whatever your scholarship or wealth, they are valueless without love. Without devotion all other accomplishments are of no avail for realising God. Men aspire for liberation. True liberation means freedom from desires. Today men cannot go to forests for penance or engage themselves in meditation and other spiritual exercises. The easiest spiritual path for all people is to dedicate all their actions to God."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~
(Divine Discourse - 25.12.1994)

Friday, December 11, 2015

At Christmas



A man is at his finest towards the finish of the year;
He is almost what he should be when the Christmas season's here;
Then he's thinking more of others than he's thought the months before,
And the laughter of his children is a joy worth toiling for.

He is less a selfish creature than at any other time;
When the Christmas spirit rules him he comes close to the sublime.
When it's Christmas man is bigger and is better in his part;
He is keener for the service that is prompted by the heart.
All the petty thoughts and narrow seem to vanish for awhile
And the true reward he's seeking is the glory of a smile.
Then for others he is toiling and somehow it seems to me
That at Christmas he is almost what God wanted him to be.

If I had to paint a picture of a man I think I'd wait
Till he'd fought his selfish battles and had put aside his hate.
I'd not catch him at his labours when his thoughts are all of pelf,
On the long days and the dreary when he's striving for himself.
I'd not take him when he's sneering, when he's scornful or depressed,
But I'd look for him at Christmas when he's shining at his best.

Man is ever in a struggle and he's oft misunderstood;
There are days the worst that's in him is the master of the good,
But at Christmas kindness rules him and he puts himself aside
And his petty hates are vanquished and his heart is opened wide.

Oh, I don't know how to say it but somehow it seems to me
That at Christmas man is almost what God sent him here to be.

~ Edgar Albert Guest ~

Thursday, December 10, 2015

Nothing is Real



"Pleasure and pain are your own making. They are not given by God. You are the cause of your suffering, none else. Understand this truth. From the spiritual point of view, pleasure, pain and the worldly relationships are illusory. They are not real. Right from dawn to dusk, man is leading a life of delusion. Having been born as a human being, man should experience the truth. The physical body grows for a certain period and later on becomes weak and decrepit. Birth and growth are related to the body which is unreal. But man considers body to be real and thereby suffers. When you see with your eyes wide open, you are able to see many people. But, when you close your eyes, you cannot see anybody. From where do so many people come when you open your eyes? Where do they go when you close your eyes? You do not know. In fact, you do not know the place of your origin and also your destination. That is why you suffer. Once you realise that you are not the body and nothing in this world belongs to you, you will not suffer.  Everything in this world is of your own making.  Nothing is real."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~
(Divine Discourse - 25.12.2003)

Sai Madhuryam



Peace has vanished, 
Truth has become rare,
Arms have become a menace, 
Selfishness is at the root 
Of all these calamities.
This is the word of Truth--the word of Sai. 
Sathya, Dharma, Ahimsa, Prema and Santhi 
Are the five life-breaths 
Of Man in this world. 
Love is the foremost of these five. 
Install love in your hearts. 

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

Baba's Storytime - The Donkey's Thirst



Adore the God that is resident in all beings, motivating them and prompting their every activity.

Ekanath, the Maharashtra saint, had that vision.  He was going on  a pilgrimage to Rameswaram, in the extreme south of India, from Varanasi in the North, carrying the sacred Ganga in a pot, to be poured ceremoniously on the Ramalingeswara idol at the place.  His disciples were with him.

On the way he saw a donkey dying of thirst, in great agony.  Ekanath felt that the Ramalingeswara in the donkey was calling out for the holy Ganga that he was carrying on his shoulder; in spite of the protests of his followers, he poured the precious Ganga down the throat of the dying animal and saved it.  His joy knew no bounds.

God is the seed of all this manifested universe.

(From the Divine Discourses of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba)

Monday, December 7, 2015

Quotable Quotes



“Every day, think as you wake up, today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it. I am going to use all my energies to develop myself, to expand my heart out to others; to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings. I am going to have kind thoughts towards others, I am not going to get angry or think badly about others. I am going to benefit others as much as I can.”

~ Dalai Lama ~ 

Sunday, December 6, 2015

True Treasure

My daughter saw a colorful rainbow the other day after a thunderstorm. She called to me to look out the window and see it as well. Looking at it I was amazed at how its beauty could still uplift my middle-aged heart. 

As I gazed upon it, I also remembered one of the very first times I ever saw a rainbow as a boy.
I had been sitting in the house for an hour waiting impatiently for the rain to stop so I could go out and play. It had been pounding on the roof incessantly and I thought it would never end. When it finally did stop I raced outside and was greeted with the glorious sight of a rainbow curving across the sky. 

I had just recently heard the old legend of leprechauns hiding a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. Excited, I looked to where the rainbow seemed to be touching the ground in the far distance. I started to quickly run down the railroad tracks near our house in search of that elusive treasure. The quicker I ran, though, the more the rainbow began to fade. Finally, I found myself running as fast as I possibly could, but it was too late. By the time I got there the rainbow and its pot of gold were gone.

Sadly that wasn't the last time I found myself chasing after false treasure. Over the years I ran after fame, success, money, and even relationships that I thought would bring me the happiness I always wanted. None of them did, however. It took me a long time to find the true treasure that doesn't rust, break, fade, or flee. That treasure is the love of God and it is free to all. I welcomed this treasure into my heart, soul, and life and shared it with others as well. The funny thing too was that the more love I gave away, the more love I had within me.

God loves you so much. He is forever ready to light up your life with the rainbow of His love. Accept His treasure with joy, share it with everyone, and grow richer everyday.


~ Joseph J. Mazzella ~



Divine Wisdom




Saturday, December 5, 2015

Take Refuge in the Name of the Lord



How glittering and quivering is the
waterdrop on the lotus leaf!
 So is man's life in this transient world;
Life is rife with strife, disease and delusions.
Alas!  Sorrow and suffering reign
supreme in this sordid world.
Therefore, O foolish mind!  Take refuge
In the Name of the Lord - Govinda, Govinda, Govinda!

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~
(Summer Showers in Brindavan 1990)

Sacrifice



"The true secret of enjoyment lies in sacrifice. Sacrifice has also been declared to be the only means of achieving immortality. Giving up what is taken in is a law of life. It applies to breathing, food and other things. Likewise, the wealth which one acquires should also be given back to society. Wealth includes not only riches, but every other form of acquisition including knowledge, scholarship, and skills of various kinds. The knowledge you have acquired through education should be imparted to others. It is by such sharing that your education gets enriched and purposeful. If you do not impart the knowledge you possess, it becomes useless. This means that the more you give, the more you grow."

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~
(Divine Discourse - 24.5.1991)

Quotable Quotes



"Love by the way you walk,
by the way you sit,
by the way you eat.
This world very much needs love."

~ Thich Nhat Hanh ~