Sacred Festivals

How should we observe sacred festivals like Christmas? Bhagawan gives us an important reminder on this holy Christmas Eve.

"On the 24th (Christmas Eve), people attend some worship in the church, return home to drink heavily, gorge on food and revel. This is not the significance of Christmas or the birthday of noble ones. Festivals are not for drinking and eating, but for looking into our hearts. Cleansing the heart of its dirt, reminding ourselves of the ideals of the noble one and trying to focus on at least one of those ideals is the right way to observe these festive days. 

Today, man is living for desires instead of ideals. He aspires for a long life, but not for a divine life. He is not making an effort to follow the footprints of these noble ones. This is what the sadhakas (spiritual aspirants) of today have to do. Every sadhaka must aspire to be the master of the house and not merely a servant. The servant is aware only of the objects outside. But the master alone will know where in the house the valuables are secured. Since we remain as servants, we preoccupy ourselves with the names and forms in the outside world. When we become the master, we will try to recognise where within us are the precious gems of good qualities, virtues and righteousness, and also secure them. 

Each one can enquire for themselves whether they are securing these precious qualities or are lost in the external, valueless and ephemeral names and forms.

~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~

(Divine Discourse - December 25, 1982)

Follow the path shown by noble souls; do not follow the pleasure seekers. – BABA