Ashirvad Inter Religious Harmony Movement, a Jesuit organization, celebrates major festivals of all religions. People from different religions attend the event. Representatives from different religions address the audience. During this year’s Inter Religious Christmas celebration today, there were talks by Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, Jain, Bahai, and Sikh representatives. Auxiliary Bishop of Bangalore, Fr. Joseph Soosainathan attended the full event and gave his benedictory address. I was invited to speak on behalf of the Hindu community. Here is an outline of my address.
Revered monks and nuns of various denominations and religions, and dear friends,
It is a great pleasure for me to share some thoughts on this holy occasion of Christmas. I see all of us as pilgrims on the spiritual path through various religions and cultures.
It is a natural phenomenon that things degrade over a period of time and some renovation work needs to be done from time to time. For example, if there is a house, it needs continual maintenance, and after a few decades, it will need an full renovation. Human societies are similar. Spiritual traditions degrade over a period of time and renovation is needed at regular intervals. The Lord says in the Gita, “yadaa yadaa hi dharmasya glaanirbhavati bharata, abhyutaan adharmasya tataatmaanam srujaamyaham. paritraanaaya sadhunaam vinaashaaya ca dushkritaam, dharma samsthaapanaarthaaya sambhavaami yuge yuge” – “Whenever spirituality declines, I manifest era after era.” The Lord intervenes into the traditions all over the world at all times. Various traditions call these by various names – incarnations, prophets, bodhisattvaas, thirthankaraas, saints, gurus, etc. The name varies by traditions, but the concept is the same.
This is not restricted to time, geography, country or society. The Lord has come infinite number of times before and will come infinite number of times in the future too. The power and potency of the Lord has not diminished over time. He is Eternal. The Lord has come and will come in all cultures, countries and societies. He is Universal. Applying artificial human limitations to the Lord is blasphemy. Putting restrictions like “selected people”, “only son”, “last prophet”, “ten incarnations”, etc. are against the Eternal, Infinite and Universal nature of the Lord. It is blasphemy against the Lord to put such limitations to the Infinite Lord. As long as we hold on to such limiting beliefs, Religious Harmony is not possible. When we remove such limited ideas, Religious Harmony comes naturally.
Our Earthly parents are the father and mother of this body. The Lord is the father and mother of the soul. When we identify ourselves as the soul, our real relationship is with the Lord only. All divisions of gender, nationality, religion, etc. apply to the body and not to the soul. The soul is Universal, just as the Lord is Universal. Thus, spiritual life is beyond the narrow confines of any particular religion.
Talking specifically about Jesus Christ, the Jesus of Nazareth is beyond all denominations and even religions. When we restrict him to Rome or Canterbury, then all problems start. Organizations and structures are needed to work efficiently. But the humble Jesus of Nazareth, who had no place to rest his head, should not be lost in the glitter and glamour of the palatial spires of Rome and Canterbury. The Jesus of Nazareth is the original true Jesus. For God’s sake, let us not lose sight of that Jesus. This Christmas, let us all celebrate the simple, humble, Universal, all-loving Jesus of Nazareth, who is beyond all man-made divisions of denominations and religions. Let us go back to the Jesus of Nazareth and discover Religious Harmony.
Thank you.