Hari
OM
Story-day is for cultural exploration, puraanas and
parables and finding out about leading lights in spiritual philosophy.
As
we head toward the close of a calendar year, ready to tread on the fresh ground
of 2015, we must surely all be praying for peace. It is a never-ending vigil.
The very fact that all our scriptures and ancient teachings point to the nature
of Mankind and his tendency to self-destruct, that for ever and ever there has
been the need for such prayers, means that we can expect in this coming year,
as in all that have gone before, a variety of troubles peppering our
tranquillity. Fuelling Hope is a key part of spiritual pursuit. We must never
lose that hope. It is the one thing, burgeoning forth from Love with the
capital 'ell', which redresses the balance. Yes, there is much evil in the
world. There is, however, a greater amount of good. It simply doesn't get
reported. We have to go searching, most often, to find the positive, whilst the negative thumbs its nose at us.
What
is the 'fuel' of Hope? Faith. Trust in
our rulers to keep balanced heads. Trust in ourselves to overcome the rough
times. Trust in the words of the wise. The wisest words of all are found in our
scriptures.
Today,
a tract is shared with you from the Bible (Matt 2:1-12); firstly because this
is appropriate for the time of year; secondly because it demonstrates that such
strife is not new and yet it is possible to rise from such. Yes, it is a
'reportage' of the times, but it also has the sense of parable. We can be
vigilant, listen to guidance of Higher Authority and sort out accordingly the
good and the bad, the friend and the foe; or in Vedantic terms, the Real from
the unreal.
1 Now
when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king,
behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
2 Saying,
Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the
east, and are come to worship him.
3 When
Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all
Jerusalem with him.
4 And
when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together,
he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5 And
they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the
prophet,
6 And
thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda:
for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
7 Then
Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently
what time the star appeared.
8 And
he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young
child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come
and worship him also.
9 When
they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in
the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child
was.
10 When
they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
11 And
when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his
mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their
treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
12 And
being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they
departed into their own country another way.
13 And
when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a
dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into
Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young
child to destroy him.
14 When
he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into
Egypt:
15 And
was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken
of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.
16 Then
Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and
sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the
coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he
had diligently enquired of the wise men.
17 Then
was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying,
18 In
Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are
not.
19 But
when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to
Joseph in Egypt,
21 And
he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of
Israel.
22 But
when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father
Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a
dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:
23 And
he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which
was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.
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