The Last Breath

(18)

 “How does heart become the key Rafael?” Rafael smiled.

“God loved us so much that He created the Universe. God loved us so much that He created Man and Woman with His own two hands. God loved us so much that He gave His very breath. God loved us so much that He promised to save us from death. God loved us so much that He Himself became man to save us. What is the underlying feeling there?”

“Love.”

Exactly Mathew, Love. It is the base of all creation and the base of our existence and that base can be achieved only from God and no man or woman or child or nature or creation can fulfill it. And that feeling is locked in each and every heart. There isn’t any single person, who is denied of love, the only thing is open it.”

“Oh!!! Its simply superb. Again I came to the cross, Rafael.”

“Go on Rebecca, what is it?”

“I have a feeling that there is some connection with Jesus heart being pierced.” Rafael smiled and nodded.

“Yes Rebecca, you are right, there is, we will continue the suffering of Christ, which I told you day before yesterday. He was nailed to the cross and the cross was raised. Now Jesus was solely at the Mercy of man, but man had already decided Jesus’ fate, the highest punishment - death on the cross.”

“But how mean can a man be?” Rafael smiled.

“Don’t think of man’s cruelty Monica. The people and all the actions were well planned and well in advance too. In short, it was pre destined. The second meaning of the cross comes now.”

“Oh!!! I really can’t believe I have to say it. Actually Rafael don’t you think, All these happenings were written in the scriptures ages before right? And it is just a fulfillment through Jesus – The Action Hero, isn’t it? In short, God is living Himself, performing Himself as a User’s Manual. So that Man gets branded all of it in his heart, which is solely for the well being of Man right?” All eyes zeroed on Mark in wonder

“That’s wonderful Mark. Yes you are right, Now you have brought life to the scriptures.” Rafael said smiling and continued “Can you explain. How did Jesus lie on the cross, when the cross was raised?”

“Hands spread apart and pierced, legs together one on top of the other and  pierced and just a small cloth to cover His shame and the whole world as onlookers. He was above ground. If He looks up, there was the sky and if He looked down, the ground and the people around. Friends and family grieving and the soldiers fighting and the others just looking.”

“Thank you Monica, that was indeed a detailed description.” All nodded. Rafael continued, “I would like to make you aware when you will come to the cross road, when you are eligible to attend the banquet of God.” All nodded “ The hands spread out symbolizes, the time when you have nothing to hold on to, no family, no name, no fame, no life, no home, no health, no wealth nothing just illness, sadness, depression, loneliness, etc... At that time, when the whole world puts you to shame that is what legs, one on top of the other symbolizes and you have nowhere to go and unable to do anything.”

“And the small piece of cloth around the waist of Jesus, does it have any significance, Rafael?”

“Yes Rebecca, it has, It is the last vestige of “hope, faith” which helps man move forward even when He is in the brink of death, in the vortex of bankruptcy, in the vortex of illness, in the vortex of hatred, in the vortex of loneliness. With that piece of hope you face the world with whatever little you have” All nodded. Rafael continued, “ Now Jesus is in mid air. Can anyone say, what do you think it means?”

“That Jesus is in a void?”

“Yes Monica, exactly, when we have lost everything, when we have been put to shame in front of the world, when there is nobody to help us or guide us or lend us a helping hand, that is the time, when we have no feelings, we would not know whether we are living or dead, we become a machine. We will be in the middle of nothingness and at that time, we look up with no tears just our tattered self and that sigh, unknown to you, which symbolizes the last breath where you have left behind everything, leaving behind all hopes and expectations, leaving behind friends and family and all what you have cherished and considered as your own, which now is not yours.”

“That is a sort of death, don’t you think Rafael?”

“Exactly Yes, Its death Mathew, the death of the old man, who had lived as a human without knowing that he was here to fulfill a purpose,  and that sigh pierces the very foundation of Heaven and that is when the barrier between man and God is torn from top to bottom. Then and there the heart opens shedding the last drop of blood and water. Helping man to open his inner eye to see clearly, the love of God, the eternal happiness, the eternal bliss and the nature around is just unreal, it can bring happiness, but fake ones.”

“But that’s not true, Rafael, our parents, our grand parents, they love us.”

“Sure Monica, I would not deny that love of man or parents or grand parents or anybody is fake. I am saying it cannot bring the happiness or love man crave for. That, all fulfilling love, can be got only when you yourself  go through you through the way of the cross and find your real Self – God can you get it. Human Beings are not Gods and don’t run around people or places to find who you are.”

“Do you mean to say Rafael that we should skip off going to pray to church or temple or mosque and meet holy people?”

“The places and people are of value. But your life should not be focused on these places and these people. The person whom you are and the situation you are in has been predestined. Each moment, each action is of great importance to you. When you do right, you are nearing to God and when suffering comes, be sure, your past thoughts and actions have come to strip you of that ego, which helps you to come to the cross very quickly and through fervent request from God and through His intervention, it will be far more smoother passage to our destination.”

“What does that mean Rafael? How did God help Jesus, when He was on the cross?”

“Great question, Mathew. Not only on the cross, but during the way to the cross. Simon, helped Jesus carry the cross, Veronica wiped the face of Jesus, there were women, who grieved seeing the plight of Jesus, showing their support and when Jesus was on the cross, He didn't have to tolerate for long as the other two thieves had to. He died immediately.” All nodded.

“Yes, you are right, Jesus died very quickly relieving Him from pain.”

“Yes Mathew and only God can do that and no man or place can help you on that score. But there is one thing I forgot to say, after Jesus death, He was pierced by a spear.” All nodded. Rafael continued. “It has two meaning.”

“Two?”

“Yes Monica. Two. The first one signifies, only after the death of the worldly you, the heart opens up, to see the spectacular presence of God in your own Self and while you do it, you leave a mark for all the others to see, the blood and water falling to the ground and on the way it cured the blindness of the soldier who pierced Jesus, opening not only his physical sight but the inner sight. The same would be your situation too. Jesus did just that. He left a very big mark. He became the connector of the past and the present. BC became AD as well as helped us open the physical sight to see this nature with all its limitation as well as   bridge the gap between God and man . So now you know why Jesus died on the cross and why He had to go through all these sufferings – to help fulfill God’s promise.” All gave a deep sigh.

“Its simply mind blowing, all these information Rafael. Thank you so much.” All nodded, Rafael smiled.

“But Rafael, there is one thing, that is a bit confusing.” Rafael smiled.

“Go on Rebecca, ask.”

“God promised a saviour for the whole mankind, but what you said is for me alone. Then how would God’s promise be fulfilled.”

“Great question Rebecca, Man is simply roaming around the place on and on in search of that elusive something. So when God gives it in one go to the whole mankind, would man know, how much God had gone through to get what was rightfully man’s? Will man cherish it? Will it be priceless?” All nodded in the negative.

“If you have to be with God, then you will have to earn it not just by simply prayer, your actions, your thoughts, your work in the work place, each and every moment is precious. If you are a child(son/daughter), you should fulfill the duties of a child at home. If you’re a student, you should fulfill the duties of a student at school. If you are a friend, there are duties to be fulfilled. So in every facet of your life, there are some roles and responsibilities which has to be performed and that too is a prayer.” All nodded.

“But Rafael, if the child is thrown out of the house, what would be his duty?” Rafael smiled.

“Naturally, God has planned his presence in another area, he would be directed there and there he should fulfill his duties. Monica, Judas betrayal was what started the suffering of Jesus and ultimately ended in the death of Jesus on the cross. Here Jesus had to go through all these it was written before hand and Judas had a role in it. Likewise, there are people who become our cause of suffering. Don’t blame them, its only for our own good.”

“Does that mean, that what the parents did to the child is not wrong, Rafael.”

“No Monica, the wrong done by the parents would always be wrong unless they repent or else, they would face the same dilemma, which they gave their son, the same anguish, the same loneliness  everything to the very minutest. That is a fact. Their action would come back to them.”

“Ohhh!!!! But that’s terrible Rafael. If the boy forgives, will it pass off from his parents?”

“No Rebecca, the boy would be elevated to a higher pedestal not alleviate the parents mistake. There is big difference between forgiveness and repentance. We’ll continue the rest  tomorrow.” All nodded.

...to be contd....(19)....

Until then... Take care.....Bye

Meena