Recently I was given the opportunity to do my first
mahabishekam to Lord Ranganatha. For me this was an extra
special blessing because I see St. Francis in Lord Vishnu.
Francis identified himself with all the elements and extolled
them as expressions of God. He knew that the spirit and energy
of God are alive and active in every aspect of nature.
At the Vishnu Temple you are in the midst of the elements
with the wind and the rain swirling about you as the pooja is
going on. It is a worship which resonates with the vibration of
St. Francis.
Not so long ago, I started to have some beautiful experiences
of Grace from the Divine Mother in the form of St. Clare. Clare
was one of Francis’ greatest devotees. From the age of 16 she
had resolved to follow in his way of life. The devotion they had
for each other reminds me very much of Rama and Sita or Radha
and Krishna. Their love for one another stemmed from a
recognition of each other’s immense love for Christ. In my own
devotions my love for St. Francis sometimes felt so intense that
it seemed like I was sharing in Clare’s love for him. From this
I have learnt more about the dual nature of the human being.
In every age God has incarnated in order to re-establish
Dharma. Often He will manifest as both male and female. That
same Divinity is inherent in everyone, and to identify with God
is to realise that we are both male and female. It is only when
we really acknowledge it that we can become complete. For we are
both Francis and Clare, we are both Shiva and Shakti. And the
completeness of the two coming together in our hearts and minds
will raise our consciousness into the realms of Divine Bliss. To
enable this to happen you have to be absolutely truthful within
yourself and with all those whom you encounter in your life.
Being true to yourself gives you courage and strength to
overcome the fears which block the flow of Divine Grace. It
allows us to feel more relaxed in the presence of the Divine and
enables us to accommodate more easily the Shakti and power of
Devi and the Lord. In this way we are able to become more and
more the instrument of the Divine and to take the first steps
towards liberation. |
