A Fleeting Life

A fleeting life is all we have. So why do we boast, why do we disproportionately exaggerate our earthly, mortal and brittle achievements? The physical in us, no matter how strong, fails us when the Prince of Gloom appears. When death appears, the physical deserts us no matter how strong it is, the vital deserts us no matter how enthusiastic it is, the mind deserts us no matter how brilliant it is, the heart deserts us no matter how kind and pure it is.

A fleeting life is all we have. Why then do we listen to the dictates of the physical world, the temptation-world? Why? Why? Why do we not listen to the dictates of the all-illumining and all-fulfilling soul? Why? Why? Why do we dine each night, all night long, with ignorance-sea? Why do we sport with darkness-dragon every day, all day long? Why? Why? Why do we not love God even conditionally, if it is impossible for us to love God unconditionally? Why? Why?

A fleeting life is all we have. Why do we not please God partially, if it is not within our capacity to please God totally and unreservedly? Why? Why? Can we not say to God once and for all that, although we have given all of our previous lives, even to the previous second, to ignorance-night, from now on we shall give this fleeting life of ours to Him alone? Can we not give God the full authority to guide us, mould us and shape us in His own way? Since we have failed in the hands of ignorance, can we not give God a chance to direct our life? If God too fails, then we shall see what we ourselves can do with our life. But is it not fair on our part at least to give God a chance, as countless times we have given chances to ignorance-night? Let this short incarnation of ours be offered to God and God alone. If we offer our life to God, then ours will be the life short in years but long in achievements.

God says to us, "Children, I have promised you that I shall not misuse you, I shall not misguide you. I shall prove to you that I can make new personalities, new realities and new divinities out of you; only give Me a chance. As you have time and again given chances to ignorance, even so for this short, fleeting time give Me the chance and see what I can do for you, since you cannot see what I have already done for you.

"Children, give Me a chance and see what I can do in this fleeting life of yours. This fleeting life can be expanded and extended, My children, if you care to envision My Divinity with your surrendered heart and with your oneness-soul. A fleeting life need not and cannot be the last word of the earth-arena. An endless life, a birthless and deathless life, can alone satisfy man, the future God."

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July 9, 1977 at 11.25am
John F. Kennedy High School
Bronx, New York