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Chapter 2.
Caring for the “Earthly” — or Striving for the Divine

Our large house seemed to become empty without Mary! It turned out that I had never before realized the importance of her presence: she was filling my and Lazarus’ lives with her joy and gentle smiles!

I was accustomed to taking care of her from my childhood. But also, being the eldest, I considered it my duty to constantly teach, edify, and correct her, believing that she creates only problems and anxiety for us! And now — I realized how much she meant to me.

… I also often remembered about Jesus…

With perplexity and with increasing interest, I was listening what other people talk about Him when I went to the market for something. I heard people say that He had healed a blind man, that He had cured a child who had no hope of being saved. Or — that He had fed a whole crowd of people when He had only seven loaves at His disposal. He had broken them — and the food was enough for all… Someone said that he saw it personally, while others objected saying that these were nothing but fantasies…

I wanted to believe in the authenticity of those stories, but I was afraid of making mistakes too! In our synagogue they did not tell us that the Messiah has come — and that everyone should follow what He teaches! There was generally just silence about Him, as if He did not exist at all! And if someone asked questions about Him, they did not reply.

Now I was looking forward to the return of Jesus. While leaving, He said that He — together with Mary and the other disciples — would surely come to our house again.

* * *

How great was my joy when they came again!

But this joy was quickly eclipsed in me by an unexpected resentment…

This time, there were with Jesus not only His closest disciples, but also a few more people whom I had not seen before.

I started to prepare a meal for everyone. And Mary stayed with Jesus and listened to His words…

I was in a hurry to feed the guests — this was a lot of work. I went to call Mary to help me. But Jesus answered that Mary had chosen the good — and that she is right in this…

I returned to the kitchen, “boiling” with indignation…

But then Philip, one of Jesus’ close disciples, entered.

“Let me help you today, Martha!”

… I was very surprised:

“You? Will you do the work of women?”

“Why is it only for women? We are on the road every day and do everything ourselves: preparing food, washing dishes, doing laundry…

“Do not be so angry with Mary! You’ll soon understand everything about Jesus and your sister! For now — just believe that it’s better to do as Jesus advises in each specific situation. And this is in everything: both in the large, and in the small!”

“But I do not understand why I should have to cook all by myself, while Mary sits at His feet, without even moving her hand or looking away! And what about all this work here that needs to be done? She doesn’t even care!”

“You should try to calm down! Now, together, we will quickly cope with everything that is necessary! Everything will be fine! This meal will be great! And all that we need to hear from Jesus — He will tell us! We will not miss anything that is needed and useful for us to know!”

… I immediately liked Philip. This young man with curly hair, with a clear glowing gaze — was so pleasant that my anger quickly subsided! And Philip was very adroit with work in the kitchen!

Soon, we were already able to bring dishes with ready-made meals to the guests. Everyone began to eat.

And after eating, when everyone settled comfortably, Jesus began a conversation:

“Friends, we all thanked God today for the food that was given to us! But I think it’s important to also thank those who grew it and those who prepared it for us. It is blessed with the work of good hands! You, Martha and Philip, have filled these delicacies with your care!”

… I was embarrassed by this praise of Jesus, I covered my face in shame with an apron… I suddenly realized that if not Philip, I would have remained insulted by Mary and even by Jesus… I would have cooked the food in a state of anger… And it is really just Philip who is worthy of praise! There is no my merit here…

And Jesus, meanwhile, went on to say:

“God must be greatly needed by a person: more important than close people, than all “earthly” things!

“But the aspiration to God does not come immediately in most people. And you should not demand this from those who are not yet ready for this state.

“It’s very easy to just say: ‘I believe! I worship God!’. And very many people do only this: hoping that by doing so, everyone around will notice how ‘righteous I am’, how carefully ‘I follow the rules’, how I ‘make the prayers’…

“How many people are able to throw off all these useless ‘external things’ — and follow Me? No, not many…

“Although, of course, in due time — for each properly developing soul — a similar stage occurs, when by all forces, thoughts, and desires, a person rushes only to God and nothing else attracts him or her!

“God reveals Himself only to the real seeker of Him: to one who wants to acquire the Knowledge of Him and His Love! And who — oneself — also loves!

“God does not show His Presence to indifferent people! The aspiration for Him must become sincere and constant!

“God should be needed by the soul not as an object for ritual worship, but as the air for breathing, as water for quenching thirst, as food for the hungry! When the attention of the soul is wholly redirected from the mundane and vain — to the search for God, only then the profound transformation of the soul and the clear perception of the world of the Divine are possible!

“All this is quickly acquired — only by a few, who are already mature souls. But what about those, who would like to do, but still cannot do this with their whole heart, with all the soul — for striving to the Heavenly Father? ‘Is there no salvation for them?’ — you may ask Me.

But the righteous life is possible and in ordinary good deeds: to live in peace with people, aspiring to the knowledge of the Holy, with the desire to serve others through one’s own work! This means — to serve people by both the greater and the lesser that a concrete person can do now! It is very good! So — gradually — love develops in this soul and care grows! And it does not matter if those simple deeds seem insignificant to outsiders!

“Let someone just bake bread or make beds! But everyone must do it — in peace and in love! In the sincere service to one’s neighbor — the happiness of a righteous life is generated! Let it be only little so far, but it is in namely through such devoted work that the greater happiness is obtained!

“I’m talking about the happiness of life with God, which is possible for a soul who has learned to love unselfishly and strongly!

“If, by the soul filled with love, man rushes to God — then the Embraces of the Heavenly Father are opened up to him or her!

“Try now, as best as you can, to look into the depths of the soul, where God can always be found!

“And from there — from the spiritual heart — we can look both forwards, and backwards, and in all directions.

“If we look forward — we are as if ‘flowing’ into the world of matter — to bestow it with our love.

“Or — if we look backwards and into the depths of the space — there are Peace and Light!

“And, Martha, you, too, should try to do this!

“There — inside — the spacious world of the Divine Presence opens. God always abides there! He is closer than all the people around us! Always near — right in your spiritual heart — man can discover God, Who is present in the life of every person!”

… I tried — but not much happened… It was as if a door opened a little, but the opportunity to get behind it and enter — was awaiting me….

And Jesus continued:

“This is an easy way to teach almost any person who knows how to love and aspires to God — to begin to feel the Divine Presence!

“It is the look in the opposite direction, in relation to the surrounding world of objects and earthly events, a look backwards into the depths, — that will help.

“Yes, the Divine Depths exist both upwards from our bodies, and downwards, and in any direction. But, by directing the look of the soul backwards,to the depths, it is convenient to dive into the Kingdom of God, Which is inside us! It is as if the door to this Kingdom opens!

“And it can be opened — only in a vast and loving heart!

“Then — we can learn to give our love and the Love of God, which overflow the developed spiritual heart, — to those who live around us in this world!

“It is important for everyone to understand how he or she should live and act in this world Namely, this is our main purpose — to grow love in the souls! This is the love for the beauty of the Earth, for God’s creatures, and love for our fellows, who are often very difficult to be loved… People, when communicating with each other, often show their vices: they are angry, they lie, despise, create violence, speak and think condemningly… And it is not easy sometimes to maintain love and calm in oneself-soul towards such people.

“I repeat that it is not enough only to remember about God. But it is important — to learn to live with God in your own heart!”

“But how can we distinguish between what is right to do, and what is wrong to do? What does God want from us, and what does He not want?”

Jesus answered:

“All the people, who have gathered here, have already realized the most important thing for a righteous life. This is an aspiration to the Heavenly Father!

“But in this aspiration it is important to learn to distinguish between those “earthly” actions that are indeed necessary and those that are empty and superfluous dream-desires, unnecessary worries, or worldly vanities, which can entice one with “earthly” successes and praise…

“It is necessary to direct only a little of one’s vitality towards feeding the body, or maintaining one’s health — so that righteous works for our neighbors can be performed.

“Hungry, tired, and sick bodies — weigh down the Path of knowledge and service. Therefore, everyone needs to learn to distinguish between what is important and what is unimportant in their deeds and in choosing the right time to perform them.

“And the tasks, which God defines for different people, can be different. It may be time for one person to leave all material attachments and devote all of his or her energy towards serious spiritual practices, while for another — it would be more appropriate to grow love in oneself-soul among one’s usual surroundings, including caring for the family.

“It is easy for us to not be bound by the affairs of this world, to distinguish what really should and should not be done — when the Will of the Heavenly Father is already obvious for the soul.

“I will explain.

“Why did God incarnate souls into bodies and give them life in this world?

“Let us realize that all the ‘earthly’ wealth that we gather will remain here, when each of us leaves this world… The memory of good deeds usually does not last for long after the actions have been accomplished… Even the buildings, which have been built, will disappear, and written books will be forgotten too…

“So what is the most important thing for us to do while we live here, in this world?

“For what — before God — should we bear responsibility for?

“Which of our actions are important — and which are just vain vanity?

“Let everyone think about it — and the understanding will gradually come and grow.

“Perhaps someone has decided that by just being next to My body — this one will ‘be saved’. And — that it is no longer necesary to do anything more.

“But it is not the location of one’s body that determines the closeness to Me! There may be one next to Me, who is bodily far away, but with thoughts, and the desire of the soul — is always with Me!

“It may also be that someone sits and listens to My words, but at the same time his or her thoughts are in condemning comparisons: for example, who among those present is closer to Me — or further from Me, who is better — or worse… Or — one could be dreaming about something “earthly”…

“Philip today, by going to help Martha in the kitchen, — stayed close to Me.

“It is very important to understand that for everyone the main thing is not the help that he or she receives, but, rather, the help that other souls accept from us! Help the worthy — and strive so that the bodies of those, to whom we help, and the souls — will be healed. And let just like this, miracles happen — transforming destinies!

“We will return again and again in our conversations to the theme of the meaning of life and the distinction between what is needed and what is not. But right now it is important for everyone to realize the following: there are also deeds that must be performed for the good of our neighbors — and this is part of our service to God. And, also, there is the work that everyone must perform over oneself-soul, which we also do for God. This is how the integrity of one’s life for God is gradually acquired. That is — the life for Him — in everything, whatever we do!”

* * *

From that time on, Jesus and His disciples often visited us. Our house became a quiet haven where it was possible to relax, similar to a place where ships remain for a time between long wanderings amid waves and storms. These brief halts were so necessary for Jesus and His friends — to continue then again the difficult path of fulfilling the Great Task, which was entrusted to them by the Heavenly Father!

But Lazarus and I still did not understand much about Jesus. After all, He was very simple in His communications with disciples and with us!

The ministers in the temples were pompous people, arrogant, and highly respected… But Jesus walked among the people and spoke to them as equals. And He did so — with each person!

One evening, they had returned very tired. The disciples — being powerless — went to sleep more quickly. But Jesus, also tired, went to help Lazarus to fix the roof, damaged by a strong wind.

Lazarus then began to object, asking Jesus to also go rest.

But Jesus said calmly: “I am the son of a carpenter, and I can do some things. Together we can do it faster! Moreover, it will rain tonight!”.

Back then, I still had the thought that if He is God, then this rain could be canceled. Or — without any personal effort, just by God’s Power, — the repair of the roof could be done…

When the Messiah is nearby, next to us, then often people do not notice His Greatness!

* * *

At first, it was difficult for me to understand Mary and the disciples of Jesus… Why do they live like this? They go places, preach, teach, and heal… Like wanderers… They are taken somewhere, and from somewhere — they are driven away…

This all seemed strange to me. Why not create a family and live a quiet, happy, and righteous life before God?

It took me a long time to learn how and when we should act in our relations with the “earthly”…

And now let my words add some understanding about this — to those who need it.

Do we really need to care about the “earthly”?

And where is the line drawn for when it’s time to reject the “earthly”? When is it time to throw off the bonds of ordinary cares? When do we need to aspire only to Heaven?

These questions are important!

The one who, before the necessary time, carelessly neglects one’s “earthly” debt — this one sins! And this sin leads to further bad fate, returning back to that unfulfilled debt…

When is it appropriate for us stop caring for the “earthly”? When and to what degree is that one right, who does not take care of his or her life in this body and has rejected all the false conventionality of earthly traditions? This one has rejected it not because he or she is lazy to perform them, but because the High Light shines and the earth’s firmament can no longer keep that soul… Attachments to the family, to the way of habitual life, to observance of “ancestral precepts” and “rules”, which “must be followed” by the one living a “righteous life”… — all this is now in the past for him or her… The soul unstoppably tears away the terrestrial bindings of “earthly” concerns! And it all recedes away and disappears…

This is how — irresistibly — the Accomplished Soul goes to the Radiance of the Divine Light! Nothing “earthly” holds onto it anymore!

But the body can also become a Focus of the Divine Power, Which is used by the Creator to bring the Rays of the Great Light to those who are not yet in the world of the Divine.

This is what Jesus showed us!

Yes, the body can become the Divine Radiance, the link for the Manifestation of the Power of God. The soul — becomes immeasurable in size, also wise, and One with the all-embracing Love of God!

Then the Divine Power and Bliss flow through this immortal holy body. And there is no more difference between God and the Soul Which has come to this Unity!

Thus — a Soul ascends to the Supreme Unity and manifests God through Oneself! The heart of such a Soul, and hands, and thinking have become One with the Heavenly Father. The soul now is One with the Creator of Everything in the immensity of the universe!

Jesus revealed all of this to people!

He, Who has achieved this, can repeat the words of Jesus: “I and the Father are One!”.