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Chapter 8
Guidance as to how men should accept their fate
The part of the great divine ministry in the chief town of Palestine described above was manifested directly in the physical sphere, and little by little it was transformed into great waves of light which spread throughout the world and down the centuries. But another part, the last part, of the divine ministry was manifested in the spiritual sphere as spiritual waves of light which later appeared as a visible physical manifestation.
      The first part of the great radiation of light was disclosed by the fact that a man, apparently an ordinary man but yet one animated by purity, wisdom and love, had been treated by his contemporaries with mockery and betrayal, with cruel torments and torture and finally death. In other words, in that great divine ministry we have seen demonstrated the concentration of all the sufferings which can strike men on earth in their everyday life. But one should notice the difference that, while the sufferings of an ordinary man come as the results of his previous actions in his present or in a former life, the sufferings of Jesus were not caused by himself as he had already reached perfection in previous existences. His sufferings occurred with his own consent and at his own wish. He had already reached a higher sphere. His kingdom, indeed, was not of this world. He was a missionary who had come from a higher world, from a sphere of consciousness which it was his mission or task to demonstrate on earth. It was precisely that high stage of evolution which allowed him to preserve his high-minded divine way of life through all suffering, in the midst of his innocence, so that he did not become agitated, envious and spiteful, or apathetic or atheistic, as often happens to man on earth through long suffering, but kept his love and high standard of conduct unspoilt. And it was just that quality which made him a perfect example for men on earth, an example showing how they should behave in the face of suffering. They are, indeed, not innocent, as has already been shown, but that does not affect their attitude towards this example as through their ignorance and insufficiently developed state of consciousness they believe themselves innocent. Almost all individuals on earth are quite ignorant about the invisible causes of their suffering, whether ill-health, hunger or other misery, and as a result they cannot imagine their own guilt. And it is just because of this that the example of Christ has become so much more valid and valuable for men. The fact that they are really guilty does not indeed make the imitation of his way of acting less necessary.
      The first great flood of light from the cross thus explained how men should accept their fate. The information showed that, if a man followed it, his soul would be strengthened to bear any fate, he would realise that his existence conformed to his destiny, he would experience a close association with God and feel that He is a good Father to whom one can hand over one's spirit in confidence and happiness so that on death no fear is felt. In other words, we have seen how a true perfect Son of God lives and dies in sublime contact and harmony with the Father.
      But the salvation of the world means more than that knowledge. It was also very valuable to announce or prove that a living being is more than a physical phenomenon, that behind the physical body there exists another body which is capable of keeping consciousness when the first body falls away, a body which is above material things and sublime, in which the being can appear after death and so, unhindered by physical material, manifest its eternal existence. Therefore we will now once again direct our gaze to the great dawn of the world-embracing divine ministry.


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