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Love
in Action
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(Originally in English)
For most Christians in the world, Easter commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and is a time for celebrating new life through the arrival of spring. This year, fellow practitioners from the Ohio Center decided to bring Master's blessings to the homeless for Easter. It was a decision made from an inspiration received just one day before Easter, and thus had to be acted on quickly. So after group meditation on Saturday, we all gathered together, and through Master's merciful arrangement, obtained all the supplies we needed.
With Master's blessing, everything went so smoothly that it seemed almost effortless, as cases of fruit were purchased and packaged for distribution, and food was efficiently prepared. Within our limited timeframe, we also learned to be flexible. Instead of making traditional spring rolls, which would have taken too long to prepare, we decided instead to serve an American meal of vegetarian Sloppy Joes (veggie hamburger barbecue sandwiches). Within hours, we prepared about 200 fruit baskets and 300 sandwiches, along with green salad, chips, and soft drinks.
On Easter Sunday, we arrived at the homeless shelter with a large photo of Master, our fruit baskets, and the food we planned to serve. During the short time we were among the shelter residents, we had a chance to introduce Master to over 200 people. Many looked intently at Her picture and then asked who She was. Many also asked for a copy of the sample booklet and eagerly read the booklet on the spot. The food seemed to vanish as quickly as we could serve it, with people commenting that it was so delicious that they could not believe it was vegetarian.
Everyone we served showed us sincere appreciation and love, often with a dignity of spirit that was very inspiring. One disciple was particularly touched when she heard that one of the homeless persons had turned down the offer of an "extra" fruit basket for herself. This person said that she didn't want it because she would be taking it away from someone else who might not have enough. Seeing such natural compassion from someone who herself had experienced much suffering and hardship brought tears to the disciple's eyes . What a shining example of the sainthood we all strive for!
All of the Ohio practitioners were happy to have had the chance to bring Master's love to the homeless during the 2002 Easter holiday. Through this activity, we learned that Master's inner guidance gives us everything we need, from beginning to end. It was a meaningful Easter Sunday for everyone involved.
Colombo, Sri Lanka
