After lunch on May 19th (1937) in Nasik, Baba offered mangoes to some of the group. Some declined, saying their stomachs were too upset to eat a mango. Baba did not like this and spelled out:
What does not come spontaneously never comes! How many of you refused, how many of you hesitated, when I offered you the mangoes? In truth, there are many ways of testing faith and love. Love always seeks the will, happiness, pleasure and commands of the Beloved – always. Love never thinks of itself; that is love and that is God. God gives eternally. Love also gives; the lover never expects.
I had first intended to give you the rotten mangoes! But I knew that not one of you would have willingly taken them. And yet you all talk of dying for God! Be honest. When you say you love me – do love me.
Don’t you remember the story I told you of Ramdas and Kalyan; how Kalyan sucked the mango tied to Ramdas’ knee thinking it to be poison? This is love: to be ready to die for the love of the Beloved – for the happiness of the Beloved.
Changing the subject, Baba explained about Jesus Christ and his apostles Peter and Judas:
Now, who is Christ? The individual soul. Who is Jesus? The Avatar (Prophet) of Nazareth. What is Christ? The Son of God state. (1)
Judas helped Jesus Christ in his Universal work. If Christ had not undergone the crucifixion, he could not have taken the burden of the universe upon himself. Jesus brought about his own crucifixion.
Peter loved Jesus the most. Jesus loved him most, although the love of Jesus for all was the same. Can you explain this? Loving all the same and yet some more than others? It is like the different parts of the body: they all belong to you, but you love some parts more than others. The eyes are more dear than your fingers. Is this clear?
Jesus loved Peter most in this respect. Peter was his eyes. When Jesus said to Peter, “You will betray me,” Peter knew he would betray his Master, the one whom he loved most, and yet he bore it bravely. It was the most difficult thing to do: to know that he would betray and yet not to become weak. Jesus made Peter know that he would betray him for his work.
Judas was also made to betray. Peter betrayed willingly. It is most difficult when you love the one you betray. For example, suppose you [pointing to one] love me most. You are Peter. You [pointing to another] are Judas. I want you both to kill me. Now you, Peter, are made to kill me. You would not willingly do so. You are asked by me to kill me, and you love me more than your life. But you will lovingly kill me for my work.
Even Arjuna could not be like Peter. Krishna had to show him his universal body before he would kill his brothers and relatives in battle.
You, Judas, [pointing to that one] love me very much. I turn the key and you go against me for my work. You do not go against me of your own accord. I make you go against me in order to tell people all about me. You do it willingly, knowing that people hearing you would beat me and crucify me.
All this means love, faith and sacrifice. If you do what I ask willingly, you really love me. If you are made to do it, you love me a little less. But if you do not do it, it all turns out like today’s mango mess when you all hesitated to accept when I offered you the mangoes.
Baba concluded, “God’s grace makes you love me. My grace makes you one with me.”
(1) For an explanation of the states of God — The Father, Son and Holy Ghost — refer to The Nothing and the Everything, pages 139-143.
Lord Meher, Original Publication, Bhau Kalchuri, Vol. 6, pp. 2182 – 2183.