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Radio 4,2 mins

Dr Chetna Kang - 04/03/2023

Thought for the Day

Available for over a year

Good morning. Scouring the news today, I struggled to find anything that I could honestly describe as inspiring. Has the world changed for the worse, or is it just the way things are reported? I’m not sure. What I do sometimes find is that when our lives are difficult, when we’re fire-fighting and the world seems to be falling apart around us, it can mean we end up neglecting our most intimate and loving relationships, including with God. There’s a risk, that if we rely on external events to sustain our faith in these relationships, then they’re destined to become weaker, just when we need them most. In a few days, Hindus celebrate the appearance in the 15th Century of Lord Chaitanya, a combined incarnation of Radha and Krishna. One of the remarkable things about him is that he came at a very difficult time for the world, carrying a message that in spite of our fears, there’s an opportunity for an unconditional loving relationship with God. And it’s available to everyone, if they want it. In Lord Chaitanya’s pastimes there are no demons killed or sinners punished. He’s seen as a unique combination of divine masculinity and femininity, and simply loves and accepts everyone. As a priest, I experience the strength that comes from connecting with love, in my relationship with God, as well as with the people in my life. This strength, goes beyond any practical solution I can find to life’s challenges. In fact, I often find that it’s in these moments of fearless closeness, whether it’s in my personal relationships, or my spiritual ones that the best solutions often come. I find I shortchange myself if I wait for my life to improve before deciding whether I have time to invest in my most important relationships. Speak to anyone who’s given or received love and kindness in the most difficult moments of their life, and they’ll tell you that the reward was greater than they could ever have hoped for. And yet, we still get distracted by that endless daily fire-fighting. This is where I find that of all the loves in my life, when my relationship with Krishna is wholehearted, my daily worries seem to shrink. It becomes a catalyst to give more, share more and see the abundance and opportunity around me. After all, isn’t a big part of what we notice about our surroundings simply a reflection of our inner life? If we can change our inner world, then perhaps we’re more able to improve the world around us.

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