GOD IS JUST TOO BIG

 
In the mid fifties when people were regularly turning up at Beacon Hill on Saturdays, for work sessions during the day and meetings at night, one person, having absorbed the basics of the doctrine but still not convinced, asked Francis did he really think that it was possible to achieve God Realization.

Francis replied testily 'Do you really think that I would be going through all this (meaning his ascetic life style and spiritual practices and giving talks every Saturday and putting up with idiot questions) if I did not believe in that possibility? That is my goal in life.'

In 1958 when Francis was living at Avatar's Abode, Baba invited him to come and stay in India, with the implication that this stay would be much longer than previous ones. Now while Francis did not say so in so many words, he implied to us, very obliquely, that he expected or was it hoped? that he would get Realisation this trip or at least some such something contiguous, particularly having carried out a forty day fast at Baba's behest.

Well, what he got was a lot of work writing poetry, writing newspaper articles, reducing waffling talks by Baba lovers into something that would look reasonable in print, and hour after hour sitting with Baba and the mandali while they conversed in Marathi and Gujerati.

He would sit there in the heat, perspiring away, wilting in the acridly sweet atmosphere of India, not understanding a word, his attention slipping, and then would slowly nod off.

Until awoken by the sound of Baba's snapping fingers, and the sight of Baba miming propping open an eyelid — a silent reprimand to stay awake in His presence.

After Francis had been there about eighteen months, Baba one day gave a short discourse on God and God Realization. When Baba had finished Francis said, 'The more I see, the more I wonder why anyone wants God Realization — God is just too big.'

Baba chuckled — the penny had dropped. He blew Francis a kiss.