Jesus In India — Page 40
40 J e s u s i n I n d i a Moreover, Jesus had also appeared to Paul long before this in the same manner. It appears that the prophecy contained in Matthew 16:28 has caused a panic among the padres and they have not been able to give it a rational meaning consistent with their own beliefs. It was difficult for them to say that Jesus, at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem, had descended from heaven in glory, and that, like the lightning which lights up the heavens, was seen by everybody; and also it was not easy for them to ignore the statement, ‘Some of those who are standing here will not taste death till they have seen the Son of man coming in his kingdom. ’ Therefore, as a result of a laboured interpretation they believed in the fulfillment of the prophecy in the form of a vision. But this is not true; righteous servants of God always appear in visions to the divinely elect, and for a vision it is not even necessary that they should appear only in a dream, they can be seen even when one is awake, and I myself have experienced such phenomena. I have seen visions in which I met Jesus many a time, and I have also met some of the other prophets, while I was fully awake. I have also seen our Chief, Lord and Master, the Holy Prophet Muhammad sa many a time in this condition, and I have talked to him in such a clear state of being awake that sleep or drowsiness had nothing to do with it. I have also met some dead people at their graves or other places while I was awake, and have talked to them. I very well know that such a meeting with the dead in this state is possible, and that not only can we meet, we can also talk to them and even shake hands. Between this and the ordinary state of being awake there is no difference during such an experience; a person feels that he is in this very world, has