Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ was a personification of Divine Love. Christmas stands for love, giving, and forgiveness. Shri Sai Baba was an apostle of love just as Christ was known to be. Some of the miracles performed by Sai Baba are very similar to miracles performed by Christ as described in the Bible.
Miracles of Baba
Stories of Baba healing the sick and the ailing and even those suffering from incurable diseases like leprosy are well known and too many. With Baba’s touch and without any drops or medicine being put in the eyes, some blind men got back their sight. With His gracious look, some lame ones got their legs. Bhimaji Patil had chronic chest-disease that developed into Tuberculosis. Baba assured him with “the Fakir in the masjid very kind and He will cure the disease, and protect all with love and kindness.”
Baba cured his disease by giving him two dreams! Bala Ganapat Shimpi was cured of malignant Malaria. Alandi Swami was cured of severe pain in the ear. Shama was cured of snakebite. The Jamner episode of helping Chandorkar’s daughter out of a difficult delivery by sending her Udi and Arti is a series of miracles. Baba’s Udi cured people of Bubonic plague many times. The very first chapter in Satcharitha says that Baba pushed the Cholera epidemic out of the village by grinding wheat and throwing it on the village outskirts! These stories are simply too many.
Suffering of Baba
Sometimes, He took the sufferings of His devotees on Himself. He assured Mrs. Khaparde whose son was down with plague saying, “the sky is beset with clouds; but they will melt and pass off and everything will be smooth and clear.” but as He lifted up His Kafni, four fully developed bubos, as big as eggs were visible. He diverted the death of Ramachandra Patil and averted Tatya’s death taking it on Himself.
Baba was in the habit of borrowing oil form the shopkeepers of the village for his little lamps that he kept burning the whole night, in both the masjid and the temple. Once, these merchants refused this little service to Him. Quite unperturbed, Baba filled his lamp containers with water and lighted the wicks. And lo, they started burning, and kept burning all throughout the night as if in defiance of the shopkeepers who later repented and became His disciples. Bible has a similar story of Christ turning water into wine to save the host of a wedding party from embarrassment.
Christ like, he could command the winds and the rain. One evening there was a terrible and destructive storm at Shirdi and the little village was flooded with incessant rain. The many local deities were sought to be appeased but in vain. At last, people flocked to the masjid and prayed to Baba to quell the storm. The great yogi came out to the edge of the masjid and ordered the storm to stop. At once, the winds, the rain, and the lightning obeyed His will and became still.
The Love of Baba
Most of all, Shirdi Baba was known for His motherly love towards all around Him, people, animals, and birds alike. He loved them as much as He loved His devotees and followers. He promised, “If one turns all his attention towards Me and worships Me heart and soul, is meek and humble, avoids the company of atheists, irreligious and wicked people, he will get ETERNAL HAPPINESS. His dishes will be ever full and never empty.”
Hari, Syamala, Sai Vichaar, Saibaba.org, 12/27/2001, http://www.saibaba.org/newsletter4-32.html, retrieved 1/1/2017