Searching Questions And Fulfilling Answers

Swamishri : We were going to meet the Pope in the Vatican. We flew there from London. We arrived in Rome the evening before the meeting. A few reporters had found out that we had arrived but we decided that we would meet them the next day. However, one well-wisher found out where we were staying and so he came to meet us. He asked us what we would wear when we went to see the Pope. He explained, ‘The Pope will be clean shaven and will be donning a nice silk vest and silk robes. Whereas you are so simple in appearance.’ He also mentioned that the Pope was the Head of the Vatican and asked how we felt about meeting him? I had to laugh. Because foreign people are accustomed to judging a man by his dress. They value your appearance more than your character. So I told him, ‘Everyone dresses according to their own custom. The Pope guides people towards God and so do we. Our work is the same. So we very much look forward to meeting him. We like those who walk the path of God and who inspire others to do so.’ Then he said, ‘Most people who come to meet the Pope talk about politics. What will you talk about?’ I replied, ‘We have not come to discuss politics. We want to discuss how we can make everyone in the world happy. Today there are many conflicts going on in the world in the name of religion. So if two religious leaders can meet peacefully, then their followers will see this and think that if they have no problem with each other, then why should we fight each other?’
When we arrived in the Vatican there were hundreds of people who were watching us with curiosity. It was a unique meeting for them too. When we came out many in the crowd were happily waving at us.