Meher Baba — by recognizing Him, by loving Him, by being here tonight; this is the real meeting.

Upasni Maharaj had said that during most times, (not the advent of the Avatar but other times in history) to look for God's love is like being in the desert and digging for water. After a great deal of struggle one might find a little moisture, i.e., a little experience of His love. But during the advent of the Avatar, one only has to open up the cup of one's heart to experience His love. Upasni said that this is the time when, wherever you are, under whatever circumstances you are placed, all you have to do is dip the cup of your heart in Him and His love is there. The opportunity to have that personal contact is there. Meher Baba has offered to each one of us the same internal relationship with Him as He had offered to anyone of His mandali, or to anyone who had met Him personally. Meher Baba hasn't come simply for the thousands who met Him and were with Him. He has come for all humanity. Each one of us can have that same internal relationship with Him as those who met Him. The new humanity is not in the future. THE NEW HUMANITY IS NOW. The opportunity to experience His love is here and now.

When I was in Myrtle Beach recently, I asked Kitty Davy about a certain message Baba had given. He had indicated that after He dropped His body, His lovers would experience His presence and His love more. She said that yes, of course; He had said that His Manifestation would be available to each one according to his ability to receive it. Some would experience His Manifestation 25%, some 50%, and some 75%. She was saying that His Manifestation was now, not at some future date. The opportunity to experience Baba's love is immediate — right now — if we accept it.

In another message Baba said, "I will teach you to move in the world, yet at all times be in inward communion with Me as Infinite Being." Inward communion with the Christ, the God-Man — this is what He is offering us. This is not for future saints; each of His lovers is given the opportunity to have this inner communion with Him now, if we accept it. But we think, "Well, we haven't met Meher Baba! It's easy to say, for those who were in the ashram, for those that live in Meherabad, or in Myrtle Beach, for those who lived with Him. But I have to wait 700 years!" We don't have to wait one moment. He offers us each the experience of His inner Darshan with Him, right now!

When I began visiting India I wondered what it was like for those other than the mandali who lived very close to Baba. We know about their lives. But what about those who were in the world like us, who would see Baba periodically, once a week, or every few weeks, those who lived nearby, who made regular visits to Baba and had His company often? What was their life like? For those whom Baba really loved, who were in constant communication with Him, who would check with Him about every decision in their lives, it seemed He would arrange marriages in which the husbands and wives wouldn't get along with each other, He would find them careers they were ill-suited for. He would find them housing that would give them problems, or was uncomfortable for them. They would have children that were troublesome to deal with and so on. I wonder, does He love us any less now? Has He given us any less of His love in the circumstances and difficulties that we deal with in our day-to-day life? This is the life that Meher Baba has come to give His lovers, because He loves us. We take it as an accident of fate, or bad karma, or some mistake with the planning of the universe that we have to suffer. But if we take it as coming from Him, we will be in His presence.

Imagine for a moment, those of you who have been in Mandali Hall in Meherazad, Baba's chair in the corner. Picture Baba sitting in His chair. Then imagine that there is a little portable screen, in front of Baba. On the other side of the screen, are we, His lovers. Baba cannot be seen because the screen is in the way. So when we come into Mandali Hall to see Baba, we say, "Please Baba, take away the screen, the veil, that separates you from us! We want to see you as you really are! Tear away this separation. We want to be with you!" In like manner each one of us prays to Baba in our own hearts to be closer to Him; and He accepts our surrender. We are sincere in offering our love to Him and He accepts us. And then, He starts to remove the screen, veil by veil. He takes