In plain words
The outlook of offering
If you carry out the karmas that are your duty in the spirit of offering, you gain purity of citta, and the direct vision of God becomes easy. Apart from this there is no second path. The power of wealth, the power of intellect, the power of authority: none of them is of any use. Once, it seems, a great quarrel broke out between Wealth and Jñāna; “It is by me that you filled your belly and grew healthy and gained your cleverness,” said Wealth; “Without me, what is the use of wealth? You do not even know how to earn it!” Jñāna argued, so the story goes. Then the Ātma came between them and settled it, it seems: “Misused, the two of you are bad; put to good use, both of you are good.” What matters is precisely the way they are used. Without Jñāna wealth is dangerous; without wealth Jñāna does not shine. You must use wealth to relieve the suffering of others; if you use Jñāna in wicked ways with no thought for the joys and sorrows of others, fear and dread grow.
On the Christmas festival you must resolve to put into practice the holy feelings of Christ: compassion, Prema, forbearance, the will to help others. Instead of doing so, people light lamps at midnight, set up something they call a Christmas tree, and then show their zeal for these doings: drinking, dancing. On this joyful, holy day, is it to drink deep and snatch at a base enjoyment?