On Thursday morning, January 9, while Baba was sitting outside relaxing, taking his sunbath, he mentioned Jesus and the apostles to Adi Jr. and revealed to his brother, “Eruch is my Peter. Peter renounced Jesus, but Eruch will not renounce me.”
Meher Baba stopped taking much nourishment from around the 13th of January. He began having severe cramps and the slightest movement would give him terrible spasmodic jolts. When he used his fingers to gesture, he would receive sudden shocks which caused his whole body to rise off the bed! Again an attempt was made to urge him to move to Poona, but Baba replied, “If you want me to drop my body now, take me to Poona! My condition has no medical grounds at all; it is purely due to the strain of my work. Do not call the doctors again until I tell you.”
Adi Sr. came that day and Baba asked him, “Do you know who I am? I am God! Say it! Tell them [the other mandali] that I am God and that I know what I am doing.”
Adi responded, “Baba, you are God!”
Baba then remarked, “I will go into a coma but I will come back.”
Those present were helpless and had to accept Baba’s will. He was suffering infinitely for the universe, but it was according to his compassionate will. His intense pain was for the salvation of all in creation, and no real help could be given to Baba. How could those limited help the Unlimited?
Adi Jr.’s wife, Freni, accompanied by Shireen and Ann Eve, came that day to say goodbye to Baba before returning to London. In reference to his health, Baba assured Freni, “Don’t worry. All will be well by the end of this month.”
Around this time in January, Padri visited from Meherabad and remarked to Baba, “We are old now! It is better to close up shop!”
Baba chuckled and replied, “What are you saying? Close the shop? This shop will now be opened!”
Baba was coming to mandali hall every day, but after Sunday, January 12, he never left his bedroom. Day by day, his condition became more worrisome. On the 13th, Baba did not pass any urine for more than 12 hours.
Also, on January 17, 1969, Baba dictated this message for the 43rd anniversary of his silence in July. It was a message, but also an invocation: “Divine Father, help your Beloved Son to carry out all Your work this year, for July of this year will be the last year of his silence.”
—Extracted from www.lordmeher.org, p6696-6714