Neither Friend Nor Foe

Moses sat alone in his garden, watching the sun begin its solitary descent in the sky. “Why are you sitting here alone?” Joyce tapped him on the shoulder from behind. She had seen him, and strolled out to be with him. Albert had seen him too, and followed close behind her. “Because I feel alone,” replied Moses. “Loneliness seems like destiny, as we enter the evening of our lives. I keep remembering Rana Sahri’s words, which Jagjit Singh immortalized by his soulful singing.” Koi dost hai na raqeeb hai, tera shehar kitna ajeeb hai “What does it mean in English?” Albert asked. “Koi means Any,” said Moses. “Dost is friend, hai is to exist, na is nor, raqib is competitor, enemy or a rival, tera is your, shahar is city, kitna means how much and ajib is bizarre. Translated, the first couplet says: There is neither friend nor foe here! What a strange city have you?” “What does he mean in plain english?” Albert asked again. Moses smiled.

“You have to care enough about someone,” he replied, “to like them or hate them. The poet is saying that he feels like a stranger in your world, where people just don’t seem to care at all about others.” Vo jo ishq tha, vo junoon tha, ye jo hijr hai, ye naseeb hai "Vo means that, jo is which, ishq is love, tha is was, junoon is obsession, ye is this, hijre is separation, hai means to be, and nasib is destiny. Translated, lyrics in the second couplet say:" "That love which was, was an obsession. This separation that is, is destiny." “And what does that mean in simple English?” Albert asked again. “We chase obsessions in life,” Moses explained, “but however hectic they may be while they last, they don’t last forever. Performances end, but the show goes on.” Yahan kiska chehra padha karoon, yahan kaun itna kareeb hai “Yahan is here, kiska is whose, chehra is face, padha is to read, karoon is to do, kaun is who, itna is so much, and kareeb is close. Translated in English, the third couplet says: Whose face should I gaze upon? None here is close enough for that.” “Explain please?” Albert asked. “The theme is loneliness,” said Moses. “I feel alone in your world, Rana is saying. None here is so close, that I could even read their face. You can be lonely in a crowd. You see them, but they are too far for you to observe much. It implies distance in relationships. There is no closeness.” “That is depressing. And there is not much you can do about it. Rana says:” Main kise kahoon mere sath chal, yahan sabke sar pe saleeb hai “Main is I, kise is to whom, kahoon is say, mere is with me, sath is along, chal is walk, sabke is every one’s, sar is head, pe is on and saleeb is cross - like the one Christ had to carry. So, this couplet translates to: Who could I ask to accompany me, everyone has their own cross to carry.” “Does he mean we all have to die one day?” asked Albert. “So, no one will accompany us to our end? Or that we are already dead, because everyone has a cross on their head – like in a Christian graveyard?” “To carry a cross,” Moses shook his head, “means to carry a burden. Before Jesus was crucified, he was made to carry a cross (a heavy one at that) through the streets. Later, he was nailed to that same cross and crucified on it.” “Via Dolorosa, the path that Jesus walked on the way to his crucifixion in the Old City of Jerusalem, is a latin word meaning 'Way of Grief,' 'Way of Sorrow,' 'Way of Suffering' or simply 'Painful Way'. Such is life too, for some." “So, I think, Saleeb or the cross, is a metaphor here for responsibilities. In other words, the Shayar is saying that everybody here is so busy with their own schedule, that they hardly have time for anyone else.” “But it isn’t just this loneliness which is crushing him. It is the realization that when people chase after dreams, or become opportunists in their quest for survival, relationships get sacrificed.” Tujhe dekh kar main hun sochta, Tu habib hai ya raqeeb hai “Tujhe and tu mean you, dekh kar is after seeing, sochta hun is to think, habeeb is friend, ya is or. So, the final couplet means: When I see you I wonder, are you a friend or a foe…” “People hide behind masks. One can no longer discern where their true loyalty lies. So, the lyricist is now unsure about even whether someone is his friend or not…” “He’s looking in the wrong place,” Joyce interrupted Moses. “Everyone has a True Friend! They just need to look in the right place. He is not alone. He never was…” Na suboot hai, na daleel hai, mere sath rabbe jaleel hai "There is no evidence, no rationale, yet the glorious Lord is with me." Teri rehmaton me kami nahi, mere ehtiyat me dheel hai "There is no lack of your grace, I’m just not paying enough attention." Mujhe kaun tujhse alag kare, main atoot pyas tu jheel hai "Who can part me from you, I’m eternal thirst, you a fulfilling stream." Tera naam kitna hai muktsar, tera zikr kitna taveel hai "Your name is so tiny, your remembrance so elaborate…"

Awakening

Bob stood under a blanket of glistening stars. The birds slept. The sun had not yet awakened. A cool breeze gently touched his cheeks.

Uneasiness within their leaves suggested a silent conversation amongst the lofty, deep-rooted, apple trees.

They whispered silently into each other’s ears. “Shh. Shh.”

The ranges stood tall and silent. Asleep. The downcast grass was rolled up into a carpet covering the soil, as if snuggled up to the warm stillness.

Silence engulfed him. Only a soft subtle humming drifted across the grassland from a nearby tea-tree bush.

A few crickets lay nestled in the leaves. Hidden, despite the subdued moonlight.

Beside him, stood a towering man. Light grey smoke slowly escaped from his lips. The man had a clean-shaven face with a crop of short black hair.

His innocent brown eyes gazed at the horizon. His firm yet relaxed chest moved each time he breathed. In and out. In and out.

He lifted the smouldering cigarette to his mouth, took another puff, and blew the silvery streaks of smoke away from him. His mere presence radiated a tender gentleness. Bob stood there bathing in it, not noticing the flight of time.

They stood under a cloudless blue sheet, which sparkled with orange hues as the sun climbed into the sky. It was cosy. Affectionate. Rainbows of birds were strung across the sky now. They chirped excitedly as they swooped down from the sky and danced on the arms of the now-quiet trees.

The trees were humbly bowed, offering their bright red juicy apples to the earth. The proud tree covered hills in the background stood protectively, dominating the landscape. Beads of dew rolled down from the now-upstanding grass. Their sharp blades reflected the sunlight onto the nearby bush, which was motionless. Quiet.

Crickets hopped happily into the small crevices amongst the thick bush leaves. The man beside Bob flicked the cigarette butt into the grass. It seemed he was moving in slow motion when he turned his head to look at Bob. His eyes smiled at Bob.

As they ambled back towards the house, he suddenly hugged Bob and whispered, “I love you son.”

Bob knew it already.

Isn’t it the love we feel that makes us notice serenity and observe the wonder around us? What do we see around us when we are depressed?

Bob smiled.

He loved him too, and he knew that Mathew knew that too.

Vedas And Upanishads

Jasper contemplated quietly what his father had just said. After some thought, he spoke again, “I can see why it is important to know oneself, Pa."
"What we do in life, what choices we make in life comes from our perception of who we are."
"But that still doesn’t make it clearer for me how I am that? How can I be the same as you, or one with Nature or God?”

 To clarify that, I’ll have to start at the beginning," answered Isaac, "Do you know what Vedas or Upanishads are, or what they teach?”
 Only that Ved has roots in a Sanskrit word Vid, which means to know or knowledge” answered Jasper, “And that there are four Vedas. Rig Ved, Yajur Ved, Saam Ved and Atharv Ved."
"All Vedas essentially comprise of the Mantras, which are the hymns, and the Brahmanas, which are the prose parts of the Vedas."
"The collection of Mantras is called Samhita. So there are four Samhitas - the Sam, Rig, Yajur, and Atharv. These Samhitas are sometimes mistakenly called the four Vedas.”
“In his book A Critical Survey Of Indian Philosophy, the acclaimed scholar Dr. Chandradhar Sharma wrote that Vedic sacrifices needed four main priests or Brahmins to perform them - Rig for the Hota, Saam for the Udgaataa, Yajur for the Adhvaryu and Atharv for the Brahmaa."
"The Brahmanas outline the rules and regulations for the performance of Vedic rites and sacrifices. Their name Brahmana is rooted in the word Brahm, which originally meant a prayer. Sharma wrote that there is little philosophy in these, so I never read up on them”.
“Attached to these Brahmanas are Aaranyaks, which Sharma thought were so called because they were composed in the forests, as the Sanskrit word Aaranya means forest. He wrote that Aaranyaks mark the transition from the ritualistic to the philosophic thought, due to their mystic interpretations of the Vedic sacrifices."
"The Mantras and the Brahmanas are called the Karm-Kand, as they are the ritualistic portions dealing with sacrificial actions. Aaranyaks are called Upasana-Kand or Worship-Section, as they deal with various kinds of worship or meditation."
"The final portions of the Aaranyaks are called the Upanishads. They are also collectively called Gyan-Kand, as they are intensely philosophical and spiritual, and form the core of the Vedic Philosophy. But I have never actually read any of them before,” concluded Jasper.
“That is a good start,” replied Isaac, “Vedas do not talk about what is seen. They talk about the seer. They explain Nirgun Brahm, the fundamental nature of being and the world that encompasses it. So they are a study in Metaphysics (from Greek meta, meaning beyond, and physics signifying the physical world you see)."
"Vedas were insights revealed to the great ancient Rishis of India. More than a century ago, Monier-Williams, in his Sanskrit English Dictionary, suggested that the word Rishi means a Seer (from Sanskrit word dris, to see), a Mover (from Sanskrit word rsh, to move)."
"Modern etymological explanations, such as by Manfred Mayrhofer in his Etymological Dictionary, however connect it with the Avestan word arasis and the German word rasen, both of which mean ecstatic, to be in a different state of mind."
"So, those ancient Hindu Rishis were the Mantra-Drashtas, seers of Mantras and insights. Legend says that these direct intuitional revelations are Apaurusheya or superhuman. Because they were not created by any human effort, they do not have any author."
"Rishis saw these truths. They did not invent them. They were their spiritual discoverers. And they passed on this knowledge through generations by the spoken word. Since the Vedas were heard, they were called Shruti, (Sanskrit roots again, meaning hearing or listening, and spelled sruti or sruthi in South India)."
"I haven’t read the Brahmanas either, but I have read some Upanishads. These sought to address and answer questions like: Who knows? Who can declare it? Where was it born? What is that which being known; everything else becomes known?”
“Upanishads were esoteric teachings given confidentially (rahasya) to meritorious students after they had undergone an appropriate period of preparation in life. In his book Outlines Of Indian Philosophy, the renowned scholar M.Hiriyanna says that etymologically the word means ‘sitting (sad) near by (upa) devotedly (ni)’."
"In course of time it came to signify the secret instruction imparted at such private sittings. The Upanishads are called Vedant, meaning the end of Ved, partly because they are literally the concluding portion of the Vedas, and partly because they are the essence of the Vedic philosophy.”
“The Principal Upanishads technically constitute the concluding parts of the Brahmanas. However, they tend to take a life of their own because of their distinctively philosophical quality. The philosophical tendencies implicit in the Vedic hymns get explicitly expressed as a search for reality in the Upanishads."
"There are said to be over 200 Upanishads but only about a dozen of them are considered major philosophical works. The Muktikopanisad gives the number of Upanishads as 108. About a dozen, on which the famous Shankaracharya (acharya means teacher) has commented, are considered to be the principal ones."
"These are Ish, Ken (pronounced Cain), Katha, Prashn, Mundak, Mandukya, Taittriya, Aitareya, Chandogya and Brihadaaranyak.”
“The first Vice President of India, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, who also later became the second President of India, wrote in his book The Principal Upanishads, that Chandogya Upanishad belongs to Saam Ved. It is a part of the Chandogya Brahmana, which has 10 chapters."
"The first two chapters of the Brahmana deal with sacrifices and other forms of worship. The other eight constitute the Chandogya Upanishad. The first and the second chapters discuss the problems of liturgy and doctrine, such as the genesis and significance of OM (or Aum) and the meaning and names of Saman."
"Onwards from the third chapter, he says, are introduced the concepts of Atma (Soul) and Brahm (the thing-in-itself), and their inter relationship. Tat tvam asi is the sentence spoken by Uddalaka in an attempt to bring his son to the knowledge of Brahm in the Chandogya Upanishad."
"Tomorrow I will try to bring my son to the knowledge of Brahm with his help.”
With that Isaac turned around on the path, and with his son began the trek back home. Stars twinkled mischievously in the sky then shone brighter at the promise

Syrian Refugee Crisis

"His Australian wardens tell him that by landing here illegally, he has tried to jump the queue. Really?"

"If things were okay in their home countries, would millions of refugees be queuing up to come to Australia? Or to Europe, for that matter?"

"Leaving most of everything they have built in life, behind. I think not!”

"The problem is complicated," Mike clarified, "because under International Law, the term 'refugee' applies only to those people who have been forcibly displaced."

"It does not include people who have been forced to flee due to wars, famine, natural disasters, climate change or extreme poverty etc."

"People who are internally displaced within their home countries get excluded too. So, millions of genuinely suffering people get trapped in legalese and are classed as illegals. This means they can't access refugee status or get other forms of protection."

“Host countries may be well within their rights to close borders or to deport illegal entrants," said smith, "but what of the human cost? What of humanity? Of being human? And being humane?”

“Would people like Najaf survive if they were deported back to Afghanistan, where Taliban previously tortured them and tried to kill them? Would people fleeing the Syrian civil war survive if all neighboring borders were closed to them.”

“Before allowing refugees to stay," Precious tried to placate the passionately pleading boy, "their hosts must decide whether they’ll be able to fit in, or whether they’ll end up making or inviting more trouble here. It is neither an easy, nor a quick decision.”

“In the interim, refugees are usually treated with suspicion rather than compassion. Even when a refugee is allowed to stay, both sides need to do much to make their relationship work long-term.”

“Then there are economic reasons. For example, Hungary recently said that it had insufficient resources to manage its own population, let alone support tens of thousands of desperate refugees fleeing in from the Middle East.”

“Yet it found the money to erect razor-sharp barbed wires across its border,” Smith was unconvinced, “to stop unwanted guests from crossing over. These were people fleeing death, not coming over for a holiday.”

“What happens when you cut off the escape routes of someone who is being hounded by death. You sure as hell ensure that they get killed.”

“It wasn’t just Hungary,” Precious countered. “Many other European Governments dragged their feet on the Syrian Refugee crisis. It is for reasons like these, that most countries view refugees as a problem.”

“Yet there are countries like Germany,” argued Smith, “who viewed this very same problem as an opportunity, not only to help the needy but also to help themselves.”

“It all depends on your perspective really. You can look at an issue, label it a problem, and try to escape. Or you can look at it and see an opportunity to find a solution for all concerned and make the world a better place.”

“Like most of the rest of Europe,” Mike sided with Josh, “Germany has an ageing population. Yet Germans are living longer, thanks to better medical facilities. Worldwide, more than a billion people will be 65 or older by the year 2030."

"Within a couple of decades, Germany will have an immense pension payments and healthcare benefits problembecause of lesser people working and more people needing benefits.”

“Angela Merkel showed great international leadership when she announced that Germany will be accepting 800,000 refugees this year. That’s about 1% of its population.”

“On a comparative scale, that would be like New Zealand accepting 46,000 asylum-seekers this year. We only accept about 700 yearly, and that number hasn't changed for nearly 30 years.”

“John Key slightly upped the NZ quota this year,” Precious advised. “Some were moaning already that he's feeding ostracised unwelcome foreigners at the cost of services which the locals deserved.”

"Instead of moaning," Smith retorted, "we should be getting involved more. Volunteering with Red Cross, English Language Partners or various other organisations to help resettle refugees who come to our shores."

"We should be hiring them in jobs. Getting to know them at our schools, workplaces and in communities. Successful settlement is not going to happen unless we welcome them among us as equals. We should be helping them assimilate in our social fabric."

"Bad things can happen even to good people. Instead of feeling shortchanged, we should be donating our time, expertise and resources to help our fellow human beings. Together, we can make a difference."

“Perhaps Germans understood more than others,” said Solomon, “that refugees generally work harder and are not out to make mischief because they desperately want to rebuild their life. They are after all, people who have lost everything."

“According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR),” said Smith, “there are approximately around 60 million people worldwide who have been forcibly displaced from their homes."

"If we lived in a world without wars, be they religious, financial or political, there would be no refugees. But we don’t. We fight!”

“If we lived in a world without national borders, national identities, national prejudices, there would still be no refugees. But we don’t.”

“Since we will have wars and national boundaries, we will have refugees. When the scale of tragedies is great, we will have refugee crisis. There were many days over the last several months, when more than 10,000 forced migrants crossed over daily into Europe.”

“The European idea of a passport-free Schengen zone,” said Solomon, "might help create a more open world. I like it. I think it is very novel and interesting. Germany has already shown that it can bring down separating walls and currencies. Without war!”

“At least no Alan Kurdi would die then,” Mike sighed, “that three-year-old Syrian boy who drowned in the Mediterranean Sea as his family was trying to get out of Turkey for the third time.”

“But I suspect that as humans we are programmed to cherish our national identities and will continue to fight with each other on our various fetishes.”

“The next best solution for addressing the refugee problem then,” said Smith, “is to support them near ground zero. So refugees don’t have to go too far to get relief. That way, at least the risks of long journeys to safer havens in despicable travelling conditions would be reduced."

"Alan's family was trying to go to Canada. Najaf fled from Afghanistan to Australia, the other side of the world. While tragic, surely the journey would have been cheaper and safer for the millions who fled from Afghanistan into neighboring Pakistan."

“Since 2011, more than 4 million refugees have fled Syria since the war began. According to the UN’s refugee agency, almost 1.8 million went into neighboring Turkey, more than 600,000 into Jordan and 1 million to Lebanon – a country whose population is just 4 million.”

“Refugees may be the immediate problem of neighboring countries, but we live in a world much more connected now than it was ever before.”

“If countries deluged by refugees can’t handle the influx, they’ll be more inclined to close borders. That will only aggravate the refugee crisis and escalate the human and financial costs.”

“If countries far removed from ground zero helped too with donations of money, food, clothes, medicines, or volunteers, host countries would feel less inundated and might become more willing managers of this problem.”

“Germany showed exemplary generosity in this too, leading the European Union into pledging billions of euros to the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR, its World Food Program and other agencies.”

“It also recently increased funding for Syrian refugees in Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon and other countries. Countries like Hungary resisted having to contribute, as they already had massive debts.”

“But they eventually came aboard as part of a broader push to ease factors driving Syrians to risk sailing to Europe. Hope EU stays united to tackle this. Lives of many depend on it.”

Never Anger Your Nurse

“Never anger your nurse,” Maria jokes with Hope when he fumes at her leaving Isha unattended & bleeding in the night following Josh’s forceps delivery.
Knocking off early from work, Rosh picked up Hosh after school, and father and son drove to the Waitakere Hospital to see Isha and baby Josh.
Little Josh was sleeping peacefully in his own pram, beside his mother's bed. Isha came awake when they entered her room.
Both hugged and kissed her quietly, careful not to wake the baby up. Rosh settled in a chair beside her bed.
"How are you feeling now?" he asked her.
Hosh stood by the pram, watching his little brother silently. He too was relieved to see them both safe.
In the early hours of yesterday morning, when his father had been inside the delivery room with his mother, he had spent a really tense hour alone on a bench outside.
He had been really afraid - for the first time ever, in his life. Waiting alone outside the Operating Theatre isn't easy for a six-year-old, he knew now.
Not when the only two people who are your family, are both insides, and you don’t know what’s going on in there.
Later, when he was being driven back to school after having seen his baby brother - the latest addition to his family, his father had told him what a Forceps delivery was. How interesting that both brothers had been delivered to Earth the same way.
"Weak," Isha frowned, "thanks to the nurse on duty last night."
"What happened?" Rosh was suddenly concerned.
"Maybe she's doing two jobs," answered Isha, "or is on long shifts. Maybe she was too tired and napped off last night. Or maybe she was in another emergency, or otherwise engaged.”
“Whatever the reason, I wasn't too impressed with the duty nurse. My stitches had begun to bleed badly, and I had the ‘Need Help’ light outside my room on for ages.”
“The light in the corridor glowed red for hours, but no one came to attend to me. I lost much more blood than I should have."
"I'll see to it right now," Rosh flew into an instant rage.
"No, leave it," she held his hand. "I'm going to be all right. And I don't want to fight."
"I don't start fights," Rosh flared, "but I will fight when I have to. This is unacceptable.”
"No, let it go," she pacified him. "This is the maternity ward after all. There was no real risk.”
“How do you know?” he was getting worked up. “You could have been in real danger. Others too."
"Leave it, Rosh," she insisted. "I am just grateful it all went well. We are all here now, and we are all safe, and together."
"It should never happen again," Rosh was still shaking his head angrily. He stood up from the chair, "I'll make sure."
"They are all lovely here," she smiled feebly at him. “It didn't cost us a cent. And you should never anger your nurse!"
"What?" he paused suddenly, paying attention again. "Why?"
"A big shot business man," she told him, "had to spend a couple of days in the hospital. He was a royal pain to the nurses because he bossed them around just like he did his employees. None of the hospital staff wanted to have anything to do with him.”
“The head nurse was the only one who could stand up to him. She walked into his room the second day, and announced, 'I have to take your temperature'."
“After complaining for several minutes, he finally settled down, crossed his arms and opened his mouth.”
"No, I'm sorry,” said the nurse, "but for this reading, I can't use an oral thermometer."
“This started another round of complaining, but eventually he rolled over and bared his behind.”
“After feeling the nurse insert the thermometer, he heard her announce, "I have to get something for you. Now you stay JUST LIKE THAT until I get back!"
“She left the door to his room open on her way out. He cursed under his breath as he heard people walking past his door, laughing."
"After a couple of minutes, the man's doctor came into the room.”
"What's going on here?" asked the doctor.
"What's the matter, Doc?” the man answered angrily. “Haven't you ever seen someone having their temperature taken before?"
“The doctor paused for a moment, then replied, “Yea, but never with a daffodil!"

Desires

Words fished out unknown desires from the depths of his mind when Smith weaved words aloud into a funny poem for Sarah.

Their kids jumped in, singing & banging...
Sarah came and sat beside Sarah.
“Recite some poetry,” she said.
“What?” Smith asked laughingly. “It’s a struggle making ends meet. Some memories, some hopes, some desires are all that remains. What else is there to recount?”
“Then narrate them,” said Sarah. “I feel like hearing something from you.”
“I’m hungry,” said Smith. “You’re wanting me to yak. Get me some food!”
“Come on,” Sarah insisted stubbornly. “Then I’ll feed you scrumptious food!”
Smith laughed at the bribe. Some thoughts metamorphosed into words and came up to the lips. He spoke:
(Note: Poetry translation follows below. For the original Hindi poetry, please read the Hindi version of this story on TaleTown)

O Fortune, patch up the torn sack with velvet
Give water to the thirsty, feed roti to the hungry

Sarah burst out into laughter. Seeing their parents laugh, both kids came running too. Looking at them, Smith said spontaneously:

These little troublemakers become big movers, shakers
Let Majnu get Laila, and Juliet get going with Romeo

Sarah smiled. Smith’s desires began to get wings. He couldn’t stop himself and added:

Vivid intoxication spread in the veins, the world get funny
When a spell lights up in the eyes, let it rain a little

“If wishes were horses,” Sarah teased him, “every beggar would ride.”
“Horsey!” Josh insisted, on hearing the word ‘horse’. He had been reminded of the animal.
Smith mounted him up on his shoulders, and moved the poem ahead:

Let the horse become an Audi, make the monkey drunk
Let blind turn one-eyed, when the dumb sing this song

“Dumb will sing a song, mute will sing a song…” Moses sensed the beat and clapped to the rhythm.
“Now we eat along, now we eat along…” Smith hollered too, in Isha’s direction.
"Not yet," scolded Sarah. "Recite some more!"

Making us busk for free, what a miser donor you are?
We’re off to bed hungry if you won’t give us food now

“Food now, food now …” Moses danced around in circles as he sang.
“Now I’m going to eat, or else I’ll bleat …” Smith was singing loudly too.
“Eat? Food?” Little Josh caught on to the important words.
He clenched his fists tight and began drumming on his father’s head too. Seeing the mood of the boys, Sarah laughed and stood up.
“Patience,” she reproached Smith, as she retreated towards the kitchen. “You were born in India!”
With Josh on his shoulder, Smith followed her into the kitchen. Now he’d gotten into the mood, she was deserting the field. But what could stop a rising tide?
Moses too was banging his steel plate rhythmically with a spoon.
It was the right season, the perfect opportunity, the right tradition. Smith went with the flow, weaving words aloud into a poem, but the words fished out unknown desires from the depths of his mind:

THE FIRST SON OF GOD

FIRST LESSON: HEBREWS 1: 6

“And again, when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.”

SECOND LESSON: HEBREWS 2: 8

“Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.”

GOLDEN TEXT: HEBREWS 7: 25

“Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”

Brethren, that is the story about Our Lord Jesus Christ. His story has got no beginning and no end. It is stated that when He is brought back, all angels of God will come and worship Him. You will note that if this covenant was established from the beginning lucifer would have bowed down too and worshipped Him. It was written that all must bow down to Him. If all the angels of God are commanded to bow down to Him, what is man to resist Him? You must note very well that the first Son and the Father are One. Do not make any mistake, believe that we all are the sons of God, but Our Lord Jesus Christ is the first Son of God. Have you ever heard that a father possesses more than one first son? If even your children are as many as the sands at the seashore, there must be a first son.

That is exactly our position with Our Lord Jesus Christ, the first Son of God. Among all the creatures of God, Christ is the first Son and He is also the last. He is the first, that is why He says that the Father and He are one. The Son cannot do without the Father and the Father cannot do without the Son. He says, “None knows the Son but the Father, except the Son reveals Him to whosoever He will”, “No one can come to me except my Father calls him”. No one can also go to the Father except through Christ. Everything Our Lord Jesus Christ says reflects the Father and the Father on the other hand mentions His Son at all times, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, hear ye Him”. A spiritual song goes thus, “The heavens declare the glory of God and obey Him, but the earth reject Him”.

When it is said that a single angel can destroy the world, you all jeer but I had earlier told you that the winds are angels, the sand, water, animal, sun, moon and the Star inclusive, even the thunder and lightning are God’s messengers. This is why as soon as Christ lifted up His hands in command everything subjects to Him. Whenever you call on His name everything is subdued in obedience to what was written.

MAN’S STUBBORNNESS DESPITE GOD’S LOVE

Who are you man, to resist His rule and to refused paying Him obeisance? This is the only problem I have with you. “To, which of the angels has He ever said, I have begotten you”? But God has begotten Our Lord Jesus Christ as it is stated, “When He bringeth in the first begotten into the world, He saith, and let all the angels of God worship Him”. God did not say He bringeth in the angels; He states categorically that when He bringeth in the first begotten. He did not say when He sends angel Gabriel. We are expressly told that when the Son of God shall come, all the angels will worship Him. Therefore, brethren, ask yourself a simple question “What is our position”? This should prove to you that Our Lord Jesus Christ is the King of kings.

Be not mistaken that when He comes, He will go from house to house preaching and offering prayers to the sick. Do not conjecture that when He comes He will go about healing diverse infirmities. I know you will say that He is a friend of sinners and so forth but do not forget that He made Himself a sacrifice once and for all; and there is no sin that has power over Him. His coming now is mainly to save those who have been patiently waiting for Him. He has come to rule every house with mercy, patience and love. This is why occultists declare that there is no more power anywhere, as Christ has come to rule with His Father. All angels like fire, water and all other elements, take orders from Him only; should you try you will surely fail because these angels are under the rule of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Even if you command death to destroy one’s life it will not obey you, since its power is under the rule of Christ. It is significant to note that when it is said that all angels will bow down to Him it also means that they will serve Him. Do not misconstrue that when He comes down on earth, you will be opportuned to have Him for a conversation of any kind, because He does not welcome any familiarity.

THE GREAT MONARCH

He is now on the throne while His angels exercise duties and act according to instructions. This system can be likened to the system of rule during the colonial days whereby the Queen sat on the throne while the deputies worked in the various colonies; to be more precise, here is a system the sovereign rules over everywhere through agents. It is sacrilege to ask Christ to offer you prayers or to make an attempt of shaking hands with Him; even to ask Him any question. It is quite true that when a person is not yet crowned, he mixes freely with any society, thereby any person could rub shoulders or converse with him. Once his position is changed and uplifted, everything about him changes such that he would be cut off from a common contact and unnecessary familiarity. If the Emirs of the Northern States are so reverenced, being mere human beings as they are, of what measure do you think that of Christ should be, being that He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. The Queen of England and her princes are honoured while they are placed in this esteemed position yet they are nothing more than common human beings, before the angels of God. By all means Our Lord Jesus Christ is to be honoured far more than the earthly kings, because He is a King according to the Promise. This is why a higher position and honour in any society is given to whoever passes through Christ to the Father. He said, “I am the way, the truth and the life, nobody cometh unto the Father but by me”.

Now that you profess that you do not know Him, how would you be saved? If you vow that you will never bow down for Him; who is He that will secure your salvation? If you do not reverence and honour Him through whom will you enter into the Kingdom of heaven? As a sovereign, Christ will not execute any duty except through His angels who are spread everywhere to carry out His order. You could be arrested, rebuked or hanged, then how will you escape?
Christ’s Government is the best so far because no angels can act except He receives instructions from Him. It is unlike the chaos existing amidst the worldly governments and her servants. This is a note of warning to anybody who doubted Him to doubt no more. Because all authorities in heaven and on earth have been given to Him before the foundations of the earth were laid. This is a well known fact to all angels even lucifer, the ocean, the forest, the sunshine. You are of the opinion that you will invoke angel Gabriel or project in order to see God but the question is, “where will you find them? The false prophets hold the same opinion, but I ask to know, which God they mean to see through astral projection? There is none permitted to contact God except Christ. If you like project into the last sphere, you will not meet with Our Lord Jesus Christ. If you go into the depth of the sea, He is permanently there. There is no place Christ is not available. Brethren, there is no alternative than to accept Christ as your Lord and Master. If you refuse Him, He will not ill treat you but remember that you will never escape the execution of His angels.

THE DECREES OF CHRIST

Christ has got His own edict concerning the division of labour in His Government, just as you have got assignment for the warders, the soldiers, and other law enforcement agents. When you are told that the kingdom of this world has become the Kingdom of God and His Christ, do not take it for a joke. His reign cannot be compared with the earthly dynasty. The work in His Kingdom continuously goes according to His divine purpose; no angel can ask Him any question. This is why it is said that it is unreasonable to get up and ask God, “Give me this or give me that,” Jesus do this or do that for me.” That is not the case. The condition is that you must pass through the correct channel, which is Our Lord Jesus Christ; that is why in Brotherhood of the Cross and Star we ask God for everything through the name and blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Note that there is no use of forceful methods. At the fullness of time, His supremacy will be revealed to all. Because there is nothing whatsoever that is not under His reign. If you commit sin, there is no other person to plead on your behalf other than Christ. He is the Prime Minister of God. There is none who has attended such holiness to be an advocate for you than Him.

This is why He said that whatever He opens, none can close and whatever He closes, none can open. There is no other way for you to obtain a relief from your suffering, there is no other defender and there is no advocate other than Our Lord Jesus Christ. You have been warned never to impute sins on people because a sin is like a gutter, which when you have fallen into, the stain is difficult to remove from your clothings. This is why Paul lamented, “O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this sin?” Only Christ can save. Despite all your endeavours and sufferings if you do not accept Christ as your personal saviour, your efforts are in vain. You may credit yourself that you have given alms to the needy, that you have fed the hungry and have raised the dead; know that none of these deeds of kindness can save you except you accept Our Lord Jesus Christ as everything for you. If you have ever been stubborn to Him or have refused to listen to Him be prayerful because as long as it was said that all the angels will bow to Him, you are so insignificant for Him to be mindful of your refusal to accept Him as the King of kings.

CHASING SHADOWS INSTEAD OF SUBSTANCE

Is it not wonderful that you waste much time to acquire money but cannot spent even one minute for Christ? Christ is here, He was before the foundations of the world were laid; have you any doubt? If you disbelieve this truth, that is your problem.
Until this world passes away, He will never come to your doorpost to announce that He is Christ; nor would any person descend from above to tell you, “I am the Christ.”

Where do you think He is? He is on earth right now; He is in the waters, and He is everywhere and that is why everything is subject to Him. All that you have got to do is to go and proclaim to the world that the former covenant is passed away and that the new covenant is now reigning as it was stated, “After those days, saith the Lord, and they shall not teach every man his brother, saying, know the Lord; for all shall know me from the least to the greatest.” Do you doubt this statement? So it was said that as the lightening flashes from the East to the West, so shall the coming of the Lord be. The Scriptures asked, “Where shall this be”? It was replied that where the carcass is there will the vultures abound. Did He not assure you that He was going to prepare a place for you, so that where He is there you shall be also? Now He has come back on earth and He has collected all His children and has united them to Himself. If someone tells you that you should go and see Christ outside, do not go, for the scriptures warned, “They will say lo He is here, lo He is there, do not listen to them.”

Do you not know that Christ is in you? He is within and without, He is everywhere. Mark you, Christ is no politician to go campaigning or the sort of a Chief to struggle for His recognition; He is the King of kings whom the universe must acknowledge. He does not plead for your recognition. It is your duty and mine to seek and accept Him as the only source of our salvation because life, truth, peace and all other virtues are embodied in Him; the Father is in Him and He is in the Father also. His judgement is just and righteous; void of human dictates, yet He is a merciful God for though He knows that you spend time in going to farm to collect food but have spent no time for Him, He imputes no sin on you.

You may wonder what manner of man is this that all the angels must bow unto, but John in his vision saw an angel who was to bow to him, and he forbade the angel being that both of them were servants. Now, you have seen He whom all angels bow to; do you not believe that if He were an angel or man all angels would not have bowed to Him? For example, has any angel ever bowed down to a human being or a fellow angel? This is to prove that whatever is from heaven is very great on earth. His glory is being revealed very gradually and quietly, as He did not come to make noise. Note that nobody sent Him down to the earth plane, He seeks no service from anyone but as it was written, “All must serve Him.” Even if it is one angel alone it can represent the universe.

Our Lord Jesus Christ is the symbol that Enoch saw ascending into heaven in the company of the host of angels. Christ’s supremacy cannot be compared with any other.

HIS INDISPUTABLE SUPREMACY

While He stood trial before king Herod, He stated that if He wanted to fight, He could have asked the Father to send down legion of angels to defend Him. He is a King of no mean order. It was written that His last enemy to be destroyed is death. You are witnesses that every being is afraid of death, yet the scriptures tell us that Christ shall destroy it.

Our Lord Jesus Christ has come down to judge both angels and human beings though He exercises long patience. He has come to save the world as well as you and I. If He had not come in a human form, died on the cross and ascended into heaven, there could have been no salvation for mankind. It is unthinkable to say that until Christ comes back; where did He go, and where had He been? He stated, “My Father works and I work.” You may say that after all Mary delivered Him; is that the time He came into the world? If truly, He was delivered, then who was in heaven? Christ was the one. This is why He said, “If I tell you things earthly and you do not understand, how would you believe me if I tell you heavenly things?” He also said, “The wind bloweth where it listeth and no one knows from whence it cometh nor where it goeth, so is everyone born of the spirit”. Our Lord Jesus Christ said that no one could come from heaven except the heavenly. While you are imagining that He is here, or that He is in heaven, what do you understand by these expressions that are confusing?
What is meant by heaven is likened to the twinkling of one’s eyes by, which one sees no light just for that time but afterwards light is seen again. The word “heaven” is a spiritual language. When Our Lord Jesus Christ declared that there were some standing there who would never taste of death until this glory of God is revealed, many people took it for a joke. After the transfiguration of Christ on the mountain, Christ communed with Moses and Elijah after, which a voice from heaven declared Him as the beloved Son in whom He was well pleased and asked all to hear Him. What was beheld at that time was a great light seen everywhere. Peter said to Christ, after the disappearance of those elects, “Master let us build three tents, one for Moses, one for Elijah and one for the Lord”.

Such was the thought of man though what was seen was the manifestation of God’s glory. You have been seeing the glory of God manifested. If you doubt, tell me if it is so simple a thing for your dead father to come to you in a dream and discuss possible solutions to your problems or is it a simple thing that your departmental head comes to give you words of comfort when you are in trouble?

HE IS OUR SHIELD IN ADVERSITIES

It has been a common practice that when you are in trouble you call on your dead father or mother to solve it but in vain. Now is for you to call on Our Lord Jesus Christ at anytime, anywhere and at any circumstance because He is ready to come to your aid. Those of you calling Him have seen and can testify that nothing has stood against your way? Whatever the magnitude of the assailant, once you make mention of the name of Christ, every power is quelled. Therefore, brethren, since Our Lord Jesus Christ lives, He is everywhere and He is most powerful, it is proper for us to accept, love, worship and honour Him. He comes as a thief in the night as He said before. If a man hears that there is a thief in his farm and he goes with a noisy gang, will he succeed in arresting the thief? This is why He comes like a thief when nobody will ever expect Him because everyone goes about their ways doing their normal duties. This attitude continues until all things are accomplished. Hold fast whatever you grasp, do not mind what people may say, do not mind who criticises or who praises.

If Christ reveals the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit to you, keep it to yourself. Do not allow flesh to overcome you because immediately you are away from Him, doom befalls you. There is a great quest for Our Lord Jesus Christ in the western and African countries; some are searching with doubt and annoyance while others do this steadfastly; but all to no avail. Yet Our Lord Jesus Christ is here carrying out His work. You ought to recognise Him.

Have you all understood that? His promise was to come and transform us from the sinful nature to righteousness. His assignment was not to come and talk unceasingly. Our Lord Jesus Christ is power itself. This time is not the same with His previous coming. He grants you the Holy Spirit, which endows you with power to execute marvelous works. Hence He said, “All power in heaven and on earth have been given unto me”.

WHY POWERS RECEDE

The scripture tells us that when He ascended into heaven He sent the Comforter to His disciples; with various gifts of prophecy, healing and raising the dead; some received the gift of the power to control and others received the power of reasoning. Is it not wonderful that these are embodiment of one person? Since He owned them and distributed same, He has come to collect back all these power to Himself. This is why there are complaints everywhere that there is no more power in any thing except in Him, thus proving that man is a package of vanity. When you call to mind the incidence that took place during the last Nigerian civil war, how the authorities first of all snatched away every war implement without questioning.

That is exactly what Our Lord Jesus Christ has done. Furthermore when these weapons were collected from the people they were used in waging war with their previous owners. If that could be done by man, what do you think can be done by the Omniscient and the Omnipotent. He did this to render you bare so that you may continue to plead with Him for them. This is also the reason why all secret societies have failed, churches fall apart while native and medical doctors as well as all fetish priests become despondent.

If any person tells you that elementary spirits exist, that person is a liar. Now, you are told that there is no other temple other than that of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Father. The temple of God according to the scriptures requires no light for the Lamp that siteth on the throne is the light. I know that you are yet to know these things.

CHRIST ALLOCATES KNOWLEDGE PER SE

You will realise that all manners of knowledge is sent to each of you at your different destinations here in the new Kingdom of God. This is why many of you know how to construct buildings, you are able to design; these go not without understanding. Now services are rendered by the angels. Brethren, had you known where you are, and the person caring for you, you would bow in reverence for Him. Gone are the days Christ went about in canoes or walked about from place to place praying for people; it was so because nothing was accomplished. It is just as one cannot compare the war implement of the year 1914 with those manufactured and used in the year 1939, nor could the war implements used from 1914 to 1939 be compared with the present weapons. At one time you hear of atomic bomb and at another you hear of nuclear weapons, the most deadly war implement. We are thankful to the Father because each possessor of such weapon is hereby constrained to sign treaties of peace. This results in no more world wars. Their wicked designs have taught them to sell off those war implements to the hopeless African countries that use them on each other. I illustrate the heavenly things with the earthly so that you know that if the earth plane improves in principles the heavens would outclass in the improvement. Christ can never adopt the first method in anything that He is doing; He uses modern system to be consonant with today’s system. In the past when He invited people to Himself many gave excuses like “going to bury my father”, ” being in a honey moon”, etc;

Now He varies His method of extending His call just to meet up with the time. I have been telling you that the atmosphere is not what you have to take it lightly. You have to desist from improper bickering, just watch out, for He is doing His work according to His divine plan. This is why I have been telling you that you have not understood these things properly. Simply take it easy and make no fuss about things because until He has finished doing one thing or the other, you will not know when and how He did it, nor would you know that He is at work.

PILOT OF AFFAIRS IN THE UNIVERSE

Now let us take a look at what is raging in the Government and throughout the world. No one has ever asked the people to report nor has anybody told those with atomic energy not to fight neither has any person been delegated to warn the warring parties because Our Lord Jesus Christ is doing His work slowly but steadily. Should you feel reluctant to go to a certain place, you will find out that when you finally decide to go that Christ and His angels had been there already, on full operation. Now that you find Brotherhood of the Cross and Star everywhere, who is responsible for establishing them than Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Presently, centres of the worldly powers like India, America and Europe refers all those who seek spiritual aids from them to the fold of Brotherhood of the Cross, 34, Ambo Street, Calabar Cross Rivers State of Nigeria in West Africa. You may decide to travel down here out of curiosity, just to see the place from where power is said to emanate, but I assure you that the more you look the less you see. Are you not afraid of the marvelous work of Christ? Personally, I am much afraid. Be careful that you do not boast of this power. Sometimes when a sick person is brought to you, owing to unbelief in the fact that Christ does everything, you order that the sick person should be carried away. When the sick requested only prayers before the people carry him away, you offered and behold the sick was relieved and became healed.

Have you heard what is read out to you? There is no other power and there is no other person to whom such authority is vested than Our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the reason every prayer or speech in Brotherhood is preceded with “In the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Now that we all have turned to Him we have to seek salvation from Him for He liveth forever; there is no other source of salvation. Whenever you are encountered with fear and trouble, seek Our Lord Jesus Christ, and discard the invitations of the native doctor, the fetish and the juju priests because they are devoid of salvation and power. All our prayers are treated before Him; the prayers of those who know, accept, worship and agree with Him are promptly attended to and the resultant assistance is given. Do not beg anybody to come and receive blessing from the Brotherhood of Cross and Star. Anyone who likes to steal let him steal. He who likes to commit any sin allow him for ” I will come quickly,” saith the Lord.

Do not forget that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are here on earth. The only thing is for you to confess your sins and repent of them. When you shall have done this, He is ready to save you. As many as love Him and accept Him He authorise them to become the children of God. If you are tricky and disobedient, you are far from salvation. He said, “I will come quickly”.

Supposing that while living in somebody’s house, you create trouble and fight yet the owner of the house keeps silent; you ought to be afraid. Why the Lord is patient and silent is to make Him execute a righteous judgement. This is Christ’s week and whatever you can do, do it to prove that you have acknowledge His Kingship, and have seen Him. You are to demonstrate your joy in any way possible. Show through your deeds that you have received His manifold blessings. Do not ponder in your heart why others are not here but hold fast to your faith because many are called but few are chosen. Do not joke with the opportunity and privilege that God has bestowed on you now. Love, fear, obey, honour and worship Christ because He knows everything about you.

I will not be tedious with you. He who has ears let him hear. May God bless His Holy Words. Amen.