PENTECOST DAY
ACTS 2:7, 8, 12 & 13

By Mr. Augustine Owusu

And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans?
And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one  to another, What  meaneth this? Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine?
By the ability of the Disciples to contact this higher spiritual place, the promise of the Christ was fulfilled. Works which He performed, they did also. John 14:12. Under the tutelage of Christ Jesus, the Disciples matured their souls and were thus able to discern enduring values.
They were “quickened” at Pentecost as they became filled with the Holy Spirit of Truth. The Lord within, the Divine Self, became active. They are described as the first fruit of Christ’s ministry and are prophetic of a new day when all men will be “quickened” as they become aware of the “Lord from heaven” within.
It is reasonable to suspect that the prophets of the Old Testament who fore saw the coming of Christ were reborn as His Disciples. The scripture that confirms this principle is the reference to John the Baptist. In the words of Christ Jesus “This is Elijah who was to come”. Matthew 11:14
Acts contains a record of the deeds of men and women who had Christed or anointed with the powers of the Holy Spirit. They achieved this greatness by self forgetting services they rendered  to humanity during  their stay with the Master and thereafter.
The Holy Spirit came as tongues of flames and rushing wind – the powers of fire and its compliment Air. The bodies of the Disciples represented the element of Earth and the purification of the lower nature water. This preparation was completed in the choosing of Mathias- Acts 1:26.
Christ final instructions to his own immediate Disciples, repeatedly emphasized the fact that forgiveness, love, faith, humility and service to the race are the prime essentials of true Discipleship.
Christ final instructions deal with the problems of spiritual discipline by which His followers may attain as he attained.
The first three Gospels (Matthew, Luke & Mark) portray the important preparatory steps the life of the neophyte which precede the Transfiguration. John the beloved, begins his Gospel with the Transfiguration, outlying the life of the aspirant after his transmutation has occurred. According to the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, the Christ prepared His Disciples for his departure between the time of the Transfiguration and Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. He endeavours to have them understand the manner of His going and the esoteric reason therefore.
The perfect blending or polarity is known in occult terminology as Adeptship, or the ability to pass into the great initiations and become a Christed one. With that attainment comes the ability to rise above and beyond laws governing physical phenomena. After Pentecost, all physical elements were under control of the Disciples. The promise of the Master on the Day of the Ascension had been fulfilled. Luke 24:49. Again Mark 16:17-18. And these signs shall follow them that believe, in my name, shall they cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues.
They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay lands on the sick, and they shall recover. Acts is account of the lives of Holy Men and Women who manifested in their daily, living these words of the great Teacher. As Christ said in St. Matthew 20:28, the Disciples fulfilled it by living pure lives and performing self-forgetting services to humanity.  They served with their hearts and minds.
Every life wave has a highest initiate, a best beloved son, “who becomes a bridge connecting his particular life with the next above it. The Master Jesus of Nazareth made this grade, finished his earth-cycle experiences, and contacted the Angelic life wave at the Baptism. Hebrew 2:9 and Hebrews 1:4. He thus became the highest initiate of the Earth Dispensation.
This was also the attainment of Mary. The divine mother in the Eastertide Vigil and the Disciples on the day of the Pentecost. Such are no longer bound to the wheel of Life and Death. It is not necessary for them to return for further experience in physical bodies. Revelation 3:12.
Only when, in sufficient numbers, the pioneers, are ready to receive another out pouring of Pentecostal Power will these ones, in sublime spirit of compassion, return to earth as leaders and teachers.
Although they work with man from the inner planes, their own development is being furthered by angelic contacts. They have literally “stepped over” into angelic life wave. Hence, Mary bears the title, “Queen of Angels”. Many of the early masters of Art understood these inner truths; in their great paintings, Jesus and Mary are surrounded by hosts of Angels.
Mary, through her mystical consciousness and continuous contact with the highest, realized the approaching time for the great down-pouring of spirit and prepared the Disciples for exaltation of consciousness necessary to receive that divine flow.
All the night, the circle of holy Men and Women were grouped about the Virgin Mary in prayer and meditation. At the Mystic Sunrise hour, the light of heaven descended upon that Upper Room where so many momentous events had taken place.
The supernatural radiance centered on the Divine Mother and aureoled her with a glory such no human being had seen her possessed before. Gradually, the light extended from her over and through the devout band assembled there, until each head rested a crown of glory and every tongue was touched by the all cleansing and consuming Flame. They had earned and received these glorious powers of the highest phase of Initiate consciousness known to human evolution, through complete oneness, with Christ. From this day onward, they manifested all the powers of Christ Himself. Forces of Will and Wisdom were conjoined in such proportions that activity, the Holy Ghost Ray, poured forth a great effulgence which enveloped the entire city of Jerusalem in a radiant glow that continued for a long time.
Although the Disciples were recipients of the powers of the Holy Spirit because of their perfect accord, yet the flame that touched each tongue was an expression of his own particular talent or grace. With some, it was second sight; with others, healing; again; prophesy or preaching as with Simon Peter; or going apart from the body Paul did later under like inspiration. 2 Corinthians 12:1-4.
Upon the head of the Virgin rested the supreme light of authority for guidance and direction of the early Church. Mary had literally become the bride of the Holy Spirit. Thus, it is that we may comprehend something of the impress of Mary’s life upon the scriptures. From Annunciation, which marked the glory of His going, the influence of Mary may be sensed like the gentle, muted tones of a continuous background symphony.
As the Holy Group gathered in blessing and rejoicing around the Holy Mother, so shall the spiritual illumined groupings of the New Age. Mary is the gate to Jesus. Jesus in turn, is the way to Christ. In the Aquarian Age, it will be the work of the Master Jesus and His blessed Mother to prepare for the glory of the second coming. Increasingly, as the New day draws near, the world will become aware of the nearness of Mary to the earth and the importance of her work in the regeneration of all mankind. In her, we see full manifestation of the powers of the Holy Spirit. These will become more operative in the New Era. Under her guidance and inspiration, such a manifestation will mark the pioneers of the New Age, and vast multitude shall arise and call her blessed.
In that glorious experience of Pentecost, the foremost Disciples of the Lord Christ were left to function consciously in the Christian Mystic Temple located in the ethers above the city of Jerusalem. Here it was that, they became manifested of the Christed Powers as a result of the self-forgetting services they rendered to humanity. Preparation was now completed for the execution of the commission given them individually by Christ Jesus as they passed with Him through the Holy Rite of the Last Supper.
Matthew was a tax collector and probably the richest of the disciples. His calling came as he sat “at the receipt of custom,” collecting taxes. He witnessed Christ Jesus healing a man of palsy, and he heard the words: “Arise, take up thy bed and walk.” He saw the multitudes marvel and glorify God. Then Christ Jesus called to him. “Follow me” and he rose and followed Him.
Matthew was being prepared for the quickening. “At the Crucifixion the Earth was quickened-every atom was penetrated by Christ Spirit. The next step was for each man to become aware of the quickening within himself. Matthew was destined to be among the “first fruits” of the new teachings. He was present when the “quickening” came.
Matthew assignment was to write a Gospel. A Gospel is a true description of the Divine. John’s Gospel is recognized as the most esoteric; Matthew’s is the most human and this is related to the sign Aquarius, the sign of man-humanitarianism, the human spirit in action. The keywords are “I know”  “I love.”
Matthew’s Gospel is the Way of the path, the steps that lead to finding Christ within, whose keynote is Love that understands because isolation and separate attitudes of social status are no longer tolerated.
The Gospel closes with the Aquarian Spirit; “Go ye into the world – teach all nations. (Matthew 28:19) Matthew’s final words are promise of Christ “Lo, I am with you always. “(Matthew 28:20)
Peter, once dilatory and vacillating, came forth a new man, a superman. By reason of his illumination, he lifted up his voice and spoke as few men have ever spoken. In the new revelation that had come to him, he touched the divine fire and the kingdom of Glory and came to know its peace and power.
The beauty and assurance with which he spoke were so powerful that throngs listened in hushed awe to his expositions. They heard and they believed. More than 3000 souls accepted the new revelation of truth that day.
My dear sisters and brothers, let us live the words of Christ Jesus, “If you want to be great, you must be the servants of the people’ so that we can fulfill what the master said in John 14:12 “ Verily, verily,  I say unto you. He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do.’
We can also reach that goal by loving, self-forgetting service to others which is the shortest, the safest, and the most joyful to God. We can help liberate the suffering of the Planetary Christ (Romans 8:22) only through self-forgetting service to humanity. Let us not seek our own but the wealth of others – 1stCorinthians 10:24.
May the Roses bloom upon your cross.

HARNESSING OUR SPIRITUAL POTENTIALS TO MAXIMISE THE RENDERING OF SERVICE
By Mr. Dominic Kpeiku

During  my last lecture entitled ‘Measuring your spiritual progress’ I emphasised the need for us to know ourselves, what are our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in order to set our spiritual goals, objectives and the activities that we shall undertake in order to achieve the required and desired results on the path. This lecture is a continuation of the previous one and seeks to set the tone for understanding what type of service we should do, why we should do them and what results we will achieve if we do them.

Service is defined as an act that seeks to provide something (tangible or intangible) to another. It is twofold… for a reward (salary, fee, payment etc) or for free ( as retribution, or debt payment (as in prisoners or in real life where we seek no reward for giving out). It is important to note that service in whatever form is not for free though some may appear so. For example if you give advice to, pray for, think positively of someone etc, though intangible and unquantifiable all have their own measure of reward directly or indirectly to the provider. Whatever service we render either selfishly or otherwise has a reward package attached either physically or spiritually. The question then is how do we determine what service we should give out and who are the beneficiaries.

As spiritual aspirants, we are faced with the task of living a life of selfless service as admonished by the master Mentor, the Christ and our forbearers, Max Heindel. The RF’s key admonishment is found in the often repeated saying: Loving Self Forgetting Service to others is the surest, safest and the most joyful road to God. But alas, we are torn between the nature of the service and who should receive the service we give out. Do we have a rule guiding the service we give? It is often heard in our circle that apply discrimination when you render service because certain services are not needed or watch out whether the person receiving really needs what you give out. Does it really lie in our power who should receive the service and the measure in which we render them? We shall soon see.

The essential is that we need to tap into our own river of truth and know that we each have a unique path to walk in life towards the TRUTH and thus attain the desired level of spirituality. This demands courage and the wisdom to understand that our worlds are defined by our own parameters. We are each unique just like each rain drop is unique! We each have our intrinsic design that must be encouraged and celebrated.  You must allow what is truest in you to unfold and don’t try to be like anyone else. Radiance is the result of allowing the uniqueness within each of us to shine forth. So little by little, it spirals inward to the landscapes of your mind, and sweep clean the panorama.

We are all individuals and no two humans are ever the same or alike. Our worlds (micro) are different from each and the larger world (macro). That is why each one has a separate horoscope with his Ascendant, MC and different configurations from the signs or the planets. So why do we rush to generalize the rules? For instance, who says every aspirant is capable of attaining spirituality in this earth life and so because too much food is not good, we should all eat in small measures? What about the weight lifter aspirant who needs large quantities of food in order to build the appropriate muscles to carry out his task of making people happy by carrying the heaviest weights? The nature and beneficiaries of our service are different from each individual to the other. Some of us by our ripe destinies are not required to discriminate. We pay off the debts no matter how. We are bound to let go without any discrimination if that is how we are to clear the debt.

This is where the dilemma lies. Our worlds are different and are defined by our individual parameters. There is therefore the need to know who we are, what our individual requirements for spirituality are, in which domain our service will be more beneficial to us both materially and spiritually and who are our targets or beneficiaries for the service we are bound to render in order to either receive material reward, or pay debts of karma. This is the difficulty we face. It is so easy to say we are doing service by various acts we deem as service. The question is: does that constitute our individual tasks as designed by you when you were building the archetype with the support of the Recording Angels who know all your debts and which ones you should liquidate in your next earth life?. Or are we following admonitions to offer service so we do anything within that confine and when we do not see the reward coming we lament and say like the many examples in the Bible that ‘ Lord we have served you but you have abandoned us’?

I want to use the astrological chart to illustrate what I mean. We are taught in astrology that there are 12 houses in a horoscope.  Out of the 12 the most critical to our quest in weaving the golden wedding garment through service are 6. (Houses 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 11)

House 1. Early Environment:

The nature of the Rising sign or Ascendant and its aspects determine what type of service we start rendering even at our young age when we still remain with our parents or relatives. Souls are drawn to parents who show the way the child should go, either with love or the punch or both. Some children have very sweet childhood when they are virtually pampered and hardly exert themselves. Why? Destiny. They worked for it in their past and thus have soft launching pad. But other children go through childhood with a lot of pains either from their parents or those who replace their parents who they have lost. These children do work that are often above them just to have food. And when they become stubborn, start truancy and bingo… the hardship begins so early. It is often lost on us that the difficulties or otherwise that we went through during our childhood years were part of our chosen path of service.

It is thus important that we focus on the egos we bring into the world because they have chosen us as their mentors and their ability to render service will depend largely on our understanding of who they are. For example one child would like sweeping and the other washing…is there the need to force them to do otherwise? It is unfortunate for parents to choose subjects for their children in school based on social status etc etc. The child should learn what they require by their chosen destiny for the larger service ahead.

House 3: Brothers and Sisters

Why would egos meet in a common home, from same parents etc and yet do not show love to each other. Often one of the children becomes the beast of burden of the home and does virtually every chore while the others are more relaxed. He would hate the others who seem to enjoy the warmth of the family. As they grow into adulthood, enmity or love will depend on their individual destiny in the understanding of the nature of service they are required to render.  Our brothers and sisters are egos we have either wronged or loved in the past and the harmony or disharmony in the present will depend on how the opportunity for good within a close distance is taken advantage of or abused. So we have brothers and sisters who do not see eye to eye even until one or all pass away, while some enjoy very good relationship until death. Where do you stand? If you and your brothers and sisters do not leave in harmony, the planets are telling you to redirect your energy in serving them towards bringing them to you. That is what the signs and aspects in House 3 is telling you as an individual and you should not waste your time going to sweep the compound of a prison thinking you are rendering service.  ‘No amount of Till we meet, till we meet’ you sing will help you weave the golden wedding garment if you ignore what the stars say you should do in this house. Thank your stars they have been so near you since infancy and yet you look elsewhere to maximise your service potentials.

House 5. Children

Who are our children? The Bible says children are a blessing. They are our rewards for service in the past that should continue in the current life. The number of children one has indicates our level of the application of love in the past for which reasons other egos would choose you to help you enhance your spirituality thereby affording them the opportunities for soul growth as well. Can someone tell me whether in rendering right service to the children we have and the children of others we meet on the streets, classrooms etc, we have ever wanted. Whether we crack the whip and keep them in check, or being soft on them and providing guidance, counseling and mentoring them, the rewards are tremendous. It’s a pity therefore that some parents do not see this opportunity for soul growth. The aspects in this house signify how we could maximize our spirituality towards soul growth in rendering the right service. If we therefore fail in our service to children, we are doomed.

House 7 Partners
It is really difficult dealing with our partners whether in marriage, business and other endeavours where we deal with other people. Two egos come together each with his/her world and parameters. How do we establish harmony to achieve spiritual growth? The stereotypes are numerous when it comes to marriage. Societal norms, codes of ethics and behavioural patterns often against the tenets of spiritual teachings affect to a large extent our responses to the marriage partner…..the often unprepossessing exteriors. The woman is considered the lower being and qualified with all the adjectives when it comes to social status. She is a gossip, she is jealous, she is rash, she is disrespectful, she is emotional she is sensual, she is…..everything.  Paul recognizes this situation and hence his admonition to us to either be like him (Paul, single) or marry just one.

But our partners help us to learn the lessons of the past (either bitterly or sweetly) depending on what we sowed. Like attracts like: a promiscuous man will attract to himself a jealous wife to act as the teacher to put him to check. A miserly man will definitely attract to himself a spend free wife who will make sure the man leaves that habit. A wicked man will attract a tough woman ready to do battle at the least provocation. The women we marry are the results of our past, our character that is impeding our spiritual growth. Note that when they have achieved the aim of destiny, some leave the marriage or remain within as quiet as could be imagined.

If your life’s work is in service to this house, you could only progress on the spiritual path when you see the house as positive even if there are serious difficulties. Serve the inmates of House 7. Consider them as your teachers, learn the lessons and move forward.

House 10 Society

Your social status is enhanced by your willingness to serve and not be served. People who do menial jobs for a pittance, gain more spiritually than people who do the good jobs and yet cheat to amass wealth. Service in this house as shown in the horoscope will be determined by whether you serve for the betterment of the entire society. Leaders of the world who led selfless lives have been born with this house high on the agenda and with the MC highly exalted. They earn nothing materially but spiritually and often leave a legacy for generations yet unborn.

Conversely, those who are materialistic often turn into despots, dictatorial and wicked. Thus they are plagued with numerous scandals and may find people rising against them. Selfless service is the key when dealing with the society. The question is: does your horoscope indicate that? The why are you forcing yourself into a vocation, or occupation (pastor, politician, manager, etc) when you do not have the spiritual capability to render the services required in this house. It will be failure, catastrophe and disgrace. Look again. Turn to your horoscope and find out.

House 11 Friends

Many people would warn you to be wary of friends. This is another house of the natural teachers in the form of friends.  Positive friends (as the Christ calls his disciples) are those attracted by your past and they help in your spiritual growth. The so called negative ones are indeed our teachers. They give anything from bad advice, influence and pressure to getting us into serious troubles that can land us in very bad situations. Your service in this house is to change this trend by identifying them by their mentality and rather you change them and not the opposite. The demand in this house is that of selflessness, letting go all the cares and you will attract the true spiritual friends (Invisible Helpers) and together you will work in the vineyard of the Lord.

Our lives work

House 7 indicates the service we render that we will benefit from materially. House 12 is the house of debts. Our aspirations House 9 when spiritual will reflect on House 8 and thus while we grow spiritually, the opposite house of finance will be lighted up till our old age House 4. But if our aspirations (House 9) are negative, we degenerate (House 8) and our finances (House 2) become so bad that we suffer in our old age (House 4). Your old age life is a reflection of how you lived the life since you were born and whether you like it or not your life’s work come into fruition in your old age because while you may be weak in the flesh, the spirit is agog and working in the beyond.

No wonder many people are afraid of their old age. A life full of service can never go waste whether the service was for reward or karmic. We must be aware that the services linked to House 12 are karmic in nature and one cannot run away from them. That is why if it becomes necessary for an aspirant to wear the prison uniform to work for no pay, there should be no grumbling. Sometime we lose what we protect if we are not ready to use it for the purpose it is destined. If we cling to selfishness, we sink. Nature will certainly establish the needed harmony and thus create newer opportunities for soul growth.

Service is not an issue of doing everything and just anything because we have been admonished to do so. That is where the word ‘discrimination’ in its true meaning becomes important as in pre-knowledge of what form and the beneficiary of the service.  It’s about how each individual harnesses his spiritual resources he agreed with the Recording Angels to come and fulfil and shown in the horoscope towards the required service. To achieve the needed results, we should not waste time being Jacks of all trades and masters of none. Your tasks, your resources and your reach are all shown in your horoscope. Achieve better results now by doing your own calling. You will see real results by offering service in your own chosen areas of destiny and thus maximise your spiritual gains in weaving the golden wedding garment. Go for it.

May the Roses Bloom upon your Cross

LIVING THE LIFE AND SPIRITUAL ADVANCEMENT
By Mr. Louis Agbe

As Max Heindel repeatedly admonishes us, there is only one determinative factor in spiritual advancement, and that is THE LIFE YOU LIVE. The Rosicrucian Fellowship is the only authorized Preparatory School of the Rosicrucian Order, but earnest souls who may never have heard of the Rosicrucian Fellowship and who live a pure life and seek the Temple by SERVICE like the good Samaritan of old, will find the door more quickly than one who trusts solely in the Fellowship, the exercises, reports and letters and other metaphysical books. How then do you live the life in order to achieve spiritual advancement? As hinted by the Rosicrucian Teaching, the key to living the life is to:

1. LABOR TO PERFECT YOUR VEHICLES, AND AT THE SAME TIME
2. CONSTANTLY EMPLOY THEM IN THE SERVICE OF HUMANITY.

PERFECTING THE VEHICLES
This is what we call purity of life. The object of this work on the bodies is union with the Higher Self – the Ego, the Spirit. 

1. The dense body: Through the strictest attention to hygiene and diet the dense body is particularly benefited.  This also produces a slight effect on the vital and desire bodies.  As purer and better materials are built into the dense body, its particles are enveloped in purer planetary ether and desire stuff.  But if attention is paid to food and hygiene only, the vital and desire bodies may remain almost the same as they were, except that it is just a little easier for the person to get into contact with the invisible worlds than if gross foods were used.

2. The vital body: Esoteric development does not commence until work on the vital body begins.  The fundamental principle in building the vital body is repetition.  It is therefore of the very highest importance that spiritual truths be given utterance again and again, in an endeavor to express the Christ love and altruism in everyday life.  The Leaders of humanity, who desire to give us help by certain exercises, instituted PRAYER as a means of bringing the power of lofty thoughts to work upon the vital body. If we pray aright, we lift ourselves to God, thus working upon and purifying our vital bodies. Concentration is invaluable in helping to separate the two higher ethers of the vital body from the two lower, the former then constituting the soul body.  This separation is necessary before the aspirant can travel or function consciously on the higher planes.  However, when prayer is inspired by a pure, unselfish devotion to high ideals, it is much more effective than cold concentration.

3. The desire body: Most people leave physical life with nearly the same temperament which they brought into it.  But the aspirant must do more than this; he must systematically conquer all attempts of the desire body to assume mastery.  He must overcome with noble aspirations the selfish love which seeks the ownership of another, and subdue all desire for wealth, power, or fame arising from narrow, personal motives.  The Love for which we must long is that only which is of the Soul and embraces all things, high and low; the wealth, that which consists solely of abundance of opportunities to serve our fellowman; the power, that alone which makes for the upliftment of humanity; the fame, none save that which increases our ability to spread the good news that all who suffer may thus quickly find solace for the heart’s grief. A fit of temper may result in poisoning the whole system.  Therefore the aspirant should cultivate an even temper amid the various annoyances of daily life.

4. The mind: The mind is one of the most useful instruments of the spirit; but it is also very hard to control at man’s present state of development.  A thorough, comprehensive study of the scheme of cosmic evolution is of immense value in mastering the mind.  It trains the mind in abstract thought, and elevates it above the sordid things of concrete existence, thus helping the imagination to soar beyond the hampering toils of self-interest. The mind may become amenable to the dictates of the spirit within through the following exercises: concentration, meditation, observation, positive discrimination, contemplations, and finally adoration of the Supreme.  The last is the highest step possible, whereby man unites himself with the source of all things, reaching by that act the highest goal possible, of attainment until the time when permanent union takes place at the end of this Great Day of Manifestation.

EMPLOYING THE VEHICLES IN THE SERVICE OF HUMANITY
The keyword of the Rosicrucian method of spiritual development is service.  Having purified the bodies, they should be employed simultaneously in the service of mankind. Repetition of right thoughts, desires, feelings, and emotions expressed through right action (self-forgetting service) is the shortest, the safest, and the most joyful road to God.  Thus shall we come to a conscious realization of the unity of all life, the “fundamental unity of each with all.”

For students of Rosicrucian Christianity, service constitutes another kind of vocation-—a spiritual calling whose refusal results in the experience of a soul poverty that no material affluence can alleviate. It is well to point out that service does not necessarily mean a great and spectacular deed, such as getting in front of a runaway horse and carriage and saving the lives of the people in it, or going into a burning building to rescue those who would otherwise burn to death. Such opportunities or act of martyrdom do not come to everyone, or every day; but all without any exception whatever have opportunity to serve, no matter what their environment is. There are many lines of service that are of greater value than any one single act of saving someone from death, which must sooner or later be the portion of all, for surely it is of greater value to help people live well than to help them merely to escape death.

Besides those rare acts of martyrdom, there are many other kinds of service to render. One of the greatest services anyone can render to everyone is that of adopting a systematic attitude of encouragement and commendation. It is important to encourage people to face challenges and solve problems in their life. This does not involve doing for them what they should be doing for themselves, although it may involve doing for them things which they are not currently ready or able to learn to do for themselves. There is nothing more true than the sentiment of the doggerel: “There is so much good in the worst of us, and so much bad in the best of us, that it scarcely behooves any of us to find fault with any of the rest of us.” In the home, in the shop, in the office, everywhere, we meet day by day different people; every one of them is amenable to encouragement. As the sunshine is to the flower, so is an encouraging word to any person in the world. If someone has done well and we speak a word of appreciation, that word will help him or her to do even better next time. If someone has done wrong or failed, a word of sympathy and confidence in his ultimate ability to achieve or retrieve will encourage him to try again and to win, just as surely as an attitude of discouragement will wither and make a wreck out of a life that might have been saved by a word of cheer.

Service may involve giving others the information they need to get started on some productive activity. It does not involve giving to them everything they want, which may take away their motivation to develop the skills to earn things for themselves.

Service involves reminding people that they have potentials and can accomplish great things if they persist in their effort. It does not involve telling people that they are doing great job (flattering) when they indeed are not, which may give them a false sense of accomplishment and diminish their motivation to improve.

Service involves standing by people in their problems and helping them find a way through them. This does not involve sheltering them from all the effects of their actions. They need to be responsible and standing by them to face this responsibility is what they need.

A particular need for service occurs when people are ill. Any illness is given the sufferer by the Recording Angels in order to enable that person to 1) learn some lessons or 2) to help him develop some spiritual powers. For example if people are ill because they did not know how to keep themselves healthy, their lesson may be to learn about such things as proper diet, exercise, rest and a harmonious state of mind. If people knew what they needed to do to stay healthy but did not control their desire body sufficiently to live by these rules, then their lesson may be to learn to live according to rules. Some illnesses may not be the effect of wrong living, but rather be caused by some unforeseeable “accident” or congenital problem. These illnesses may have been given by the Recording Angels to help the person develop some spiritual quality such as patience, sympathy for those who suffer, humility, will power, seeking for spiritual understanding etc. The spiritual needs of someone who is ill are to learn the lesson which the illness is trying to teach him and/or to develop the powers which the illness is meant to help him develop. When these have been accomplished, then the Recording Angels will lift the illness from the person. Possible service to ones who are ill may involve helping them with everyday living chores (if they need it), helping them understand the possible causes of disease (and then also the route to cures), helping them view their situation from a spiritual point of view (so that they can see the goodness of the universe and can overcome such negative emotions as anger, fear and worry).

Another method of service is through prayer or meditation or projected thoughts. Any pure, loving, uplifting prayers or thoughts have a positive effect on the spiritual development of the world (E.g. sending the pure white light to afflicted people or troubled parts of the world). It is possible to make prayers of commitment, to tell the Recording Angels that if they send anyone to us in need of service, we will do our best to help. (It is useful for the Recording Angels to know this). If in our prayer we would ask for something, we might follow the example of King Solomon. He requested wisdom so that he could serve the people better. An important method of rendering service is what the Rosicrucian Fellowship does in its Healing and Temple Services where the healing force is generated and put at the disposal of the Elder Brothers and Invisible Helpers to use.

Stopping gossip is another kind of service. When someone comes along with a tale of evil about someone else, be very slow to believe, and be slower still to tell anyone else. Endeavour by every means of persuasion to stop the one who came to you with the tale from repeating it to others. No good can ever accrue to yourself or to anyone else from listening to and believing in such tales. No matter what may be the justification, repetition does not do any good, it does harm. As a snowball that rolls down a mountain accumulates more and more snow, and grows larger and larger, so also the tale which is carried from one mouth to another is exaggerated, and much sorrow and suffering are caused by the tongue of the gossip. Therefore we can render no greater service to the parties involved or the community than by endeavoring to get those who carry tales of evil to stop that habit. Homes have been wrecked, communities have been disrupted, men have gone to the gallows time and again, or to a life-long servitude in some institution, which is far worse, because of idle tales carried about. Therefore we can render as great a service by refusing to listen to gossip as by encouraging those who have failed in their ambition, or by commending those who have succeeded.

Other kinds of service could be just some small act of kindness; it could be a smile to someone you meet on the street which may change his life, it could be a visit to someone who is sick, words of comfort to those who mourn or are sorrowful or are challenged in one way or another, lending a helping hand in a menial job when needed, receiving and being kind to strangers (some may actually be angels in disguise), being kind to animals and a desire to make them happy or to sooth their pain, giving a lift to a stranger who requests it, giving to charity etc. They are just as important as a larger deed. Everyday opportunities are knocking at our door, no matter where we are or what our station in life is.

SOME PRINCIPLES FOR TRUE SERVICE
Sincere service is not motivated by and does not expect reward or recognition, for we fulfill our deepest individual needs when we direct our helpful energies toward any part of this planet. Inasmuch as we serve any, even the least, in God’s creation, we serve God.

If we serve faithfully in the smaller things then later we shall be given greater opportunities.

We must want to serve; we must pour out our love as we serve. It is really not the act itself that matters; it is the thought behind it, the feeling that prompted it. We are truly serving in the highest sense when we give part of ourselves with each deed. (Mother Theresa’s words about service here)

In our service to God’s creation, we adopt a low profile, for we pursue a high calling. But the servant is not servile, for servility harbors resentment based on smarting pride. Unable to be genuinely humble, it fawns humility so that it may receive recognition and gratuities.

The Christian server is also vigilant to prevent service gaining the upper hand and displacing the one thing needful. Both inordinate care about our mundane duties and undue concern for our spiritual well-being undermine our primary purpose, which is to ever identify with the word and Person of Christ. Fidelity to service can easily become Christ’s greatest competitor and the righteousness of our acts diverts us from Him who is Righteousness itself.

Our service may be self-forgetting, but let it not be mindless; else we may find ourselves more devoted to service and self-serving than we are to Christ.

A short story by Max Heindel
 Mr. Heindel related a story of a woman who narrated thus: “During many years I sat for hours cross-legged on the floor with eyes fixed on the point of my nose, concentrating, breathing, and chanting incantations; yet I am no farther advanced today than when I started”. And Max Heindel asked the question “How could she”? Because she had not achieved soul growth from which to prepared a soul body. Simply put: she has not rendered enough service to attain soul growth and attain spiritual advancement. Spiritual Exercises are a means of helping us to use powers we have accumulated within ourselves through loving self-forgetting service. They are not a means to an end.

Conclusion
We can ultimately get from the universe only as much as we give to it.  At the present time we are mainly debtors, not creditors. We can pay our debts to the universe and become eligible for promotion to higher states only by working to perfect our vehicles and using them in service to God’s creation. May we so strive that we become better servants in the vineyard of the Lord, Christ.

WHO IS YOUR NEIGHBOR
By Mr. K. G. Attorkwe

In Luke10: 25-37, we read; ‘And behold a certain lawyer stood up and tempted Him saying, Master what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him what is written in the law how readest thou? He said answering, Thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and thy strength and with thy mind, and thy neighbor as thyself. And He said unto him thou hast answered right, these do and thou shall live.  But he willing to justify himself said to Jesus, and who is my neighbor? And Jesus answering said a certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment and wounded him and departed leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way and when he saw him he passed by on the other side.  And likewise a Levite when he was at the place came and looked on him and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan as he journeyed came where he was and when he saw him he had compassion on him.  And went to him and bound up his wound pouring in oil and wine and set him on his own beast and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed he took out two pence and gave them to the host and said unto him, take care of him and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again I will repay thee.  Which now of these three thinkest thou was neighbor unto him that fell among the thieves?  And he said he that showed mercy onto him.  Then said Jesus unto him go and do likewise. The question is how many of us did not fail this test directly or otherwise? Have we not given excuses to dodge an important selfless service we should have rendered  that would have helped in building the golden wedding garment (the soul body)?
Let us look at the man Nelson Modibo Mandela after 27 years of imprisonment. Out of forgiveness he became the unifier of both blacks and whites of South Africa. In Matt. 18: 21-27, we read: Then came Peter to him and said Lord how oft shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Till seven times? Jesus said unto him. I say not unto thee until seven times but until seventy times seven. Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened to a certain king which would take account of his servants, and when he had begun to reckon one was brought unto him which owed him 10,000 talents. But for as much as he had not to pay his lord commanded him to be sold and his wife and children and all that he had and payment to be made.  The servant therefore fell down and worshiped him saying lord have patience with me and I shall pay thee all. Then the lord of the servant was moved with compassion and loosed him and forgave him the debt. Understand that three tricks made the magic for Mandela viz: PATIENCE, COMPASSION AND FORGIVENESS.
Understanding is one of the most precious qualities to which the human mind may aspire, is born of such deep searching into the inner meanings of outer phenomena.  One of the first fruits of understanding is the glad obedience of the law within, as represented by conscience.  With understanding comes compassion for the failures and sufferings of others together with an increasingly intense desire to hasten the day when pain and discord will be eliminated from human life.  To be able to accomplish this we need to be bold, have courage, be patient enough, pains taking while waiting on the Lord.  As we are aware Love suffereth long and is kind, love envieth not, love vaunteth not herself, is not puffed up, doth not behave herself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh not evil, rejoiceth not in evil, but in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things and endureth all things.
We know that mind has been given man so that he can become godlike. The mind if fully matured is capable of reason, connecting causes to effects and relating future effects to present causes.  Without mind knowledge is impossible but mind alone cannot provide understanding.  A person achieves understanding only if he pursues his study of a subject with constancy, sympathy, courage and ultimately comes to feel himself a part of the subject.  Understanding is based on observation and experience.  We must also learn to react sympathetically and with love, it is only then we will gain understanding.

In Christ Jesus’ work we find LOVE & HUMILITY to be very outstanding. Although He made the greatest sacrifice, He was the most humble person on earth. He taught it by washing the feet of His disciples and told them, he who would be the greatest amongst you, let him be the servant of all. The little things we do for others silently and unnoticed are the true tests of our humility.  The observant person will notice what needs to be done, said or thought of.  Note that the important thing is to have thought of goodwill, kindness and cheerfulness.  While we do these things we shall find that we not only feel better but get far more accomplished in our daily lives by thinking and acting in harmony with Christ Jesus’ way if love and humility and therefore with nature.

Compassion is another key word. The Great Beings above mankind in evolution are living in harmony with the Laws on Nature while many of us humans are not. The forces of Nature are flowing through the universe with rhythms of great music harmoniously while we are mostly out of tune with the cosmic rhythm, hence the disorders in the world viz; wars, fires, tornados, earthquakes, floods, name them.
If we see a person either sowing or reaping the fruits of his evil deeds of the past our first impulse or thought should be to give all the help we can either by word or deed or strong thought to strengthen him to overcome the difficulties and challenges he might be going through.  It is through compassion that we improve our feeling and are able to love our neighbor as ourselves.  We should not look at the predicament of our neighbors despite the evil treatments they might have meted to us and others and say in our hearts “na God don’t punish you”, for it is only if we overcome such temptation that we will be able to have true compassion and love for our neighbors and our so called enemies. Temptations are building blocks for our soul body if overcome. If we are tempted to do something we know is wrong, but do not do it, we have triumphed over the temptation, but if we do it in spite of knowing that it is wrong, then we have yielded to temptation and will have to go through tribulation so as to learn the lesson that temptation was meant to teach us.  Resisting one temptation makes us stronger in overcoming the next one, and at the same time gives courage to stand up to it, for it takes courage to overcome temptation.  For us praying without ceasing is the only sure way we have of meeting the temptation that appears before us every day of our lives. Satan knows very well how to twist and turn temptations according to each person’s nature so as to make them attractive traps, avoided by only those who are praying and watching. We can’t say exactly what our temptation will be, but we may be sure we can learn to tell they are not what Christ Jesus would like us to do.   Let us remember the Good Samaritan and ask ourselves this question, ’ what would Christ Jesus have us to do’.  If we use this question each day as an incentive, we shall find we receive help from above in overcoming all temptations. And above all we must remember to thank the Lord for helping us overcome.
In John 15: 12-14, we read; this is my commandment that ye love one another, as I loved you.  Greater love hath no man than this, that, a man lay down his life for his friends.  Ye are my friends, if ye do whatever I command you. We know that when He was crucified His body was pieced in five places; in the five centers where the currents of the vital body flow and the pressure of the crown of thorns caused a flow from the sixth also. When the blood flowed from these centers, the great Sun spirit Christ was liberated from the physical vehicles of Jesus to take possession of our planet, defusing His desire body over it which has enabled Him thense forth to work upon the earth and its humanity from within, saving us together with our planet. He took the sin of the world by His cleansing blood which gave Him entrance to the Earth and its humanity.  He purified the conditions and we owe it to Him that we are able to gather for our desire bodies purer desire stuff than formerly, and He continues to help us by making our external environment constantly purer and purer each year He returns with greater desire stuff that we can manage.
May we lead the life that He came to teach us so as to relieve Him of His annual suffering when He returns to our planet with the limitations endured by Him in entering the hampering conditions of physical existence.

THE OTHER SIDE OF LOVING SELF-FORGETTING SERVICE
By Mr. Anthony Nyamful

Every earnest student of the Rosicrucian Fellowship is eager to perform selfless service to his fellowman. This is because it is the safest and the surest way to becoming one with God. Nonetheless, one thing which students of the Rosicrucian Fellowship may overlook in their efforts to perform selfless service is the level of purity with which the service is performed. This is what I call “The other side of loving self-forgetting service.”

Students are therefore admonished in the healing service of the Rosicrucian Fellowship to live pure lives in order to become REAL HELPERS in the work which the Elder Brothers have started. To achieve such an ideal status as a real helper, will be determined by the level at which the student strive to attune himself or herself to the Christ principle consciously. Such tuning is similar to how musicians tune up their musical instruments or as described in another forms by Max Heindel as follows:

“It is manifest, then, that whatever urges man toward a higher standard of conduct in his dealing with others must come from within, and from a source which is not identical with the body, otherwise it would not strive with the body and often prevail against its most obvious interests.
Moreover, it must be a stronger force than that of the body, or it could not succeed in overcoming its desires and compelling it to make sacrifices for those who are physically weaker. That such a force exists, surely no one will deny. We have come to that stage in our advancement where, instead of seeing in physical weakness an opportunity for easy prey, we recognize in the
very frailty of another a valid claim upon our protection. Selfishness is being slowly but surely routed by Altruism. Nature is sure to accomplish her purposes. Though slow, her progress is orderly and certain. In the breast of every man this force of Altruism works as a leaven. It is transforming the savage into the civilized man, and will in time transform the latter into a God”.
The above statement by Max Heindel can be postulated in another form through the use of two tuning forks. If one or two tuning-forks of exactly the same pitch is struck, the sound will induce the same vibration in the other, weak to begin with, but if the strokes are continued, the second fork will give out a louder and louder tone until it will emit a volume of sound equal to
that of the first. This will happen though the forks are several feet apart, and even if one of them is encased in glass. The sound from the smitten one will penetrate the glass and the answering note be emitted by the enclosed instrument.

In the first place, let us particularly note the fact that the two tuning-forks were of the same pitch. Had this not been the case, we might have sounded and sounded one of them until the crack of doom, but the other one would have remained mute. Let us understand this thoroughly:
Vibration can be induced in one tuning-fork by one of like tone only. Anything, or any being, can be affected as above stated by no sound except its own key-note. We know that this force of Altruism exists. We also know that it is less pronounced among uncivilized people than among people of higher social attainment, and among the very lowest races it is almost entirely lacking.
The logical conclusion is that there was a time when it was altogether absent. Consequent upon this conclusion follows the natural question: What induced it? The material personality surely had nothing to do with it; in fact, that part of man's nature was much more comfortable without it than it has been at any time since. Man must have had the force of Altruism latent within; otherwise it could not have been awakened. Still further, it must have been awakened by a force of the same kind--a similar force that was already active--as the second tuning-fork was started into vibration by the first after it was struck. We also saw that the vibrations in the second fork become stronger and stronger under the continued impacts of sound from the first, and that a glass case was no hindrance to the induction of the sound. Under the continued impacts of a
force similar to that within him, the Love of God to man has awakened this force of Altruism and is constantly increasing its potency.

The principle of sympathetic vibration is echoed in many forms in the bible as well. For example, in John 10:3-4, it is written as follows;
To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice, and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out and when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him for they know his voice. Putting the above quotation in another form, one may say that the voice or tone of Christ is sounding or calling and that when the aspirant is ready he recognizes such a voice and begins to follow it till he becomes one with Him; as is written in John 10: 16. …and other sheep I have, which are not of this fold them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be
ONE FOLD AND ONE SHEPHERD. From the above quotations one can deduce that Christ distinguishes between two types of sheep; the one which has began following and the one which has persisted and has become one with him.

This is because even from the physical point of view the process of tuning a musical instrument is not instantaneous. It has to be carefully done till the two sounds become one. Similarly we as students should learn daily to listen and chart with the God within till we become one with it. At that point in time it begins to guide us so that we become the sheep of Christ which is one with
Him and has started working in His vineyard or perform selfless service as real helpers in the work which the Elder Brothers have started. My dear sisters and brothers, the process of tuning ourselves to the God within is vividly described in the pamphlet called the law and our needs as follows:

“The existence of the Inner Power, is something about which most people have no knowledge, and something which they usually do not even suspect the existence of. Nevertheless, the Inner Power is a stupendous factor in human life and the one upon which general success in life is most dependent. The Inner Power is the Ego, the Spirit, the Higher Self, the vitalizing Life which
comes from God, and the essential power that keeps man going. The Inner Power is the God Within, and the God Within is part of the God Without, the God of the Universe. The Inner Power is our personal link with God. Therefore, we can see how powerful this inner, higher self is. It is omnipotent because it is a part of the God of the Universe. This omnipotence, however, is
more or less latent in humanity at the present time. It is the function of evolution to unfold it into positive, dynamic omnipotence. This is what we are gradually learning to do in our daily lives and by our succession of rebirths.”

This Inner Power affects the personality and the daily life in this way: the God Within, which is omnipotent and possessed of all wisdom as well, is constantly sending messages down into the conscious mind. These messages appear as intuitions, inspirations, and original ideas. They tell us what it is that the Higher Self in its wisdom wishes us to do. If we follow these suggestions and put them into effect, the results in our lives will be constructive. Failure will be changed into success, the obstacles which have beset us gradually will disappear, and we shall find that everything begins to work together for good and for success in every department of life. If we ignore the intuitions from the Inner Power and follow the self-indulgent desires and straying thoughts of the personality, then we shall find that our troubles will increase and our pathway
through life will become more difficult. You can see how important it is to be on the alert to catch the ideas and intuitions of the Power Within and then put them into effect. ” One can most effectively receive these messages by quieting the conscious mind, and particularly by having quiet times for meditation so that when the conscious mind is stilled, the Power can speak to us and we will hear it. It is speaking to us and sending us mental messages
all the time, however, no matter how active we are. Conscience is another of the messages of the Power Within which we always would do well to obey. If only we will follow the directions of this Power, it will speak to us in ever-clearer tones, gradually reshaping our lives and transforming our failures into successes.

We must cultivate belief in the existence of the Inner Power and belief in its ability to transform our lives. This belief is the wire, the electrical circuit, which connects us with it. If we establish a clear connection between the Power and our conscious mind, the result will be very much better, because then the Ego can send its messages to us much more clearly and effectively. Disbelief in
these things impairs the connection and in some cases even destroys it. Then we are left more or less without the conscious guidance and wisdom of the God Within and easily run amuck so that failure follows. Thus we see that this belief is of great importance. Some people call it faith -- faith in God. Actually, however, faith in the God Within and its power is the same thing as faith
in the God Without and His omnipotence.

If we listen to and obey the suggestions and directions of the Power Within, fear and anxiety are taken away and we gain poise, which is a large factor in material success. We lose our fear of both life and death. We know that all things are ordered with wisdom and that they will turn out well from the spiritual point of view. We can, moreover, increase the good results by praying to the Power Within -- by talking to it, having conversations with it -- because it is right here, nearer than breathing. It will hear us and make the wise response. Some people call this praying to God; it is the same thing, because it is to the God Within. When praying we are making new, constructive destiny to neutralize and offset some of the debts of our previous years and lives.
When we talk to the Power Within, either mentally or in words, we may tell it what our ideals and ambitions are, what we wish to accomplish, and what we would like to have. Then leave the materialization to the Inner Power and not make the mistake of demanding this or that thing. When we have finished the conversation, we have made the thought form and in due time it will
be materialized for us by the Spirit in such form and to such degree as it deems wise, particularly if we repeat it from time to time. We should be content with this, knowing that it embodies the highest wisdom.

If we do the above, we are living by faith. By living serenely in the knowledge of the existence of this Inner Power, and having belief or faith that it will work out a perfect result in our lives, all fear and anxiety for the future gradually will disappear, and we shall become confident, poised, and tranquil. We then shall be able to meet situations successfully which formerly defeated us and caused us to fail. Therefore, living by faith not only increases our material success, but it also makes us much happier as we perform selfless service to mankind.

THE BASIC SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLES
 By  Mr. Anthony Owusu

 There are many spiritual principles that are universally recognized by most faith traditions as the cornerstones for a good life. The principles that have been chosen to discuss here are not the only values worth pursuing, but they represent an excellent start, and they are areas in which we all can grow and improve. 

Spiritual principles are guidelines set on the characteristics and virtues a spiritual person should possess. Spiritual principles can be collapsed in qualities like; being kind, compassionate, loving, responsible, integrity, appreciation and many more. This helps people live in accordance with our values and principles.

A principle is a law or rule that has to be, or usually is to be followed, or can be desirably followed, or is an inevitable consequence of something. A principle is a fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behaviour or for a chain of reasoning. They also serve well as daily affirmations in meditation and waking consciousness.  The principles of such a system are understood by its users as the essential characteristics of the system, or reflecting system's designed purpose, and the effective operation or use of which would be impossible if any one of the principles was to be ignored. We live in a society that requires us to live by certain principles. Principles are put into place in order that standards and rules may be maintained. However, it has been discovered that sometimes the principles are not adhered to as they should be.   

The Principle of Gratitude
Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.
Cicero 106-43 BC
“The best way to show my gratitude to God is to accept everything, even my problems, with joy.” ~Mother Teresa
Gratitude has long been recognized as an essential virtue in all of the world’s great religious traditions. Scriptures abound with admonitions to express gratitude for God’s blessing and to practice gratitude in our daily lives. The Book of Psalms, for instance, is rife with songs giving thanks to God, such as Psalm 100: 3-4:
“Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His. We are His people, the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name.”

For many of us it is a considerable challenge to be grateful for everything. Being thankful for a raise at work or for a special favor is easy. Giving thanks for things we often take for granted, like good health, requires a bit more thoughtfulness and effort. But giving thanks for difficult and painful experiences—like getting cancer or losing a loved one—can challenge the best of us.
Circumstances like these challenge us to remember that life is not about having everything exactly the way we want it, day in and day out.

 Gratitude, thankfulness, gratefulness, or appreciation is a feeling or attitude in acknowledgment of a benefit that one has received or will receive.
Everything we appreciate in our lives also appreciates us. This involves relationships, family, carrier and other areas of our life. When we give gifts to other people it’s because we want to see them happy and cheerful. But what happen when they don’t show gratitude? Surely that soon they will no longer receive gifts and appreciation from others.

 Every day is a gift; every breath is a gift. We can take nothing for granted in this life. The experience of feeling grateful seems to clear away much of the petty, day-to-day crankiness so many of us experience – the feelings of annoyance, impatience, resentment, anger, indignation. There’s something very uplifting about filling yourself with a sense of gratitude, when you first open your eyes every day, as you go to sleep, and often in between. Gratitude for all you have received, and gratitude for all that has not befallen you.

We are here to learn and to grow and to serve. Sometimes our souls must be tempered by trials, just as steel must be tempered to become stronger and fit for its purpose. We must also remember that we don’t always know what is best for us, or even what’s good for us. 

When facing such challenges, let us heed the example of Job, who never turned his back on God and who never lost his faith that there was some purpose to be served by his suffering, even if he could not fathom it. If we want to learn to be happy regardless of what life throws at us, we must learn to look beyond our personal discomfort in order to appreciate and be grateful for the underlying blessings it may have in store.

The Principle of Humility
The world’s great religious traditions all recognize humility as one of the essential virtues needed for spiritual growth. Jesus taught that humble service is essential to leadership, saying that “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.” (Mark 10:43-44) Similarly, in Luke 18:14, He says, “Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” And in Matthew 18:4, He states that “Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus presents the famous beatitude usually translated as, “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5)

Of course Jesus did not just recommend humility as a virtue for others, but exemplified it in his ministry and his life. “By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me,” he said, crediting God rather than glorifying himself and stating that he sought to do only God’s will, not his own. (John 5:30) And far more telling than his words, of course, and far more challenging for us to realize in our own lives, is the example of complete devotion to God’s will show by choosing to surrender his own life in the Garden of Gethsemane.

The Principle of Humility is to resist a false sense of self importance.  Humility is to realize that our knowledge is very limited and that the more we learn the more we find that we don't know. Too many people think that they are "chosen" and have a special relationship with some deity, and that the deity is dependent on them. Too many people are vying for social position resulting in the burden of self-importance. People want to have "meaning" in their lives and want to believe that they are here for some special "purpose"; that they have some cosmic role to play and that reality is dependent on them. People with big egos are too easily misled and manipulated and are far less effective in maintaining integrity than those who are unburdened by maintaining their perception of self-importance. 

An exaggerated sense of self-importance often affects one's perception of reality the way it really is. It makes people subject to being easily fooled or manipulated into believing certain things in order to justify their self-importance.

Humility allows us to accept doubt and to express doubt and to understand that doubt is not a personal insult but an expression of our quest for reality. Humility helps us to accept scrutiny, to be accountable, to be responsible, and to preserve the integrity of our quest for reality. We express doubt from a place of humility and we accept doubt from a place of humility. Humility allows us to be inclusive, to maintain peace and avoid war. To allow wisdom to rule over emotion. 

Humility may be one of the most misunderstood and underappreciated aspects of human experience. It does not mean putting yourself below others, letting people “walk all over you,” or acting like you are inferior or unworthy in any way. It just means being neutral – letting go of the need to place yourself above others. Far too much human energy gets squandered in the mindless striving for importance, getting “one-up,” trying to prove we are richer, better, smarter, wiser, more clever, more capable, or more worthy than others. You don’t have to get drawn into ego-competition and status games with anyone. Humility is amazingly liberating: you reclaim your creative energy and make it more available for your own growth. We grow when we free ourselves of the need to feel bigger than others.

The Principle of Generosity
 “Give: and it shall be given to you: good measure and pressed down and shaken together and running over shall they give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you shall mete withal, it shall be measured to you again.” - Luke 6:38

Generosity (also called largess or largesse) is the habit of giving without expecting anything in return. It can involve offering time, assets or talents to aid someone in need. Often equated with charity as a virtue, generosity is widely accepted in society as a desirable trait. Generosity is not solely based on one's economic status, but instead, includes the individual's pure intentions of looking out for society's common good and giving from the heart. Generosity should reflect the individual's passion to help others. 

To be generous means giving something that is valuable to you without expectation of reward or return. Many traditions measure generosity not by the size of the gift, but by what it cost the giver. Sometimes generosity requires pushing past a feeling of reluctance because we all instinctively want to keep good things for ourselves. When we intentionally "live below our means" and avoid over commitment, we cultivate a sense of bounty or surplus that makes us want to share. When we give, we reap the pleasure of knowing we have made someone else's life a little happier.
Generosity is therefore not a random idea or haphazard behavior but rather, in its mature form, a basic, personal, moral orientation to life. Furthermore, in a world of moral contrasts, generosity entails not only the moral good expressed but also many vices rejected (selfishness, greed, fear, meanness).

Generosity also involves giving to others not simply anything in abundance but rather giving those things that are good for others. Generosity always intends to enhance the true wellbeing of those to whom it gives.
The generous person must be suspicious of all courses of action and all outcomes in which self-interest dominates, and he must act on the basis of a nobler principle. However, as false glory is often veiled by a mask that makes it resemble generosity, it is necessary to consider that every action that goes against justice, that is, against the public good, and in a word, all that is contrary to virtue, is not glorious.  Justice is the soul of generosity and what is recognized as unjust will never pass as generous.

Giving should be done cheerfully. There are times that we just feel compelled to do it. There are times that it is just of shame because all other people gave much and we did not. But this is not what God wants us to learn. He wants us to learn how to give cheerfully. As Paul said, God loves a cheerful giver. Our motives and our giving should start from the heart. Cheerful giving is sometimes hard to learn especially if we feel like losing a huge part of our wealth. It is God who enable the grace abound towards us which we always have all the sufficiency in all things. Therefore, we lack nothing and we lose nothing in giving. God makes all things sufficient in us so that the same blessings may about to every good work.

We feel larger, stronger, fuller, more engaged, and more effective by the simple act of giving to others. Handing your pocket change to the homeless person; offering someone the right of way in traffic when you don’t have to; saying something nice to that waiter or store clerk who seems a bit weary and not enjoying life; doing small favors without being asked; greeting your sullen neighbor, even if he does not greet you back; showing others you care about them; saying please and thank you.

With respect to generosity the vice of excess is called "prodigality” or wastefulness. Some people simply give away things which they actually need thoughtlessly. That is called the error or vice, of excess, with respect to the virtue of generosity. The contrary vice is "miserliness", the error of defect, with respect to the virtue of generosity --- always wanting and getting more and more, but not making any use of such limited goods. 

When you feel "pain" at doing something that you do not want to do, you are being compelled against your will to do that so-called "good" thing. Hence it is not a voluntary act, or an act that goes along with what you think is right or good to do. Any compelled act, which we do against our wills, violates our intellects (minds) and our rational intellects about what we want to do (will). So it is an involuntary act, and nothing done against our will and our mind gives us pain. Paining ourselves is vicious. So, when you do the "right thing" against your will and give yourself pain that is a vice. Basically what you are doing to your mind and will, when you do not want to do something, but do it anyway, is to torture yourself. 

Sometimes when we give, people respond ungratefully. If we can resist getting upset, we are practicing patience. Giving not out of a sense of obligation or reluctantly nor with a wish to outdo others but with joy is the practice of enthusiastic effort. Directing our full attention to an act of generosity is concentration. Discerning and understanding what is appropriate to give and what is not, and remembering that the giver, the act of generosity, and the recipient are all interdependent and empty of inherent existence are the practice of wisdom.

The Principle of Forgiveness

Our job here is to serve as agents of God’s will — and that includes becoming as forgiving toward others as we hope a loving father would be toward us. Our trespasses (or “wrongs” or “sins” or “karmic debts”) will be forgiven only to the extent that we forgive others’ wrongs. And lest we miss the significance of this, Jesus highlights it in the teaching immediately following:
“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14-15)
Other rabbis had long taught similarly about forgiveness. For instance, in the book of Sirach, also known as Ecclesiasticus, Jesus, son of Sirach (two centuries before Christ), writes, “Forgive your neighbor’s injustice; then when you pray, your own sins will be forgiven.” (Sirach 28:2)

Whenever you forgive someone who has hurt you, you set a prisoner free and that prisoner is you. There are two great enemies of the soul that imprison people. One is guilt and the other is bitterness. So many people in this world are absolutely driven into the ground spiritually, psychologically and physically by guilt and bitterness. But Jesus shows us how to overcome guilt and bitterness. "Forgive our debts" (shed guilt) as we forgive our debtors" (remove bitterness). When we are forgiven we are set free from the prison of guilt and bitterness. One of God's greatest gifts to us is forgiveness.

Forgiveness cancels a debt that is owed. When I forgive somebody, I cancel that person's debt to me. The word "forgive" means to bear the burden. If I forgive you, I bear the burden of your debt. Forgiveness can, in fact, be costly. In the Greek the word forgive means to completely cancel a debt or penalty. To forgive is to accept within yourself the consequences of the sins of others. It means to accept the pain, the problems and the burden that comes when someone sins against you. Forgiveness is neither an easy nor a frequent gift.
Four Compelling Reasons to Forgive---

Number one is the Grace factor which is to show God's Grace. We should forgive because God has so willingly forgiven us. Ephesians 4:32,"And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you." God has shown grace to us, therefore we must show grace to one another. To forgive is to be like Jesus. On the contrary, to not forgive is to be like the enemy of God - Satan. 

Number two is the Guilt factor, to be released from guilt. We bear the guilt when we don't forgive. Our unforgiveness toward others shuts out God's forgiveness. An unforgiving spirit is unforgiveable in God's sight. God holds us accountable for our actions regardless of what others have done to hurt us. Romans 12:19, "Beloved do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. 
Number three is the Grief factor, to avoid grief. An unforgiving spirit keeps us in bondage. When we get even we come down to where the offender is. When we forgive we lift the offender up to where we are. When we refuse to forgive and allow the bitterness to remain it slowly but surely turns to hatred and hatred draws us into doing sinful acts. Unforgiveness is like a cancer. It eats away the peace and rest of a person's body , soul and spirit.  George Herbert said: "He that cannot forgive others breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass if he would ever reach heaven." 

Number four is the Gain factor, to gain a friend. Matthew 18:15, "Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained a brother. Matthew 5:23-24, "Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift." When brothers and sisters in Christ fail to forgive it disgraces the Father, it discourages the saints. Few things hurt a church quicker than an unforgiving spirit. Failing to forgive delights the devil. Psalm 133:1, "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethern to dwell together in unity."
A grudge is harder on the one who holds it than the one it is help against. 
One of the greatest obstacles to forgiveness is pride. There are some people who will never acknowledge that they were wrong or have wronged a person. Luke 17:3-4 gives us the formula for a prideful spirit. "Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, 'I repent,' forgive him." Notice a condition in that verse: "If he repents, forgive him..." We see this portrayed when Jesus was on the cross. He said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." But if we look at Acts 2:22, we hear Peter indicating that they were still guilty for crucifying Jesus. Notice that they weren't forgiven until they repented and followed through with obedience of baptism. Those who did not repent weren't forgiven. Pride was their greatest obstacle.

In conclusion, we may find it difficult to forgive, but the cost of unforgiveness is far greater. Truly, forgiveness is a matter of life. Unforgiveness is a matter of death, spiritually, psychologically and physically. Jesus made the matter very clear in Matthew 6:14-15: "For if you forgive men for their transgressions, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions." 

“He abused me and hurt me, threw me down and robbed me.” In those who harbor such thoughts, hatred will never cease.
“He abused me and hurt me, threw me down and robbed me.” In those who abandon such thoughts, hatred will cease. Hatreds never cease through hatred in this world; through love alone they cease. This is an eternal law. Some don’t know that in our quarrels we perish. But those who do realize this, settle their quarrels. (Dhammapada 1:3-6)

THY WILL BE DONE  - THE KEY TO EASTER MYSTERIES

By Mr. Johnson Degboe

Many of us may be wondering why chose “Thy will be done” as a topic for discussion at Easter. Has the topic anything to do with the torture and suffering that ended in the most horrific death of the gentle Nazarene? Or has it anything to do with the final Victory of life over death – the Resurrection?

Easter effectively ended the Christ Mission on the physical plane. He has since gone ahead of mankind to the Father’s house to prepare a place for us and will return to take us back so that where he is we may be there also. Admittedly, humanity lost his paradise in the Garden of Eden and can only regain it through the events of the Garden of Gethsemane that culminated in the crucifixion at Golgotha as demonstrated by Jesus Christ, the Path-shower, How have we changed our lifestyles from the events of the Annunciation to the Ascension to merit reclaiming the lost Paradise through Christ.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

As we shall see presently, “Thy will be done” is the platform on which the entire Easter drama unfolds and therefore crucial in our Easter discourse. It is in fact the key to the Easter mysteries. Easter is a season of transmutation where the sinful old changes for the pure and new that draws the aspirant to the Ideal Christ Life. And Paul puts it simply as the period to put off the old man and put on the new. Thus beginning more efficient servers of the Christ in his great work as he sings the triumphant Easter songs; “I am the Resurrection and the Life”.

As we celebrate Easter therefore our efforts must be geared towards transmitting our sinful lifestyles into righteous Ideal Christ lifestyles which is basically loving selfless service to humanity that culminates in the great sacrifice on Golgotha:”Greater love has no man than lay down his life for others.” John 15:13 this is the upper-most limit of one’s true love for others.

An honest objective of the Christ Ideal life leads up to the will of God. Jesus Christ did not do anything on his own accord during his three year ministry on earth because as he himself puts if: he has not come into the world on his own authority but on the authority of his father, God. Christ was sent to the world by God to redeem it from destruction and put humanity right with God. As we lead the Christ Ideal Life then we do the will of God on earth as the angels do in heaven. We may recall that the will of God transcends all the four kingdoms of the world. Thy will be done is therefore a central theme that every committed aspirant to Christhood must work with to attain his goal. Of the four kingdoms, kingdoms, the human kingdom are the most evolved. But incidentally, it is also the only kingdom that had rebelled against God’s will and brought pain and death upon himself. We may recall how Adam and Eve rebelled against the will of God in the Garden of Eden paradise on earth and ate of the forbidden tree in the centre of the garden. The tree of knowledge at the prompting of the Lucifer spirits. It is through this disobedience to Gods commandment, popularly referred to as the first sin that estranged us from our primal guardians. Adam and Eve (humanity) were

subsequently expelled from the Garden of Eden, Paradise. And Cherubim guarded the entrance of the Garden with a flaming sword. Man has thus lost Paradise. The loss of the paradise brought pains, suffering and death into the world. Through Adam death came into the world. God sent his son, the Christ, to redeem and save mankind from death and teach him how to work for eternal life to regain the lost paradise in the New Jerusalem, the New Galolee or the holy city.

Naturally, one may at this point ask: what is Gods will that must be done in the scheme of events in the Christ ministry on earth?

The will of God, simply put is the great commandment: “Thou shall love the Lord. Thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and the great commandment. And the second like unto it. Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the laws and the prophets. “Matt. 22:37-40, Mark 12:28-34, Luke 10:25-28. The commandments and the Laws present and protect the will of God on earth. Humanity is given an uninteferred with freedom to do what pleases him. Man’s free will is the weak link in his spiritual evolution.

A close look at the first great commandment of the law quoted above is infact a summary of the first four laws of the Ten Commandment which were in practice before the advent of the Christ. These first four commandments spell out in detail what man must do on earth so as to maintain a perfect child-father relationship with God.

God’s will in his regard is that man must not worship any other god before him; man must not make any images of his creation be they in the heavens or on earth as his god. “--- for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generations of  them that hate me but show steadfast love to thousand of those who love me. “Exodus 20:1-7

It is true that no man can serve two masters. Jesus Christ revisited the important lesson to his generation in the Sermon on the Mount: “No man can serve two masters: for either he hates the one and love the other; or else he will hold to one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon”, Matt. 6:24, Luke 16:13

The remaining six of the Ten Commandments speaks against murder, adultery, stealing, bearing false witness against one another, envy, and jealousy among others. But Jesus Christ has repackaged the Ten Commandments into one clause.

“Love God and your neighbour as yourself”. In other words, Jesus Christ has repackaged the will of God that must be done on earth among men into one word love. And if we remember that God is love and that he that dwell in love dwelt in God and God in him, we shall then agree with the Lord that love is the sum total of Gods will and that he that attains to love has done Gods will. The love that Jesus Christ refer to here is the true and unconditional divine love. And to Paul, though this love suffereth long is kind. The divine love does not envy. It does not seek her own. It is not easily proved and does not think evil. It is not proud neither is it arrogant. But above all love casts out fear. And fear as we know is one of the major derailing factors that retard our progress on the Path of spiritual attainment.

Jesus Christ has thus given love to mankind as the KEY to regeneration, for love transforms the sinner into a saint. Any one that has evolved to divine love status automatically renders selfless service to others. He administers self forgetting service to others in absolute humility. He does not count cost be it spiritual or physical (Financial or material) because he has transmuted his lower desire into higher desire to the will of God because he has realized the nothiness of worldly possession i.e. materialism. Paul put it succinctly in Philippians 2:3-8.

“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind. Let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interest but also for the interest of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus who being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God. But made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant and coming in the likeness of man and being found in appearance as a man. He humbled himself and became obedient to death, even the death upon the cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and given him a name above every name”. And that at the name Christ Jesus every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus is Lord.

The above is the Christ ideal life that mankind is taught to imitate thus nurture the God within to maturity. And Christ ideal life is the will of God as said elsewhere. The main question at this point is: has man been doing the will of God as required of him?

No! Has man done the will of the creator, God, the world will have known peace and become a better place to live in. The world is engulfed in wars – civil wars, drug wars, religious wars and rumours of wars. Pain, suffering and sorrow abound in the world. Sickness is still causing havoc to humanity. And death remains the number one enemy of man. It is embarrassing that after 2,000 years that prince of peace had given his peace to the world, the world still knows no peace. There is no peace in the world because mankind has refused to honour his part of the peace covenant to eternalize world peace given us by the Redeemer. Humanity must eschew his sinful lifestyle of greed, selfishness, hatred, arrogance and pride and above all the selfish struggle for power, wealth, fame and position and become the true children of God to regain the lost paradise. We must work on our sinful bodies persistently and nurture the Christ within to maturity to become the citizens of the New Jerusalem/New Galilee – The Holy City.
But it appears that the rate at which mankind is assimilating the higher lessons that will transmute our sinful lifestyle into righteous lifestyles to usher us into the New Jerusalem to regain the lost Paradise is rather too slow. A case in point is the teaching on transmutation of selfishness and greed. Jesus Christ has released these higher lesson to us in the Lord’s prayer: “Give us this day our daily bread”. Matt6:11. Has mankind not been taught this lesson before the advent of Christ? This lesson was first released to mankind through Moses. The lesson of  Manna and the Quails Exodus 16.

The Israelites were directed to collect two quarts for each member of his household. They were further instructed to collect for six days. Each household was to collect for two days on the day preceding the Sabbath. No one was to come for Manna on the Sabbath. This law was disobeyed by many. People collected more than they needed daily. The left-over got rotten the following day and were thrown away. Some went on the Sabbath but got nothing just as the law had told them. Man’s desire to always get more than they need and board them has not changed. It is over 2000 years since Jesus Christ had revisited this sinful aspect of man – selfishness and greed. Has christiandom changed its greed for materialism?

Even though Jesus Christ has made it clear materialism is an obstacle to attaining the kingdom of heaven, we still continue to amass wealth filthly in the midst of the poor and the needy yet we call ourselves children of God. We may recall Jesus answer to the rich young man’s question: what good thing must I do to receive eternal life?” Jesus asked him to keep the Ten Commandments: to which he said he had done. Jesus then gave him the decisive answer. If you want to be perfect, go sell what you have and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven then come and follow me”. When the young man heard this he went away sad, because he was very rich”.

After the young man had left, Jesus declared:--- it will be very hard for rich people to enter the kingdom of heaven.(Paradise) I repeat it is much hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle:. Matt 19:16-30, Mark 10:17-31, Luke 18:18-30.

It is clear from Jesus stand on material wealth that unless the rich share their wealth among the poor and the needy around them; they have not done the will of God on earth as required of them in line 4 of the comprehensive Lord’s Prayer and shall therefore not enter the kingdom of heaven. But today, there is a mad rush among all mankind to become materially rich. Man is never content with his lot. We persistently complain instead of being content. Can we enter the New Jerusalem with such lifestyle?
Has mankind learnt any positive lesson from the abuse of the creative force that brought pain, suffering and death into the world? Although the correct use of the creative act is taught by the Blessed Virgin Mary and Joseph over 2,000 years ago, humanity continues to abuse the sex force. And no doubt we populate the world with armed robbers, drug pushers, drug addicts, murderers and prostitutes causing social unrest all over the world. Thus we reap what we sow Note that the Immaculate Conception produced Jesus. And Jesus was the purest man of his generation. And we are told in the Sermon on the Mount Matt. 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God”. Jesus did not only see God, he becomes God. Jesus Christ. If we therefore practice the Immaculate Conception we shall populate the world with pure souls and not with social misfits like armed robbers and nation wreckers. The world will then know peace and live in peace.

It is clear from the foregoing that sexual promiscuity, greed, selfishness, hatred, arrogance and such other Broadway lifestyles will negate our efforts to regain the lost Paradise. We have to do the will of God through imitating the Christ lifestyles and this becomes humble and loving selfless servants of others to attain our goal. Such attainment will earn us a place at the right hand of the Lord at the final judgment. And the Lord shall say; “Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you took me in. I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you visited me; I was in prison and you came and visit me. Then the righteous will answer him saying, Lord, When did we see you hungry and feed you or thirsty and give you drink.

---And the king will answer and say to them, Assuredly, I say to you, in as much as you did it to one of the least of these. My brethren, you did it to me.”Matt. 25:34-45. We must serve the poor and the needy with all humility, simplicity, love and cheerfulness as Paul admonished us in his letter to the Romans. Have we been serving the poor and the needy around us with the true love and humility that they deserve?

One may at this point ask: what is “Thy will be done” in the scheme of events in the Christ ministry on earth that ushered in Easter: - Has it triggered of the Arrest, the trial or the torture that led to the Crucifixion and its attendant death that finally resulted in the Resurrection: the Victory of life over death, to become the platform on which the entire Easter drama unfolds?

As said earlier on, mankind’s goal on the path of spiritual attainment is to regain the lost paradise where “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain for the former things have passed away. “---Behold, I make all things new,” Rev. 21:4 – 5.

But mankind cannot regain the new paradise without passing through the Garden of Gethsemane – the Garden of sorrow. The aspirant cannot become a candidate of Gethsemane until He has become a humble loving selfless servant of others. And he cannot become a humble loving servant of others until he has overcome materiality. And he cannot overcome materiality unless he works with the fact that though he is in the world, he is not of the world and therefore holds his material wealth in sacred trust to be used for the good of others.

The temptation of Gethsemane was the toughest that faced Jesus Christ in his three year ministry on the physical plane. The events of Gethsemane marked the beginning of the end of the Christ earthly ministry. His mission on earth started with the temptation in the wilderness. And every aspirant who truly does the will of God must pass through the temptations of the wilderness and Gethsemane (Garden of Sorrow) to attain the liberation that awaits him in the New Jerusalem, the Holy City and regain the lost paradise.

The scenes of the brutal torture and the crucifixion that formed the final ritual that ended his mission on earth kept recurring to him at this stage of his work. He needed support from his friends. But the three most trusted and most spiritual developed that formed the inner core of his disciples, Peter, James and John deserted him. He was alone, distressed and sorrowful. The flesh and blood, the human aspect in him weakened him. It was at this stage that he petitioned his father to cancel the great sacrifice – the death through crucifixion.

Then the Lord said to the three most trusted friends: “ my soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch”. He went a little further and fell on the ground and prayed.

“---Abba, father, all things are possible for you. Take this cup away from me: nevertheless, not what I will but what you will.”
Then he came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter; Simon are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour? “Jesus Christ went up the hill three times and repeated the same petition to the father. Each time he returned, he found his trusted friends at rest and fast asleep. Jesus had no positive response from the father. He therefore told his friend on the third occasion that the hour has come, the sin of man is betrayed into the hands of the sinners”. He then ordered them:”Rise, let us be going, see, my betrayer is at hand”. Mark 14:32-42; Matt. 26:36 – 46, Luke 22:39 – 46.

When the Lord’s petition to the father to cancel the great sacrifice was rejected he humbly accepted the challenge: “O my father. If this cup cannot pass away from me unless I drink it. Thy will be done”. Matt. 26:42. He then meekly surrendered to his murderers. It is the final concession of Jesus Christ to the fathers will to undergo the terrifying ritual that ended his work on the physical plane that triggered off the event – The Arrest, Trial, the Crucifixion, death and resurrection which together form the Easter mysteries. But as we know the Lord has his free will and can refuse to be sacrificed. He also has superior powers which can use to escape from his murderers. Remember a mere answer “I am He” to their Own question as to whom they were looking for sent them all sprawling to the ground. Has he used his free will or superior powers or both to escape the horrific death on the cross, there would have been no Easter. It is on this grounds that one can say that the entire Easter mysteries unfolds on “Thy will be done.” Thus the key to the Easter mysteries.

The aspirant to spiritual attainment must therefore always do the will of God. Live it and eventually become the humble and loving selfless servants of others. It is when the aspirants has attained to this noble status that like Jesus Christ pass the tough test of Gethsemane, humbly go through the crucifixion and emerge triumphant in the Resurrection to regain the lost paradise in the New Jerusalem.

SACRIFICE
By Mr. S. K. Boateng

We are again at the time of Easter. The life impulse from the Cosmic Christ which entered the earth last fall, came to birth at Christmas, performed its wonderful magic of fecundation during the months between autumn and the present Easter time, is now liberating itself from the cross of matter to the Throne of the Father, leaving the earth clothed in the verdant glory of spring, ready for the physical activities of the Summer season. You and I during the six months have been thoroughly impregnated with the spiritual vibrations which predominated.

Easter therefore brings to mankind the recurring worth of the Great Sacrifice on the cross at Calvary by Christ Jesus. Sacrifice, therefore, implies and involves suffering. It includes the giving of oneself physically or spiritually for the benefit of others regardless of the pain, suffering or deprivation it may cause. The interest of mankind and our fellowman takes precedent over our own, notwithstanding the fact that suffering or pain may be the result thereof.

Christ Jesus was the channel through which the Divine Light of Love was released. The sun is now in Pisces giving us the spiritual ideals which humanity must aim at. At the same time Pisces is the twelfth house sign. Symbolizing suffering, purification, self-undoing but also liberation. The Piscean Dispensation has been for humanity one of intense suffering, bloodshed and purification that is now culminating. Through this purification man will at last liberate himself from the limitations of Pisces, and take on the new facet of the Christ Principle that will be released through Aquarius. We read from the opening verses of the Bible that darkness reigned and do we realize that we were within Him in that day when darkness reigned?  That “in Him we live and have our being?” Then came the commandment “Let there be Light” and gradually the whole universe which is the body of God commenced to glow , and the Christ Principle , the Light of the world was born. The Christ comes into existence to create a kingdom which is later given over to the Father .Thus the Christ Principle is the principle of service and sacrifice.

My dear sisters and brothers, also remember that Christ Jesus washing the feet of His Disciples symbolizes the process of purification [humility] through Pisces, the sign ruling the feet. Millions suffering under ignorance and poverty at the present seem to feel a new power urging them upward and onward.  Gradually all must come under the rule of Christ and as indicated in John10: 16 “and there shall be one fold and one shepherd”.

It is a notable fact that man and his religion have evolved side by side in an equal degree. The earliest religion of any Race is found to be as savage as the people governed by it and as they become more civilized, their religions become more and more humane and in harmony with higher ideals.

There is no doubt that the Law for the body is “The survival of the fittest”. The Law for the evolution of the Spirit demands “Sacrifice”. As long as man believes that ‘Might is Right’ the Form prospers and waxes strong, because all obstacles are swept out of the way regardless of others. If the body were all, that manner of life would be the only one possible for man. He would be quite regardless of his fellow being; absolutely insensitive to any force from without that tended to make him act in a manner not conducive to his own momentary pleasure. But we all know that that is not the truth or the only manner of life.
It is manifest, then, that whatever urges man toward a higher standard of conduct in his dealing with others must come from within and from a source which body is not identical with the body; otherwise it would not strive with the body and often prevail against its most obvious interests. Moreover it must be a stronger force than the body   or it could not succeed in overcoming its desires and compelling it to make sacrifices for those who are physically weak.

That such a force exits surely no one will deny. We have come to that stage of advancement, where instead of seeing in physical weakness an opportunity for easy prey, we recognize in the very frailty of another a valid claim upon our protection. Selfishness will then be slowly but surely routed by altruism. Nature is sure to accomplish her purposes. Though slow, her progress is orderly and certain. In the breast of every man this force of Altruism prompted by sacrifice works as a leaven. It is transforming the savage into the civilized man, and will in time transform the latter into a God.

Man must have had the force of Altruism latent within him otherwise it could not have been awakened. Still further it must have been awakened by a force of the same kind - a similar force that was already active. A clear reference is the sacrifice by Christ Jesus for humanity as indicated in John 3: 16  ‘ For God so love the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believes  in Him shall not perish but have everlasting  life’.  It behooves on us His followers and all who want to imitate Him to live according to His definition of greatness namely ‘he who wants to be the greatest of all should be a servant of all ‘. AT this Easter season particularly let us remember this Great Spirit, who for our sake has come down, and who has been groaning and travailing, waiting for the day of liberation; waiting for the manifestation of the Sons of God, so that we may bear His burden. His soul body is His means of keeping our planet afloat in space. And only when a sufficient number among us have evolved soul bodies of the composite strength to carry the earth through space can the Christ be liberated and the Kingdom of     God established.

The Leaders of humanity have designed four steps whereby man lifts himself to God .That man will evolve the altruism and love that will liberate the Earth Spirit from the cramping conditions of material existence, when the necessity for guiding us shall have passed. At first when man awakened to a consciousness in the physical world and is in the savage state, he finds himself surrounded by other men, who by the very stress of circumstances are forced to fight for life; men among whom ‘might is right’; here he learns to rely upon his own strength to save him from the onslaught of wild animals and other men. But he perceives around him the nature powers and of them he is afraid. For he knows their ability to kill him, and his own impotence to cope with them. Therefore begins to worship, seeking to propitiate the God he fears by bloody sacrifices.

Next comes the time when he begins to look to God as the giver of things, who will reward him here and now for obedience to his law, and punish him instantly for disobedience.  A mighty ally against his enemies but a powerful enemy and therefore much to be feared. The Tribal God taught him that he must deal mercifully with his brother tribesman; and gave laws which made for equity and fair dealing between men of the same Race. The Old Testament gives various narrations of this stage of advancement of man. And so he worships and sacrifices animals through fear and avarice.

Then comes a more advance stage when he is taught to worship a God of Love and to sacrifice himself from day to day through his whole life for a reward in a future state   , which he is to believe in by faith and which is not  even clearly outlined. The Christian religion is gradually working through the third stage, though not yet freed from the second stage. All of us are yet under laws made by God and by man in order to curb our desire bodies by fear, but to advance us spiritually. From now on we must sensitize our vital bodies which is amenable to Love while not at all cognizant of law which governs the desire nature.
The Christian religion has not yet had time to accomplish this great objective. Man is still in the tails of the dominant Race-Spirit and the ideals of Christianity are yet too high for him. The intellect can see some of the beauties and readily admits that we should love our enemies, but the passion of the desire body is still too strong. The heart prays for love; the desire body hopes for revenge.

Finally man will reach a stage when he will recognize his divinity and do right without thought of fear or pressure. He does right because it is right to do right. The practice of the true Christian religion as espoused by Christ Jesus will certainly bring man to this stage. Law must give way to Love and the separate Races be united in one Universal Brotherhood with Christ as the Leader.
Friends, the processes which take place upon a larger scale on the earth are reproduced also in man. According to our diligence or negligence in the passing season, will our progression be accelerated or retarded in the next. For there is no truer word than that which teaches us that we are just what we have made of our ourselves. The sacrifices and services we failed to render or rendered will give us added impulse heavenward.

In conclusion, let me talk about a key determinant on the path of sacrifice and service. And that key is Peace within. Let us firstly keep ourselves in peace and then we will be able to bring others to peace. The peaceful man does more good than one who is very learned. The passionate man turns even good to evil and readily believes evil. The good peaceable man turns all things to good. He who is in perfect peace suspects no man. But he who is discontented and disturbed is agitated by various suspicions; he neither has rest himself nor does he permit others to rest. Many times he says that which he should not say, and leaves undone that which it was best for him to do. He considers what others ought to do, and neglects that which he is bound to do himself.

Furthermore you know well how to excuse and gloss over your own deeds, but you will not accept the excuses of others. It would be more just for you to accuse yourself and to excuse your brother. If you wish to be borne with bear also with others. To know how to live peacefully with those who are stubborn and perverse  or undisciplined  and opposed to us, is a great grace, worthy  of much praise and a sign of virile strength.

He who knows how to suffer will enjoy much peace, and he is a conqueror of himself, the lord of the world, the friend of Christ and an heir of Heaven. Peace is never attained once and for all, but must be built up ceaselessly.

My dear sisters and brothers let me end this lecture by humbly asking the help of the Great Ones in making us useful workers in the vineyard of Christ.           

EVOLVING THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT
By Mr. Emmanuel K. Simpson

Preamble: - Christ is the embodiment of the Love  Wisdom  Principle and in proportion as Christ is formed in us we attain to health.

“The development of spiritual skills goes hand in hand with the trading of material skills. The very purpose of our experiences on the physical plane is to evolve the power of the spirit within- The true captain of our physical vessel. To be respectful and responsible in our words, and our deeds, and to honour our self and others can help us repeat those actions that move us forward and eliminate those actions that don’t.

The most practical among us have the greatest potential for spiritual advancement, but their materialistic orientation brings a lack of aspiration that is necessary to make them step upon the path. We are blessed in having the advantage of being on the path”

Letters to Probationers- March – April 2011

In the Revelation of Jesus Christ unto John chapter 1:9, St. John says that he was on the isle called Patmos which would indicate a certain condition or consciousness. He said, and that he heard a voice as of trumpet which said I am Alpha and Omega. This would indicate that The Spirit or God Within was speaking to St. John (the heart).
This same God within would speak to each of us if we would but raise ourselves through purity to the plane of consciousness wherein it dwells.

The Spirit Within told John to write what he saw in a “book” and send it to the “seven churches in Asia” “Asia” in the New Testament , is not a continent but a Roman province in the Western part of Asia Minor including , Ephesus, Smyrna , Pesgamus, Thyratira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.

On one plane of interpretation these churches would refer to seven spiritual centres within our own being. To locate these parts of the body, let us study the form of an old mystery temple.

These mystery temples of course, represent the human body, as all the mysteries of the macrocosm or Greater World; are reflected in the macrocosm or the Smaller World of our body. These temples always faced the east to catch the rays of the rising sun. Therefore, the fronts of the body or temple of the God within would be “east” side. Then the west would be the backside. Therefore when we look for these seven spiritual centres, we find them alone, the spinal cord, which is the west of our body.

It is well known to the esoteric astrologer that the human body has an immense period of ovulation behind it and that this splendid organism is the result of a slow process of gradual up building which is still continuing and will make each generation better than the previous until in some far distant future it shall have reached a stage of completion of which we cannot even dream. It is also understood by the deeper students that in addition to the physical body man has finer vehicles which are not yet seen by the great majority of human beings, though all have within them latent a sixth sense whereby they will in time cognize these finer sheaths of the soul. The occultist speaks of these finer vehicles as the vital body.

We know the Hermatic Axiom, “As above, so below” which is the master key to all mysteries, and as there are upon the Earth, The macrocosm, a great many undiscovered places, so in the microcosm of the body do we find unknown countries that are  a closed book to the scientific explorers. Chief among them has been a small group of the so-called “ductless glands”, seven in number, namely

Gland Planet Church

The Pituitary Gland .........................Uranus.................................................Philadelphia
The Pineal Gland ............................Neptune................................................Laodicca
The Thyroid Gland..........................Mercury................................................Sardis
The Thymus Gland..........................Venus...................................................Thyatira
The Spleen......................................Sun........................................................Pergamos
The two Adrenals............................Jupiuter.................................................1. Ephesus, 2. Smyrna

They have a great and particular interest for occultist, and they may be termed in a certain sense “The seven roses” upon the cross of the body, for they are intimately connected with the occult development of humanity.

Four of the Ductless Glands, the Thymus gland, the Spleen and the two adrenals are connected with the personality/ The pituitary body and the pineal gland are particularly correlated with the spiritual side of our nature and the thyroid gland forms the link between them – thymus gland, the spleen, and the two adrenals which are connected with the personality.  Our ability to awaken or spiritualized these centers depends largely on hoe we have conducted ourselves along positive lines from day to day and year to year.

Similarly, the seven churches are the seven spiritual centers, which are spiritualized by the Life Force of God (Life force) as it is raised along the spinal canal without the “Water of Life” that flows from the Throne of God, or the Sun, theses seven “candle sticks” o churches would be empty buildings. Filled with the life of God they become radiant and sacred places. It is the task of each one of us to spiritualize our “churches” or to light the “candles” within our being with the light of the spirit Love.

This is emphasized in chapter 2:1 of Revelation where the Spirit of higher consciousness is telling the center of church within that he rules the seven centers or stars and understands the nature of the power of the seven churches. As it is in that part of the body conceded by most occult authorities to be the home of the Spinal Spirit Fire or Kundalini, one can readily understand that to overcome the enemies of the center means to overcome those faculties that would use this force in the lower way. “To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of Life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God”
The Tree of Life in the body, and the mastery and spiritualization of this church or centre is the first step on the path toward God. This is also the “donkey” upon which the Christ within will someday ride into “Jerusalem” or upper consciousness. It is the “Colt” of an ass or product of the conservation of the force usually expressed through the animal nature and so it is not for a-fetched to conceive of its being boen from the animal within.

The spleen is the entrance gate of the solar forces specialized by each human being and circulated through the body as vital fluid, without which no being can live. This organ is ruled by the Sun. But the glands as a whole may be said to be under the rule of life-giving Sun and the great benefic Jupiter.
Our ability to harness the forces (rays) from the sun largely depends on how we have conducted ourselves in the use of the Life Force within. Because it is this Life Force alone that nourishes the whole body especially these spiritual “centers”.

As a result of the sins of the flesh the spirit was dead of without power in the body but could become alive through regeneration and start giving instructions to the church or the spinal centers. This “church” is improverished because of the previous spending of the force in sensual gratification. But alas there is the assurance that it is rich in promise because the stopping of leakages or wasteful loss of the Life Force enriches the spiritual consciousness.

All of us on the path of regeneration know the trials and suffering we must go through when we change to higher life. The devil of the sex function has made of the body a “prison house” because the use of this function lowered our consciousness from the heaven worlds to the physical world, but we are admonished to be “faithful unto death”. Thus become immune to the temptations of the lower expression of Life Force.

When this is accomplished we are promised a crown of life or added consciousness and power and longer life and will avoid the purgatorial suffering, sometimes called “The Second Death”

When bodies are spiritualized through the raising of Life Force, this force ascends to the spinal gland which changes in structure from a sand-like consistency to the likeness of a white stone. When we develop the “white stone” we also have  a new spiritual name and we no longer vibrate to the old name, and Paul said “You are Christ in the making”.

It could therefore be noted that persistent effort in well-being will re-kindle the light in the aspirant, therefore, awakening all the seven spiritual centers in the body which hither-to-fore were asleep or dead. Our vehicles will begin to vibrate under a new tone as a result of the raised sex force, therefore preparing us to meet the Christ in His second coming.

THE VALUE OF SERVICE
BY Dr Matthew Kyei

  The keynote message of the Western Wisdom Teaching is "The development of our spiritual powers so as to be able to serve BETTER here and beyond.
Ref: Mathew 23:11&12 "But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant"
   Value is defined as material, monetary or spiritual worth of something.The importance of something.
Service is the act and art of serving. It is said service to others is service to self. The Tibetan story says that four people were climbing the Himalayas which is snow capped. The first mountaineer was dying out of snowbite. Two mountaineers passed by him  leaving him to his fate. The fourth mountaineer helped the freezing one and the two were heated and got saved. The other two got frozen-the value of service ; similar to the story of The Good Samaritan.
    Service goes with sacrifice. Unless one sacrifices self, time, money, energy, leisure etc one cannot serve better.
January 1948 Students Lesson defines Service as the putting of our talents to the best use in each of immediate need regardless of LIKE or DISLIKE. Service is the demand of the hour. Service builds the Soul Body- the Golden Wedding Garment , the Christ Within, The Philosophers Stone, The Shekinah Glory, Noah's Ark, The Astral Light etc.
    The two higher ethers- The Light and Reflecting Ethers form THE SOUL BODY. The Soul Body is more linked with the Desire Body and the Mind- The Mental Body. The Soul Body is the vehicle of the intellect and is responsible for all that makes man MAN. Our observations, aspirations, characters are due to the work of the spirit in these two higher ethers or lack therewith. They become more or less luminous according to our character and habits. Our GOOD DEEDS form the food for the SOUL BODY or GOOD CHARACTER as particles of food help the growth of the physical body. According to our doings in the present life we thus increase or decrease that which we brought with us at birth. It is said in the Western Wisdom Teaching that all Mystic Development starts with the Vital Body and its, Keynote is Repetition and Regularity. Whatever is repeated in WORD, THOUGHT and DEED be it degrading or elevating will strengthen the Vital body for good or ill. Man either builds the SIN BODY or THE SOUL BODY. Strive for regular repetition of the highest, most noble thought, conduct and emotions and build the SOUL BODY.

THE PARAMETERS OF SERVICE
1. Whoever wants to serve better must be well equipped. Therefore quality service starts with self improvement. There is a need to draw self improvement plan- Physical Health ,Emotional Health, Mental Health, Social Health, Financial Health and Spiritual Health.
2. The value of service to our nuclear families-wives/husbands, children, siblings, extended family members.
3. Service to our employers, employees and clients.
4. Service to Neighbours, Casual acquaintances, strangers who may need our help.
5. Service to Nature-(a) the environment (b) plant and animals (c) water bodies
(d) Mother Earth.
6. Service to our Nations, Race and Humanity.

7. Service to our Alma Mater- The Rosicrucian Fellowship and the Order through :The Temple, Devotional and Healing Services .
8.(a)To the Fellowship Members (b) Spreading the Western Wisdom Teachings (c) The development of physical infrastructure.
9. Service to God. We are all cells in the body of God. We must be UNFOLDING CELLS and not CANCEROUS CELLS. Life is a constant flux. Stagnation is a cardinal sin for new experiences and the very breath of PROGRESS . If we have found truth, it is our broader duty to seek a field where it may be of greater use.

HOW TO SERVE
(a) Physically (b) Mentally (c) Financially (d) Morally (e) Politically (f) Spiritually(Religiously) etc
   If work is to be done why not I? It is better to find a way to serve than engage in a blame game. "A little learning is a dangerous thing. Drink deep or taste not from the Empyrean fountain. There shallow draughts(single acts of drinking) intoxicate the brain.
   And drinking largely sobers us again" Popes "Essay on Man".

MAY THE ROSES BLOOM UPON YOUR CROSS!