The Fallen Leaf........

It was spring time. Unlike other trees this one shed leaves through the year. As time passed, the older leaves made way for the new. Bright Green tenderlings born yesterday in awe of the world, mocking in gay abandon at the older leaves that had browned with age, as they floated through the air before striking earth and incinerated at the yard.

People were writing me off as Old and past my Prime when I was in fact at the height of my Powers. The first warning came when I boarded the local Bus, and was offered a seat meant for Senior Citizens. Since then things have been getting worse. Attractive young ladies I meet at parties, with whom I could start a conversation, offer me their seat  and choose to walk in another direction. Retirement dominates the conversation when I meet an acquaintance.

The trouble is that the malignant influence of being old makes you realize that working life is all too finite, with establishments striving to lower the average age of their staff, by getting rid of the oldies.

As an Engineer with a brilliant track record, I have been pushed into early retirement. The ravages of age have relegated me to the second division. I see no solace in being replaced by a candidate from the third division. Why are we so besotted by youth? For many of us oldies, Experience compensates for any decline in Vigour.

While those who wish to retire should be allowed to do so, the rest of us should be allowed to continue to be useful members of society and not set on a trajectory into the dark realms of outer space, armed with a subscription of the daily Times and the Annual Christmas Card.

“Christ died for our sins ...” (I Corinthians 15:3)

“Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures” (I Corinthians 15:3)

Having succeeded in creating the perfect man, energy could now teach 'man to man', how he could be saved. Redemption was from life in the human form. Each soul needed and could be saved. This he taught all around him in his lifetime, through "The Sermon on the Mount", "The Lord's Prayer", "The Parables". His commandment was, "Love one another as I have loved you".  "Forgive Seventy times Seven". Even at death he said "Father Forgive them...." His penultimate statement was,"I am the Way, the Truth and the Life "(John 14:6)

Once we understand the Way the Lord lived his life, the Truth of what he said, and his Life being part of the energy which is the source of all existence, man would be able to liberate himself from human bondage, seek higher forms of expression and ultimately unite with the source in Heaven.
Death on the Cross was Incidental and Inconsequential, 'Not his Life'. We have to live by his Life and Teachings. In spite of having said "My Kingdom is not of this world", the Kingdom was created and so was the theory of Resurrection. Conquest of Death was by the Life he led, wherein he overcame the recycle of Human birth. This was the Resurrection he spoke of. Unfortunately today his teachings are not lived by, and the faith revolves around Christmas - Good Friday - Easter. We need to remember 
“Christ lived to teach us to redeem ourselves from our sins”

Energy and the Absence of it..........

At the very beginning there was energy, and the absence of it .Gradually energy began to invent itself, finding expression in thought, light, heat, sound and movement. As energy began expressing itself in conditions that would support its presence, various forms of expressions began on various planets in the galaxy. Energy would want to be everywhere, and found newer ways to present itself. Intelligent forms began travelling through the constellations, to witness the experiments progress. Their first arrival on planet earth marked introduction of different species of fish, birds, plants and animals. Satisfied life could be supported in the human form, they introduced man.
What Energy did not know was that this creation called man had his free will and would not follow instructions. They wanted to ensure defiance to their plans would not happen again. Until they could resolve the issue they kept sending messengers to obey the word. They did not want to lose man, the prized expression of them all. They caused the messengers to follow the chosen path and gave him the commandments to keep, which was to be followed by all.  With time, they succeeded in creating the DNA they wanted.  They arrived. Not wanting to endanger a young life with this experiment, they impregnated an elderly woman (without her knowledge) who had passed her prime. Weeks later they were assured of her pregnancy. Her husband nearing the end of his time, could not accept his wife bearing a child. They did not want him to go in denial mode and struck him dumb, only to let him speak once the child was born and he accepted the child as his own. They stayed in their orbit and watched the child grow. They had succeeded in their efforts for he spoke and behaved as planned. Now they had to impregnate a woman untouched by man to ensure purity of their experiment. This was to be life extraordinaire. They found a young girl in the neighborhood who had just attained maturity. Having impregnated her, they  watched her progress. Those of advanced learning in the sub continent were informed of the experiment through thought. At the appointed hour, a few wise men were guided by beams of light from their starship. They were asked to follow the beam and see the new born. They had a role to perform later to enable the child carry his mission on earth. At the age of 12 he was invited by them to advanced centers of learning to gather wisdom of the sages. He spent 18 years at various centers, before deciding to return home. He had a Mission. He could not let life die. His teachings to all were "Love One Another". They thought he had come to reverse an established tradition and found fault in his teachings and actions. He was hounded and had to flee to the bushes. When his time had come, he looked upward and said " Father,Thy Will be done". Life did not want to loose itself to Death.This would be the absence of energy, which was at the beginning. Now energy in the form of man travels to newer spaces to ensure life continues in newer forms.                 Energy will reinvent itself.

"What if Tomorrow Comes"...........

He was all of 16 when he decided to leave home and enroll at the Royal British Navy. A Camp was on at the the 'Parade Grounds' in the neighbourhood, and he stood in line.
What do you want to be, thundered the British Officer. The candidate before him said "Seaman". He knew no English.Yet he too screamed "Seaman" when asked.Before all knew, he was on board the Royal British Navy. As he left home, his mother wept and asked what future this career held for him. He replied "Mum, Let's see when tomorrow comes".

1942 the country was in turmoil.A call for the British to 'Quit India'. Mutiny Time. All Indians on board dived into the cold dark waters at Karachi.He was there swimming with the rest as they parted on touching shore.

In hiding until 1947, when the country got Freedom. The past 5 years he would constantly be asked by friends "What if he gets arrested?". He would smile and say, " Let's see when tomorrow comes".

Time passed by. Came 16th March 2003. More than a decade since he he had survived a coma. He now thought his time had come.The night before he insisted that no one should bathe him should he pass into the other world. He wanted his daughter to pray for a peaceful death, while she insisted she would pray for a healthy life. He had told his Daughter-in-Law, that when she would turn around, he would be no more. To lighten the mood, his son got him a refreshing drink, which he refused saying "Will have twice should tomorrow come".

On the day at the 11th hour, he went for his ablutions, helped by his young  daughter. As he got back to his bed, he was gasping. His daughter wept and asked a candle be lit in prayer. He was in his son's arms, while his daughter in law was busy lighting the candle as he breathed his last.

His son still has a glass waiting..... "What if Tomorrow Comes".

The Day of Judgement...........

A brand new Desktop this birthday with the latest configuration. Got it connected and realized the screens opening  were all blank as the mind of a new born. This got me thinking of equivalents in us. There was the Hard Disk (Brain), the Software (Mind), RAM (Memory). The Desktop got started when Energy (Soul) was available. The software had Macros pre-written and answers got when queried. This was a wonderful experience. Almost like Magic. I began entering Data
[(Good deeds) (“Come, you 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 to me.” ... “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My Brethren, you did it to me.”)
(and Bad deeds) (“Then He will also say to those on the left hand, “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave Me no food, I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.” ... “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.” And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."(Matthew 25:31-36, 40-43, 45-46 )]
on my worksheet every day and noticed the changes reflected in the final response. This set me thinking of the Day of Judgment we all believe in. (Belief in the last judgment is held firmly by all faiths. Immediately upon death each soul undergoes the particular judgment, and depending upon the state of the person's soul, goes to heaven, purgatory, or hell.)
If at any time the desktop crashed and no further data could be entered, then the last entry would reflect the final outcome. If the entries were a Profit & Loss account, and after the last entry if the answer showed Profit it meant I could buy a new Desktop maybe with better configuration. If a loss, then I would have to do with whatever I could get by disposing what I had, which possibly meant downgrading. It is this code written in our mind, which we carry to the creator, who has the power to see the outcome in a flash. The final answer helps decide if we are upgraded, downgraded or equivalent. Should there have been any secret desire, the creator grants them to us for the grade we qualify in. This causes us to be reborn as per the results achieved in the last calculation. The soul and mind is the same in all births. Onlythe physical form changes. As we improve our scores, we qualify for upgradation. This upgradation continues until we reach the stage when we are with the creator and enjoy existence in his presence. This is Heaven. The exact opposite of this is being away from this source of all energy(GOD), which is Light (Heaven) into Darkness (Hell).

The Miracle of the Five Loaves and Two fishes

Today's Gospel was on the Miracle of the Five loaves and Two fishes.

The Gospel of John reports that five small barley loaves and two small fish supplied by a boy were used by  Eisa(Jesus) to feed a multitude.

According to the Gospels, when Eisa(Jesus) heard that John the Baptist had been killed, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place near Bethsaida.

The crowds followed Eisa(Jesus) on foot from the towns. When Eisa(Jesus) landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a remote place, and it's already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food."

Eisa(Jesus) replied, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat."

"We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish," they answered.

"Bring them here to me," he said.

Eisa(Jesus) directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.

He was an attendant at a gas station in a distant land, when he dreamt of making it big. The provision store across the road was aptly called "Trust". He decided he would build his enterprise on the same "Trust". This is what it was all about. He set sail for home, and in a humble way commenced operations to meet the basic necessities of his countrymen.
In the above miracle, the lord received the loaves & fishes, looked upto heaven, gave Thanks to his Father and sought his blessings. That is at the heart of the story, that the little boy brought his meager gifts to Eisa(Jesus), his five loaves and two fish, and look what mighty miracles God did with them.

He did it for others, changed the way his shareholders got involved and this caused his enterprise to grow. When others tried to reap their Millions by seeking their Pound in the services they offered, he offered his service virtually for FREE. This caused a Revolution of sorts. From Yarn to Fabric to Oil to Defence he was there in all. And like the miracle of  5 loaves and 2 fishes that fed 5000, today his Empire feeds a Million.
And God wants to do the same with us; that we bring  our meager and ordinary talents and gifts, we bring the simplicity of who we are to God, and look what mighty miracles God can do with our little lives even today, if we are to do it in the service of others.  

And then there was none..........

It was the day after......... He rose at dawn, dressed impeccably as he got ready for the day, when he was greeted by his wife. She wondered where he was off to at the break of dawn.

‘Work’ he shot back for all to hear. But yesterday was your last day they exclaimed.  no, nO.....NO.................. They still need me. There is a lot more that needs to be done. I have miles to go before I call it quits.

The car stood at the driveway as the chauffer drove him to where the Factory was. The gates now visible in the distance - Shut, waiting for him to arrive. His entire team was there as always in the shadows. As his car drew closer the gates seemed to magically open, and another car zipped past. He saw the new President drive down. His entire team was waiting for him he thought, as they ran behind the new designate.

He knew he should not enter, he had to turn back. He had nowhere to go, never prepared for this day. His chaperones and cronies crowded the new prince. His team was never his.He realised he was alone in this journey, till yesterday he had a team. .........and now there was none.

Darkness at Noon.........

He was the President of the Organization. A couple of hand phones juggled for his ear, as he kept issuing instructions on what needed to be done. Everyone craved for his attention; Documents at his desk awaiting signature. Standing on the 36^th floor, he stared out of the window into the wide expanse. Having lived through a few rental homes, before deciding to own one, life was a giant Merry-go-round with family and friends all through the year. He had been through bumpy roads, hills, and valleys all worth it.

And then she called to wish him. Today was the date. Never knew how time flew. The party was all arranged. Together they shouted aloud for the world to hear “Happy Birthday” He got a bit sentimental with his ‘Thank You’ speech. Most co workers became friends in the last leg of the race. As all left for home, he knew what forty years of service meant. He had been talking about how his classmates were quitting their jobs and traveling and what not.  He would often say “I'm still not in that boat. I will die with my boots on”. 

The Chairman called him aside, and after the traditional greeting wished him well for the days ahead, as he gave him the Golden handshake. He knew it was coming, but not on the very day he crossed the threshold. He understood it was necessary for the company to have a young leader, and he had to move on. He always said “Age is a Number” and they knew he would soon be a Grandfather, which was a bigger number.

Today felt like a thankless landmark. He was at the peak of his career, so full of knowledge on subjects the Industry would want to hear. He wondered ….…..Why this darkness at Noon.

Pentecost.....

Today being Pentecost Sunday, the passage read is texted below.....

The biblical narrative of Pentecost, where the 12 Disciples of Christ received the Holy Spirit in the Upper Room, is given in the second chapter of the [Book of Acts]. As recounted in Acts 2:1-6:

“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude together, and was confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language”.

The vision of the risen lord strengthened their faith in the Master and his teachings. The descent of the Holy Spirit emboldened them further to take on the world. They stepped out into the world and began to speak as instructed by the Lord. At the end of their proselytizing they ended with the words……. “Eisa kalam” ‘Kalam’ = ‘Word’ which meant “the word of Eisa(Jesus)”. Centuries later some of them would conclude in the local language which roughly translated as “the word of Eisa(Jesus)” while in English speaking regions we hear today as “the word of the lord(Jesus)” while those in the region of Jerusalem and its beyond accepted no change and continued to say “Eisa Kalam” which meant  “the word of Eisa(Jesus)”………….. the only change was with time……….. ‘ka’ got silenced, ………………………..and they continue to say “Eisa lam”

Shades of Grey...........

We were neighbours.  He often spoke of the changing times. Seven generations earlier being orthodox, it was demeaning to be found near the shadow of another faith.
His Great grand aunt was a victim of honour as she was found to have offered a glass of water to the horseman. Such was the cause of death then.
He recalled how his grandmother would supervise the kitchen, which was an outhouse, and it was the man servants who were to serve the visiting dignitaries.
He left his village for the city a decade before independence. Marriage brought about changes. His wife - a city girl with modern upbringing was a gregarious, social aunt. In his absence guests had no hesitation to chat with her as they waited for him.
The family grew and he had seven beautiful daughters. They were all outspoken and ahead of their times. The seventh daughter,  a mother of two lovely kids dropped by to invite us for her marriage. She lived with a friend the past few years and after the arrival of her second child, thought he could be an ideal life partner. She wanted to firm this bond through the institution of marriage.

He reminisced, "How times have changed".
Was the honour killing that happened two hundred years earlier right or
the lifestyle of the present generation ?
If it was sin then,why not now ?

Why these shades of grey .........!

The Unheard Beat.........

It was the summer of 2010, when I attended the reception of a friend. The band played, and the dance began. What struck me strange was that for the same song, the steps each couple did were strikingly different. Some waltzed, a few jived or cha-cha-cha’d while the rest fox trotted.   

Viewed together in the same frame it all seemed chaotic, as I tried to understand the right dance for this tune.

Viewed individually the style, steps, and music seemed appropriate for every couple.

We all hear beats played by the eternal musician. It is for us to understand and decide the style and steps we need to perform to.

We need to listen to our inner voice when we pray, play or go about our daily chores. While it may seem incorrect and chaotic in the crowd, we need to dance to the beat played for us, the one we hear that others do not.

'Alleluia', “Alleluia”

The first Sunday after Easter. Through the service the choir kept singing “Alleluia”, “Alleluia”

The Disciples had gathered in the upper room afraid to venture out when the Lord appeared in their midst. They saw and they believed. 

The lord said (Aramaic) “La Ilaha Ill Illah” -  “There is no god but God”  

After the descent of the Holy Spirit they had the courage to venture out into the world. 

Everywhere they went about, they uttered these words...

“La Ilaha Ill Illah” -  “There is no god but God”  

as the apostles moved westwards with time it got adapted to suit their tongues and today we sing          “Alleluia”, “Alleluia”

The Tower of Babel .........

Genesis 11:1-9
Until this point in the Bible, the whole world had one language. The people of the earth became skilled and decided to build a Tower that would reach Heaven.
God came to see the Tower they were building and perceived their intentions. In his infinite wisdom, he knew this stairway to Heaven, would only lead the people away from God. As a result God caused them to speak in different languages, so they would not understand each other, and thus thwarted their plans.

Today with our Transgenic crops, Intergalactic flights, Cloning and other Technological advances, are we building another Tower to challenge the Supremacy of God. We already do not understand each other. Are we heading for the next Armageddon?

The Prodigal Son .........

The story of the Prodigal Son told by Eisa (Jesus) while responding to the Pharisees' "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them"

Eisa (Jesus) tells the story of a man who has two sons. The younger son asks his father to give him his portion of the family estate as an early inheritance. Once received, the son promptly sets off on a long journey to a distant land and begins to waste his fortune on wild living. When the money runs out, the son finds himself in dire circumstances. He takes a job feeding pigs. He is so destitute that he even longs to eat the food assigned to the pigs.

The young man finally comes to his senses, remembering his father. In humility, he recognizes his foolishness, decides to return to his father and ask for forgiveness and mercy.

The father, who had been waiting, receives his son back with open arms of compassion. He is overjoyed by the return of his lost son! Immediately the father turns to his servants and asks them to prepare a giant feast in celebration. Meanwhile, the older son is not one bit happy when he comes in from working the fields and discovers a party going on to celebrate his younger brother's return. The father tries to dissuade the older brother from his jealous rage explaining, "You are always with me, and everything I have is yours."

What is of interest in this parable is, God represented as the father, will not get offended at us rebelling and quitting his heavenly kingdom.He lets us experience this earthly life, enjoying worldly pleasures.If there is a yearning to return and if we do,God does not refer to our past, but celebrates our return. Should the angels complain, he simply tells them ”You are always with me, and everything I have is yours.”

>>Where we come from>>where we headed to >>

Where did we come from         ..... ? A question that has haunted humanity. Our ancestors sought to answer this. Today we are struggling with the same question, seeking the answer through science.

Waiting for my son to arrive at Dubai Airport, I watched the arrivals and guessed right every time which flight could have possibly landed. This flight had to be from the Philippines, next from UK and then from India. A decade in Dubai, and it didn't take me long to guess exact. It was because these group of persons who arrived on the flight, carried traits that were identifiable of the place they came from. Be it the colour of their skin, the language they spoke, or behaviour.
Set me to realize, if I did a detailed observation of another maybe I could guess with accuracy where he/she came from. Do you sometimes tell another...you are a Rat, a Snake or a................. Is it because you see this person manifest traits carried from his/her earlier birth. Some grow from their animal past to be humans in this lifetime or plan a reversal, while others grow beyond being human  and are on a trajectory towards a higher plane. Maybe we can guess where they are heading to.............    maybe we can..........

Moments of Recall.........Moments of Prayer

After the Crucifixion, they were huddled in a room, afraid of the crowd. On the third day the Master had made himself visible. They now began to believe that if they follow his teachings they too could conquer death. But they lacked the strength to go out. For fifty days they stayed locked in this room recalling everyday - the five events on that fateful day. They continued to recall these events for the next fifty days until it was Pentecost - a prominent day in the Israeli calendar celebrating the giving of the Law on Sinai. As they were busy discussing the Laws, the Holy Spirit descended on the Eleven. This got  them to set out into the world to preach the words of their Master. But as they did the past fifty days they would singly recall the moments of the Friday that was. These Five moments of recall with time sublimated to Five times of Prayer remembering Eisa-the Master who walked the earth. Below are the moments of recall...........

They gathered at the appointed hour. The Master was being hounded by his tribe. He called the twelve dearest to him for the Passover Meal. He wanted them to recall this supper after he had gone. He announced where he planned to spend the night. Past midnight walked into the garden of olives. It was a good place to be.The night was long and he was tense. Finally he decided he had to let it happen. This was his understanding with the Father. It was then that he saw himself surrounded by men wielding the torch. It was dark at the hour when the search ended and Judas identified the Master with a kiss. This moment of betrayal remembered at every Dawn. The First Moment of Recall

Next morning, the assembly brought the Master to the Governor under charges of subverting the nation, opposing taxes to the King, and calling himself a king. The Governor authorizes the leaders to judge Eisa (Jesus) according to their law. They would have none of it and demand Death. Pilate hands Eisa (Jesus) over to be crucified in order to forestall a riot (Matthew 27:24-26). The sentence written is "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews." The hour is fore Noon. The Second moment of Recall.
Crucified with two criminals (John 19:17-22). Eisa (Jesus) agonizes on the cross for six hours. During his last 3 hours, from noon to 3 p.m., darkness falls over the land. With a loud cry, Eisa (Jesus) gives up his spirit. (Matthew 27:45-54) It is After Noon. The Third moment of recall.
It was sunset.Joseph of Arimathea took Eisa'(Jesus) body, wrapped it in a clean shroud,and placed it in a new tomb carved in the rock( Matthew 27:59-60) They rolled a large rock over the entrance of the tomb.Then returned home and rested.The descent from the Cross.The Fourth moment of Recall. They are shocked by the happenings as they revisit the events of the day. Prior to retiring they look up to the words of the Master.This alone is consolation.The fifth moment of Recall. The five moments  of recall down centuries has sublimated to Five times of Daily Prayer. They do this till date. 

It happened One Night.........

The Cold Wind blows, Chill is in the Air

It is the Day After.

The party had come to a close. Way past midnight. Guests had left in pairs. He was to stay until daybreak, while she had to rush back to prepare her kids for school. She called him earlier in the evening asking for directions. That gave him an opportunity to talk to her. Their first meeting was at a friend’s home. He alone, she with her family. As they exchanged pleasantries they also exchanged numbers as if by accident, and the next morning she called. He was taken aback. Never thought she would call so soon. It was a ritual to hear her speak every day as he drove down the Expressway. 

Moments gone by, Words Unsaid,
It is the Day After.
What could he say about someone whom he gradually began to love yet never had the heart to tell, even though they talked at length. He didn’t say anything and neither did she. He wasn’t a fool to risk everything by asking her that stupid question. As time passed he thought of the many times to tell her that he liked her. Both were married. So it was difficult. She added life to his otherwise lone living schedule, and as days passed by he felt waiting desperately for her phone call. His life took a turn when he had to turn homeward and she migrated.  

A Table laid for Two, None there but you
It is the Day After.
He was all of 60. The party was on. All would have been normal had they not met the previous night. The meeting made him unstable. As they sat talking at the coffee shop next door, talking of things from their past when she told him that there was a time when she was in love with him but he never told her anything so she took that he didn’t love her. She sort of made fun of it, but his heart ached when he heard it. How could he tell her that he loved her too. All his life he thought how someone as smart as her could fall in love with someone as nondescript as him.
We shall meet, I do not know when or where
It is the Day After.
He lost his wife a year earlier. He is seventy-five now and getting ready for the celebrations when she walks in……….Until now he was waiting for an ending to a story that was.

The Teachings........

Eisa (Jesus) said, “Come to me and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free."

What is the truth?
The truth lies in the Parables and Teachings of the Lord.

The Sermon on the Mount is a collection of sayings and teachings of Eisa (Jesus), which emphasizes his moral teaching. It takes place in the early Ministry of Eisa (Jesus) after he has been baptized in Galilee. The sermon has been one of the most widely quoted. This includes the Beatitudes and the Lord's prayer. These Teachings form the Central Tenets of the Faith.

Later Eisa (Jesus)  says
"Be Perfect, as your Heavenly Father is Perfect", advising his disciples to seek the path towards perfection and the kingdom of God.
Birth and Death are incidental when one chooses to visit the planet. Unfortunately our focus has veered towards the Birth and Death of Eisa (Jesus) rather than his Way of Life.
Christmas and Easter have replaced it all. 
Is this what he taught.