“But he was in the stern, his head on the cushion, asleep. They woke him and said to him, ‘Master do you not care? We are going down!’ And he woke up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Quiet now! Be calm!’ And the wind dropped, and all was calm again. Then he said to them, ‘Why are you so frightened? How is it that you have no faith?’ They were filled with awe and said to one another, ‘Who can this be? Even the wind and sea obey him’” (Mk. 4, 35-41).

Among his disciples whom he called brothers and sisters, were the apostles. After a night in solitary prayer, he chose twelve men – most of them simple people, like fishermen. These twelve were “sent” by him to join in his mission of love, hence they are called “apostles”, that is “sent”. He appointed Peter to the “Rock” of faith within this group of disciples. He was to be the head of this community which later grew and came to be called by the early Christians, “the Church”.

Jesus was thought to disturb the existing order. Some of those who belonged to the sect of the pious “Pharesees” opposed his teaching because it deviated from the ancient traditions. But especially some of the sect of the Sadducees (mostly priests), who held strictly to the Law of Moses only, became his bitter enemies and they were afraid that the movement of Jesus would upset the political order. Judas, a disciple of Jesus himself delivered his Guru into their hands. Through the malice or perhaps through avidya – nonknowledge or ignorance (only God can judge) of the religious leaders, the Pharisees, Jesus was crucified, i.e. nailed on the Cross between two criminals. The day of his death is called Good Friday. All this happened at Easter, the Jewish Feast of the Passover (in remembrance of their deliverance from slavery).

On the third day after the Crucifixion, (Easter Sunday) the tomb was found to be empty. The Master was believed to have been raised from the dead, as he had said he would. This was his “Resurrection”; and he was seen in his glorified body by various witnesses. After forty days, - after the full period of intiation – he “ascended” ( taken up bodily) into heaven. This is known as “Ascension Day”, when he was symbolically enthroned as the universal, cosmic Lord. Ten days later, he sent his Holy Sprit as he had promised, on the Apostles gathered together, praying with Mary, his mother. This was Pentecost Day- the “fiftieth” day, coinciding with a Jewish feast. The “Spirit” is a biblical expression for the power of God, (literally the “Breath”) of the invisible one and only God who inspires and strengthens his messengers.

3) The Essence of the Christian way

Though Christianity – the way with and through Christ (the “Anointed One”) – has very specific doctrines and principles. It is necessary at the outset to insist that the essence of Christianity is a personal meeting with Jesus Christ. One can grasp the principles yet fail to accept the Person. It is only by surrender in faith to the Person of Christ, a commitment to him and to people, not faith merely in the teachings about Christ, that one essentially becomes a Christian. As Mahatma Gandhi wrote to Stanley Jones:

“The heart must be touched. I cannot grasp the position by the intellect. Saul became Paul not by an intellectual effort, but by something touching his heart.” ( E. Stanley Jones: Mahatma Gandhi. P.75)

It is only when our hearts are touched by the Heart of Christ that we begin to live by his principles. The first principle of Christianity is the principle of love or Oneness, for God is One as all religions teach.