Archive for March, 2013

Spiritual Springtime, Morning of the Vernal Equinox, Baha’i Naw-Ruz, 3/20/2013

Wednesday, March 20th, 2013
O thou who art turning unto the Kingdom of God!
     Thy letter is received and perused.  It afforded us
joy and pleasure, gave us good news and is the token
of the wealth of thy love.  This period of time is the
Promised Age, the assembling of the human race to
the "Resurrection Day" and now is the great "Day of
Judgment."  Soon the whole world, as in springtime,
will change its garb.  The turning and falling of the
autumn leaves is past; the bleakness of the winter time
is over.  The new year hath appeared and the spiritual
springtime is at hand.  The black earth is becoming a
verdant garden; the deserts and mountains are teeming
with red flowers; from the borders of the wilderness
the tall grasses are standing like advance guards before
the cypress and jessamine trees; while the birds are singing
among the rose branches like the angels in the highest
heavens, announcing the glad-tidings of the approach
of that spiritual spring, and the sweet music of
their voices is causing the real essence of all things to
move and quiver.
     O my spiritual friend!  Dost thou know from what
airs emanate the notes sung by those birds?  They are
from the melodies of peace and reconciliation, of love
and unity, of justice and security, of concord and harmony.
In a short time this heavenly singing will intoxicate
all humanity; the foundations of enmity shall
be destroyed; unity and affection shall be witnessed in
every assembly; and the lovers of the love of God at
these great festivals shall behold their splendor.
     Therefore, contemplate what a spirit of life God
hath given that the the body of the whole earth may attain
life everlasting!  The Paradise of El-Abha will soon
spread a pavilion from the pole-star of the world, under
whose shelter the beloved shall rejoice and the pure
hearts shall repose in peace.
'Abdu'l-Baha', Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Baha'

Baha’i Holy Day: Naw-Ruz, New Day, New Year, 170 B.E. (Sunset, March 19, 2013)

Tuesday, March 19th, 2013

The Festival of Naw-Ruz falleth on the day that the sun entereth the sign of Aries, even should this occur no more than one minute before sunset.

Baha’u’lah, Tablet of Questions and Answers, #35

Praised be Thou, O my God, that Thou hast ordained Naw-Rúz as a festival unto those who have observed the fast for love of Thee and abstained from all that is abhorrent unto Thee. Grant, O my Lord, that the fire of Thy love and the heat produced by the fast enjoined by Thee may inflame them in Thy Cause, and make them to be occupied with Thy praise and with remembrance of Thee.
Since Thou hast adorned them, O my Lord, with the ornament of the fast prescribed by Thee, do Thou adorn them also with the ornament of Thine acceptance, through Thy grace and bountiful favor. For the doings of men are all dependent upon Thy good-pleasure, and are conditioned by Thy behest. Shouldst Thou regard him who hath broken the fast as one who hath observed it, such a man would be reckoned among them who from eternity had been keeping the fast. And shouldst Thou decree that he who hath observed the fast hath broken it, that person would be numbered with such as have caused the Robe of Thy Revelation to be stained with dust, and been far removed from the crystal waters of this living Fountain.
Thou art He through Whom the ensign “Praiseworthy art Thou in Thy works” hath been lifted up, and the standard “Obeyed art Thou in Thy behest” hath been unfurled. Make known this Thy station, O my God, unto Thy servants, that they may be made aware that the excellence of all things is dependent upon Thy bidding and Thy word, and the virtue of every act is conditioned by Thy leave and the good-pleasure of Thy will, and may recognize that the reins of men’s doings are within the grasp of Thine acceptance and Thy commandment. Make this known unto them, that nothing whatsoever may shut them out from Thy Beauty, in these days whereon the Christ exclaimeth: “All dominion is Thine, O Thou the Begetter of the Spirit (Jesus)”; and Thy Friend (Muḥammad) crieth out: “Glory be to Thee, O Thou the Best-Beloved, for that Thou hast uncovered Thy Beauty, and written down for Thy chosen ones what will cause them to attain unto the seat of the revelation of Thy Most Great Name, through which all the peoples have lamented except such as have detached themselves from all else except Thee, and set themselves towards Him Who is the Revealer of Thyself and the Manifestation of Thine attributes.”
He Who is Thy Branch and all Thy company, O my Lord, have broken this day their fast, after having observed it within the precincts of Thy court, and in their eagerness to please Thee. Do Thou ordain for him, and for them, and for all such as have entered Thy presence in those days all the good Thou didst destine in Thy Book. Supply them, then, with that which will profit them, in both this life and in the life beyond.
Thou, in truth, art the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Baha’u’lah, Prayers and Meditations, #XLVI

Baha’i Principles and the 2012 U.S. presidential election.

Sunday, March 17th, 2013

I’ve been reflecting upon the direction of America and it’s spiritual destiny for a long time and possibly moreso throughout the year or more leading up to the November 2012 national voting day. This reflection was recently clarified by a line in the Chinvat message from the Guardian of the Baha’i Faith entitled “CYCLE OF THE SIXTH SUN” wherein the statement was written; “In any case, America is cleaning up it’s act.”. This got me to thinking more deeply about the particular issues around which the presidential campaigns and the 2012 election revolved. I saw more of the 12 basic principles of the Baha’i Faith being central to this election than at any point I can recall in past elections during my politically conscious lifetime. Here are the ones I noticed being directly debated:

The oneness of humanity.
Religion must be the source of unity.
True science and true religion must correspond.
Equality of men and women.
Removal of all prejudice.
Universal compulsory education.
A spiritual solution to the economic problem.
When I say direcly debated, I’m not talking about the principles themselves but rather the point to counterpoint of the debators and office seekers and the platforms on which they campaigned as well as some issues which were possible directions the campaigns began to but ultimately did not go. All of these added up to a variety of discussions about platforms and policies which pointed directly toward each of these specific seven of the twelve basic principles of the Baha’i Faith as the central focal point issues of the 2012 U.S. presidential election. In the 2012 U.S. presidential election I saw a great step taken toward these seven of the twelve basic principles of the Baha’i faith both politically and more importantly socially/culturally.

Baha’i Sabbath Selection, ‘Ala’/Loftiness 14, 169 B.E. (Mar. 15, 2013)

Friday, March 15th, 2013

Praise be to Thee, O Lord my God! I beseech Thee by this Revelation whereby darkness hath been turned into light, through which the Frequented Fane hath been built, and the Written Tablet revealed, and the Outspread Roll uncovered, to send down upon me and upon them who are in my company that which will enable us to soar into the heavens of Thy transcendent glory, and will wash us from the stain of such doubts as have hindered the suspicious from entering into the tabernacle of Thy unity.
I am the one, O my Lord, who hath held fast the cord of Thy loving-kindness, and clung to the hem of Thy mercy and favors. Do Thou ordain for me and for my loved ones the good of this world and of the world to come. Supply them, then, with the Hidden Gift Thou didst ordain for the choicest among Thy creatures.
These are, O my Lord, the days in which Thou hast bidden Thy servants to observe the fast. Blessed is he that observeth the fast wholly for Thy sake and with absolute detachment from all things except Thee. Assist me and assist them, O my Lord, to obey Thee and to keep Thy precepts. Thou, verily, hast power to do what Thou choosest.
There is no God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. All praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds.

Baha’u’lah, Prayers and Meditations, #VII

Baha’i Sabbath Selection, ‘Ala’/Loftiness 7, 169 B.E. (Mar. 8, 2013

Friday, March 8th, 2013

O Divine Providence! As I am abstaining from bodily desires and not occupied with eating and drinking, even so purify and sanctify my heart from the love of anyone save Thyself, and shield and protect my soul from corrupt desires and satanic qualities, so that my spirit may commune with the breaths of holiness, and fast from the mention of all else besides Thee.

‘Abdu’l-Baha’, Remembrance of God, A Selection of Baha’i Prayers and Holy Writings

Selection for the month of Ala’, 1 (Loftiness), 169 B.E. (March 2, 2013)

Saturday, March 2nd, 2013

Glory be to Thee, O Lord my God! These are the days whereon Thou hast bidden all men to observe the fast, that through it they may purify their souls and ridthemselves of all attachment to any one but Thee, and that out of their hearts may ascend that which will be worthy of the court of Thy majesty and may well beseem theseat of the revelation of Thy oneness. Grant, O my Lord, that this fast may become a river of life-giving waters and may yield the virtue wherewith Thou hast endowed it. Cleanse Thou by its means the hearts of Thy servants whom the evils of the world have failed to hinder from turning towards Thine all-glorious Name, and who have remained unmoved by the noise and tumult of such as have repudiated Thy most resplendent signs which have accompanied the advent of Thy Manifestation Whom Thou hast invested with Thy sovereignty, Thy power, Thy majesty and glory. These are the servants who, as soon as Thy call reached them, hastened in the direction of Thy mercy and were not kept back from Thee by the changes and chances of this world or by any human limitations.

Baha’u’llah, Prayers and Meditations, Selection LVI

Selection for Ayyám-i-Há 4, 169 B.E. (March 1, 2013) and the commencement of the fast in the month of Ala’.

Friday, March 1st, 2013

Happy is your condition for you have executed the divine command; and have arisen to fast in these blessed days. For this physical fasting is a symbol of the spiritual fasting, that is, abstaining from all carnal desires, becoming characterized with the attributes of the spiritual ones, attracted to the heavenly fragrances and enkindled with the fire of the love of God.

Abdu’l-Baha’, Tablets of Abdu’l-Baha’, “O ye Cohorts of God!”