The Falcon

One of the most beautiful quotes I know, filled with such incredible imagery, is the following one from the Pen of Baha'u'llah:

I am the Sun of Wisdom and the Ocean of Knowledge. I cheer the faint and revive the dead. I am the guiding Light that illumineth the way. I am the royal Falcon on the arm of the Almighty. I unfold the drooping wings of every broken bird and start it on its flight.

Let's just begin at the beginning and see what pearls we can find hidden within it.

The "Sun of Wisdom" and the "Ocean of Knowledge"? To start, knowledge is the result of the acquisition of facts, while wisdom is knowing the application of those facts. Knowledge is what you get from a teacher, while wisdom is what you get when you ignore them.

But why is knowledge like an ocean here, and wisdom as the sun? Oh, dear Reader, I am sure there are so many reasons, and I am absolutely certain I have not even begun to find even a fraction of them. And, as usual, I have to remind you that this is nothing official. It is just my own opinion, my own feeble thoughts on this, to which I am certain you can add.

So, why the sun? Well, let's see. The sun shines of its accord, continually giving forth its light. It is the absolute source of all life on this planet. But it also can be obscured by the clouds. This reminds me of the importance of wisdom, and how we can often obscure it from appearing by our own silliness, prejudices, or even desires. The sun is constant, but we are often blocked from being able to directly receive its rays. Oh, and we cannot forget that God is often compared to the sun. I'm sure I could add tons more here, but let's go on.

Ok. Now, why an ocean? Hmm. It's vast, that's for sure. And there are countless hidden treasures within it, such as pearls and coral and all sorts of fishies, both big and small. But perhaps the most telling for me is that the Writings are often compared to an ocean. Reading the Writings, being able to quote them, shows knowledge. But just quoting them is not enough. We need to understand how to apply them. That is wisdom. And where does that come from? God. He shines that light of wisdom in the heart of whomsoever He wishes.

In addition to all this, when the sun shines upon the ocean, life grows in abundance. When we think of life in the ocean, we often think of the fish and whales and perhaps even the coral on the bottom. But the source of all that life is the the humble plankton that feed the krill which, in turn, feed the whales and virtually everything else. No matter how vast and mighty the ocean may be, it is fully dependent upon the sun to give its bounty.

As for cheering the faint, and reviving the dead? The former is an encouraging of someone who has become disheartened, while the latter is the bringing back to life of someone who has died. When we read the Writings, we often find encouragement and the ability to act in ways we had never thought possible. Baha'u'llah seems to have faith in us and our abilities to act upon God's Will, and we strive to live up to that faith. Even those who had completely given up hope often find themselves not only with a renewed ability, but more importantly, hope. Whereas previously they may have thought everything hopeless, and themselves impotent to create change, they now find themselves acting upon the glorious vision imparted by Baha'u'llah. It is often said that people become discouraged not by lack of vision, but by not being able to see the next steps. Baha'u'llah, especially through the Universal House of Justice, helps us see the next steps we need to take to manifest this glorious world to which we are moving.

He is, in fact, as He says in the next sentence, "the guiding Light that illumineth the way".

But it is that last couple of sentences that I find the most encouraging:

I am the royal Falcon on the arm of the Almighty. I unfold the drooping wings of every broken bird and start it on its flight.

There are many examples in the Writings of our role in the world, and how Baha'u'llah is a superlative example of that role. In the Kitab-i-Iqan, Baha'u'llah refers to "the divine Luminaries," who, "by their loving care and educative influence, cause the trees of divine unity, the fruits of His oneness, the leaves of detachment, the blossoms of knowledge and certitude, and the myrtles of wisdom and utterance, to exist and be made manifest". What I find fascinating about this quote is that He seems to be implying that He is like the mighty tree in the forest, while we, His humble followers, are also trees, in this case the smaller myrtle.

Every element in that quote grows on the tree itself, from the fruits to the leaves, and even the blossoms, but around that tree are smaller blossoms, and the shrubs, like the myrtle. It is as if there is only one Manifestation, but He cannot do it all on His own. This is why He has the saints and apostles. They are the ones to spread His message. I could go on about why He used myrtles here, as that is oddly specific, but that is a topic for another article, I'm sure.

Here, in this quote, He is the royal Falcon, and we are smaller, less majestic, birds. In many cases, though, we are badly damaged. And, like the divine Physician He is, He has helped heal us so that we can take flight on our own.

This is all so encouraging, knowing that I am like that little bird that has been given the ability to fly once again. 

 Oh, and 96. The countdown is still on.  

A Kindly Tongue

Do you realize that in all the years I've been writing this blog I've never looked at one of my favourite quotes from the Writings? On the one hand, I'm sure you do, for you are so attentive, dear Reader, but on the other hand, of course not. How would you know it's one of my favourites if I've never told you?

By the way, this is a point that I've also never addressed: We're not psychic. Too often have I come across people who seem to think that we are. They probably figure that if Robin was psychic, we should be, too. What? Oh, yeah. Robin was Batman's psychic. (Sorry, couldn't resist.)

But seriously, we too often expect others to just somehow know what we're thinking and that's not fair. I was once asked by an Assembly to talk to someone that had been asked to give a presentation at Naw Ruz, to ensure that his topic was going to be appropriate. I asked him what he was going to talk about and he said, "I'm going to tell them what Naw Ruz is." Badda boom, that was it. "Really", I asked? "Naw Ruz is the beginning of our calendar? That's all?"

He then got all huffy and said, "Well, no, I'll talk about more than just that, of course." You see, he somehow expected that I was going to just know what he was going to say. I pointed out to him that one of my many failings was not being able to read minds, and asked him if he could please give me some clue about what he would talk about so that I could let the Assembly know.

Yeah, we're not psychic. Sorry about that.

Anyways, one of my favourite quotes. You've probably guessed by now, presuming you've looked at the title of this article.

But I have to admit, I did not notice this on my own. I actually was bored before starting this post and asked google to give me a quote from the Writings that I hadn't addressed yet. And it gave me this one. I tell you, google is good. Google. Good. God. They all begin with "go", which is what I should with this post. So, here we go.

A kindly tongue is the lodestone of the hearts of men. It is the bread of the spirit, it clotheth the words with meaning, it is the fountain of the light of wisdom.

I just love that quote. I really do. I mean, it has a word like "lodestone" in it. How awesome is that?

But let's take a look at it a little bit at a time, with the standard caveat that all of this is just my own opinion, nothing official. Take it or leave it, it's up to you. That said, onward ho!

It begins, like most things in the Writings, with the heart. This time, though, it is us addressing the heart of another. But to be effective, we have to use a kindly tongue. It has to be warm, gentle. It should be generous, sympathetic, easygoing, patient, helpful, and considerate. Kindly implies so many things, but they are all things that just make you smile and feel all warm and fuzzy inside. (Hmm. I may need to re-think that phrase. I mean, if I was fuzzy on the inside, a visit to the doctor might be in order.)

But aside from the obvious, why would we need our tongue, the words we use and the way we say them, to be kindly for all the rest to follow? (Great question, glad I asked.)

Well, our use of language is like a magnet, for that's what a lodestone is. "Lode" is literally an olde English word for "way" or "guide". A lodestone is a stone that shows the way, just like we can use our language to "show the way" when we share the teachings.

But what if we're abrupt in our speech? Or not patient with the time it takes another to begin to see what it is we're talking about? Do you think they'll be attracted to what we have to say? Probably not. They'll likely stop listening.

And to take it a step further, the Word of God may be the "Bread of Life", but if they are not listening to it, then it can never feed them.

If the person is not listening to what we are sharing, then the words that we are saying literally become devoid of meaning by the time they reach their ears.

To give an extreme example, we may have the most wonderful and powerful and inspiring quote from Baha'u'llah written down on a piece of paper. But if we yell at someone and tell them that they're going to be condemned for all eternity if they don't read it and accept it, how do you expect them to react? Do you think they'll jump up and down with excitement, begging us to share it with them? I wouldn't. If someone approached me like that, I'd think they're nuts and just walk away. Whatever was written down on that paper would, to me, be meaningless, for I would never get any meaning out of it, for the meaning is only in the sharing. Without that, they are nothing more than some splotches of ink.

But now suppose that someone came up to me with that exact same piece of paper, wrapped up as a scroll, with a beautiful ribbon tied around it. Suppose they saw that I was struggling with something and offered to help me with it. Suppose they talked to me as a dear friend, asked me about my day, how I was feeling, what they could do to ease my burdens and concerns, and worked alongside me on those projects I felt were important. Suppose they invited me into their confidence, too, and shared with me their burdens and concerns, asked for my help, trusted me with their heart. Suppose they said they found great comfort in the words on that scroll, as well as inspiration and joy. Now how do you think I would respond?

Those words may be from that divine Ocean, they may contain the Water of Life, they may be from the "fountain of the light of wisdom", but in the former case, I would never know. I would most likely toss them away, given the person who passed them on to me. But in the latter case, I would treasure them right from the beginning, given that they were now a reminder of that dear soul who entrusted me with their care.

If the tongue is not kindly, if the way we share the words is not conducive to the opening of the heart of the recipient, it does not matter what we say, for it will never get past that great barrier that divides us all. That can only be done with love.

 

97 more to go to hit my goal of 100 this year. Any thoughts on other quotes to explore?

Tulips

Spring is coming. Really, I promise.

The two meters of snow in front of my snow try to convince me otherwise, but I know it's on its way.

In just a few weeks comes Ayyam-i-Ha, then the Fast, and then, as promised, spring.

And you know what comes with spring? Besides warmer weather, rain, and a ton of mud? Flowers.

Now, I've already written an article on hyacinths, one of my favourite flowers, but there is another one that arrives around the same time: Tulips. I love variety of colours and textures, and even the amazing history, what with them commanding a king's fortune in price, only to plummet to near worthlessness, sadly bankrupting whole families but teaching us a valuable lesson in economic bubbles and the dangers of unbridled capitalism and greed.

But, no, I don't want to go into the sordid history of that flower. I'd far rather talk about their beauty, metaphorical significance, and how they are used in the Writings. What can we learn from this simple flower? After all, in the Kitab-i-Iqan, paragraph 109 in case you're interested, He says that "all things, in their inmost reality, testify to the revelation of the names and attributes of God within them." So what is it that these beautiful blossoms testify?

He mentions them twice in that inspiring book. First in paragraph 217, where He is describing the City of Certitude, which He later identifies as "the Word of God revealed in every age and dispensation" (paragraph 219). He says of this City that its "wondrous tulips unfold the mystery of the undying Fire in the Burning Bush".

Later, in paragraph 233 He refers to those souls who have accepted the new Revelation. He says that in their hearts we will see "the roses of wisdom and the tulips of understanding". And yes, I know I included the roses in there, but it is so that we can compare and contrast the wisdom with the understanding. But let's not go there just yet.

Why tulips?

Historically, they have signalized a re-birth, as they are one of the first flowers to emerge after the long winter. But they have also symbolized a fleeting beauty, one that fades rather quickly. Throughout history they have also come to represent a passionate and unconditional love, as well as self-acceptance. They are a humble flower that does not try to be the rose, content in themself.

In other words, they are a flower that has been given much meaning in different cultures throughout the ages.

Let's begin by looking at that first quote, they "unfold the mystery of the undying Fire in the Burning Bush" in the City of Certitude, which is the Word of God in the new Revelation.

The Word of God can lead us to all sorts of insights and understandings. They are the guide on that path to truth. But over time that Word can become familiar. We can hear an interpretation that sounds good and go with it, failing to seek new and more wondrous truths within it. There are countless examples of this, one of which is about the Return of the next Messenger. Too many people take these spiritual statements as literal truths and deny the next Manifestation when they appear.

There are, of course, other examples that apply more directly to our immediate life. Many people have heard the phrase, "Turn the other cheek", which effectively has come to be understood as "if someone slugs you, let them slug you again". Not much learned there, except perhaps to avoid such confrontations in the first place.

But when you search that phrase in a good translation of the Bible, you will not find it. Instead what you will discover is that Jesus said, "If a man strikes you on the right cheek, offer him your left." This is far more specific, and if you act it out, you will notice that it refers to a backhanded slap. It's more of an insult than an angry expression of violence. Then, if you merely turn your face a bit to offer the other cheek, too, you find that you are putting the aggressor into a position in which they will learn a spiritual truth, no matter what they do. In a sense, you are daring them to strike again, but if they do the exact same motion, strike in the same manner, they will get you square in the face. They may be willing to slap your cheek, but striking your face is another matter altogether. If they back off, they've learned shame. But if they do strike, then all around them people will call them out on unnecessary violence, and they will learn about collective security,

If we are too familiar with the phrase, though, and don't look beyond the commonly accepted understanding, we will miss the true depth and profundity of the lesson.

The new Message forces us to re-examine the old, giving us new flowers in that garden. And one of the most important things we learn, is that the Message that was given to Moses on Mount Sinai has returned. The flame that burned then, giving the Divine Message to the Manifestation, is still burning. That is one mystery that is revealed.

The second quote, though, is a bit different. He refers to "the roses of wisdom and the tulips of understanding".

Ok, first, the difference between wisdom and understanding. Understanding is in the head, while wisdom is in the heart. Understanding can refer to facts, but wisdom tells us how to put them to use. Understanding is knowing you made a mistake, but wisdom is not making it again.

When it comes to understanding, facts can change with the times. For example, if you have a headache, understanding can lead you to take an aspirin. But if you have a stomach ache, and you remember that the last you felt bad aspirin helped, taking the aspirin now could be dangerous because the symptoms are different.

Another example is that you tell the aggressive child to calm down, but you counsel the timid child to be more assertive. Totally different advice, both leading to a more moderate behaviour.

The tulips are the understanding, and as beautiful as they are, they don't have the heady scent that is noticed from far away. The rose, however, is the wisdom, and that is detectable from a far greater distance.

And that wisdom, just like the rose, usually comes later.

For now, it is the tulips that we await. And they're coming. Soon. I promise.

Oh, and 98 more to go. 

New Favourite Quote

All right, this is getting ridiculous.

I'm spending so much time trying to finish this book on the Iqan that I'm totally ignoring this blog. I think that needs to change.

Oh, wait. What book on the Iqan? Sorry. Maybe I should explain that first. Normally I'd write it as an aside, but that would make the aside way too long to be an aside, so I'll just keep it here. And then! Then I'll tell you about my new favourite quote.

So, many years ago, like somewhere around 2000 (the year, not that many years ago) I was living with my friend Samuel. He was a relatively new Baha'i at the time and thought it would be a good idea to study the Writings together whenever we were home together with nothing else to do. Naturally I agreed, so I asked what he wanted to study I was thinking the short obligatory prayer, or perhaps the Hidden Words. Maybe even the unity prayer. Who knew? Well, Samuel did. "The Kitab-i-Iqan", he said.

After picking my jaw up off the floor, we began a study of this book. Minimum 2 hours per week, almost always more. But then I got married, so we took a short break. When we resumed, neither of us could figure out where Baha'u'llah was in His argument in the book, so we decided to start over. We regularly met over coffee and began this whole thing again.

Then my wife and I had a child.

Once again we had to take a break, resumed, and had no clue where He was in His argument. Start again. But this time we decided to blog it, one paragraph at a time. That blog can be found here.

Anyways, more than 25 years later, we're still at it. We just published our thoughts on paragraph 217. 

All that to say that after so long a time studying that single text, I had a lot more I wanted to say. So I did. I wrote a book about it, looking at sections of paragraphs at a time and sharing some thoughts and insights. Sent it off to various publishers, and the Publishing Trust in Australia said "sure", they'd love to publish it.

Great.

But then I got a call one day (e-mail, actually), saying that test readers were loving it, but stopped reading and didn't pick it up again. The book, they said, was great, but it was "the wrong book". Rather than write about it in chronological order, they suggested, I should re-write it looking at the various methods Baha'u'llah uses to present His case. Great idea. So that's what I've been doing. And good news is I'm nearly done. Finally.

But I've been neglecting this blog. Not good.

So, after watching a movie about another blog, I decided that I really should get back into this one. And yes, I know I've said that before, but now I have a thought. I'm going to try to publish 100 articles this year. (<-- That's a commitment. I'm going to report on it as I go.) 

This has gotten me to ask myself, "Self," I asked, "what is it about this blog that is unique? What makes it work?" My answer is, "I'm so glad I asked. I think it's my deep love combined with a sense of playful joy. While I take the Writings seriously, I try not to take myself seriously."

To give you an idea of what that means, this entire article up to this point has been written in... (checks the clock) under 15 minutes, so far. I speak to you, dear Reader, as I would a friend. And I just type what I'm saying.

Anyways, my thought today? There is a passage I read a while ago, like a few months back, and I just loved it. I re-read for many nights in a row. What is it, you may wonder? Glad you asked. Light of the World, section 50.

It begins with this incredible and stirring passage about a number of previous Manifestations of God:

He is God.

O thou who rejoicest in the glad-tidings of God! In every age and century, the Dayspring of the world is made manifest, shining with a particular splendour and revealed through a mighty sign. In the time of the Friend of God,⁸³ the horizon of existence was illumined with the lights of friendship. During the era of Him Who conversed with God,⁸⁴ the dawning-place of creation was brightened by the Light that glowed upon Sinai. In the days of the Spirit of God,⁸⁵ the realm of being was perfumed by the sweet savours of holiness. With the dawning of the Day-Star of Medina,⁸⁶ the horizon of the world was flooded with the light of love and grandeur. When the veil of concealment was rent asunder from the beauty of the Primal Point, the Morn of divine guidance was adorned with the resplendent rays of the most joyful tidings. And with this Most Great Revelation and the dawning of the Day-Star of the Ancient Beauty, the horizons of the world have been encompassed, blessed, and made evident and complete by all the divine bounties, effulgences, names, and attributes combined. For the Most Great Ocean possesseth and embraceth all the perfections that are to be found in every sea, gulf, river, spring, and stream.

 

I mean I could go on and on about all the things that capture my attention in this paragraph, from the description of what each Manifestion brought, with Abraham bringing friendship, and Moses the Light of the Law, and on and on. Or I could even describe the movement from the grandiose to the miniscule in that very last phrasing, from the mighty and majestic seas all the way down to the humble stream that flows just outside the house.

But no. That's not what really caught my attention.

I mean, I could go on from paragraph 3 through to the end, and talk about how 'Abdu'l-Baha further describes the progression of the Faith of God throughout history and all the various aspects of this mighty procession He points out. I could, but I won't.

No, what really caught my attention and made me sit up was paragraph number 2. 

After this powerful and insightful opening, He continues with this simple observation:

 

This was written with a broken-nibbed pen. The pen hath been changed and the theme is now elaborated. 

 

I actually sat up and laughed. Aloud. For a good couple of minutes.

I'd catch my breath, re-read that paragraph, and then start laughing again. 

Every night for weeks I'd re-read this passage over and over and fall asleep with an over-riding sense of joy.

Despite being the Mystery of God, despite being the Master, the Centre of the Covenant, the Most Mighty Branch, the Perfect Exemplar, the Unerring Interpreter, and even despite being 'Abdu'l-Baha, the Servant of Glory, He was still, in His very essence, human.

Yes, He "towers, in conjunction with (the Bab and Baha'u'llah), above the destinies of this infant Faith of God". And, yes, "wide as is the gulf that separates ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá from Him Who is the Source of an independent Revelation, it can never be regarded as commensurate with the greater distance that stands between Him Who is the Center of the Covenant and His ministers who are to carry on His work."

But here, with this singular paragraph, He reminds us that He, too, is human, prone to the same insignificant troubles we are all heir to. And that, dear Reader, makes me smile with a joy that is deep within my heart, and makes me love the Master even more than before.

1 down, 99 more to go.

Three Books to Master

In 1932, Shoghi Effendi said if we want to "be able to teach others and render real service to the promulgation of the Faith", we need to understand the spirit and tenets of the Faith. "Of special importance", he went on, "is the Book of the Íqán which explains the attitude of the Cause towards the prophets of God and their mission in the history of society. Besides this there is Some Answered Questions of the Master and The Dawn-Breakers of Nabíl. Every Bahá’í should master these books and be able to explain their contents to others."

The Iqan. The Dawn-Breakers. Some Answered Questions.

Why these three?

He begins by referring us to the Iqan, a book of "special importance". And yes, it does explain our attitude towards the various Manifestations, as well as their role in history, but it does so much more than that. There are multiple lists of all the various topics covered in that remarkable book. Volumes could be, and have been, written about the ideas within it.

But what about the Dawn-Breakers? Why would he include a volume written not by one of the Central Figures of the Faith but by a poet? Perhaps the answer can be found in the Iqan. In paragraph 6 we read, "the more closely thou observest the denials of those who have opposed the Manifestations of the divine attributes, the firmer will be thy faith in the Cause of God." The Dawn-Breakers is one of the books that talks about those very denials. Later, of course, Shoghi Effendi would also include "God Passes By" in this list, which is another repository of many of these heart-breaking and inspiring stories, but I'm going to stick with this one for now.

The third book on that list is "Some Answered Questions". Why, out of all the volumes given to us by the Master, did he choose this one?

Of course, I don't actually know. I'm only guessing. But I think this is a good guess. And if I can think of one reason, then there are likely at least 70.

To start, the Iqan is a fascinating book on so many levels. It is the only book I am aware of in which we can see how a Manifestation of God actually teaches the faith to another individual. An uncle of the Bab had asked some some questions, and this volume is the response. It brings him from being a sincere seeker all the way to the station of a confirmed believer. And we can actually witness how Baha'u'llah did it, step by step in this book.

The reasons Baha'u'llah offers to uncle are reasons we can understand. His explanations of the Manifestations, their role in the development of society, the hierarchy of nature, the importance of detachment in our search for truth, the qualities necessary to be a true seeker: the list goes on and on. These are things that we can begin to grasp, and are the very basis of our belief system. They are the answers to many of the questions we either have or will hear in our lifetime.

The Dawn-Breakers gives us the courage to go out and teach. These stories within its pages lift the heart, break it to pieces, and rebuild it even stronger. It not only fortifies our faith, it becomes a powerful source of our motivation.

Some Answered Questions, though, gives us an example of how to respond in a conversation. Someone asks us a question? We are probably not in a position to ask them to write it down, as Baha'u'llah did with the uncle. No. We're in the middle of a conversation with a friend. How should we respond in the moment?

We have the information from the Iqan. We have the courage to reply from the Dawn-Breakers. And now we have the example of how to answer.

Some Answered Questions is the record of, to put it simply, dinner conversations with 'Abdu'l-Baha. They were informal, yet informative. Personal, yet applicable to all.

Notice how, for example, He answers the question, "What is to be said about reincarnation..?" He doesn't give a simple yes or no, we agree or not, response. He begins, "Our purpose in what we are about to say is to express the truth and not to denigrate the beliefs of others: It is merely to explain the facts of the matter and nothing more. Otherwise, we are neither inclined to dispute anyone’s deeply held beliefs, nor do we sanction such conduct."

Throughout this book we see His tender mercy and wisdom, His love and care for those He meets. What a precious example to follow.

What to teach. The courage to teach. How to teach. All contained within three inspirational volumes. 

Why the Light?

Why "Light of the the World"? I mean, why did the World Centre put together this volume of some of the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha at this time? It's a ton of work, and I'm not questioning the release of more of His Writings. I am wondering at the rationale of this particular theme.

Ok, let me go back a moment and try to catch you up on my train of thought.

Like most compilations, this one has a very distinct theme. And the major theme in this book, Light of the World, is the trials and sufferings of Baha'u'llah and the Master.

Now, I have long noticed that the books the World Centre releases, whether new translations of the Writings or compilations, are exactly what we need to know about 10 years after they are released. That is, when a compilation like "Trustworthiness" is released, we have about a decade to study it before it becomes the central focus of society, and something that it would be very useful for us to have a deep understanding about and be fluently conversant on. A decade after that compilation on trustworthiness came out, it was one of the predominant conversational themes in many societies.

So why Light of the World? Why the sufferings of the Central Figures? Why now?

As usual, I don't really know. And these thoughts are just my own, nothing official, of course. Just one Baha'i's attempt to come to a better understanding. If you have any other thoughts I'd love to hear them.

Ok, so I'm thinking it goes back to paragraph 6 of the Kitab-i-Iqan. In that paragraph, we find the incredible statement, "the more closely thou observest the denials of those who have opposed the Manifestations of the divine attributes, the firmer will be thy faith in the Cause of God".

I had to read that many times before the import of it began to sink into my heart.

"...(T)he more closely thou observest the denials of those who have opposed the Manifestations of the divine attributes, the firmer will be thy faith in the Cause of God."

In other words, if I understand this correctly, by studying not only the sufferings, but specifically the reasons why people rejected the Manifestations, my faith will become more solid. All right. Fair enough. I won't profess to understand the why of it, but I will admit to the reality of it. At least, for me. I do know that the more I have studied the reasons for the denials, the more certain I have become in my own faith.

In addition to this, the more that I study the sufferings of the Manifestations and their followers, the more patient I am in my own meager sufferings.

Hmm.

Maybe this is why this book is being released now.

Maybe, just maybe, the friends are being given the tools they need to ensure that they remain firm in their faith.

Perhaps we are also being reminded of the importance of patience and fortitude in face of the trials that are soon to come.

Light of the World, 2

Ok, I'm sorry. You might be expecting more on the first passage from 'Abdu'l-Baha's volume, Light of the World, and I'm sorry. I was reading ahead, and looked at the second passage. Besides, after re-reading what I wrote on it, I couldn't really think of much else to add. I already began to look at the corresponding 1s, 2, 3s, and 4s. So I thought, this morning, I'd go on to the second passage. Let me know if you want me to write more about the first one. I'm sure I could find something to say.

Anyways, here's the second passage from that wonderful book. It's 3 paragraphs, after an invocation. I'm going to paste the whole thing, italicize the text, and then insert my comments after each paragraph. We'll see how that works.

He is God.

I was listening to a talk on youtube recently, and the speaker made the comment that many of 'Abdu'l-Baha's tablets begin this way. In fact, he said, it is like an announcement that it was written by Him. According to the speaker, which is my way of saying I haven't read it for myself, somebody wrote Him and asked why He started so many Tablets this way. The response, he said, was that it was indicative of the station of Baha'u'llah. "He is God." And it's not that Baha'u'llah is God Himself, but rather that from our perspective they are indistinguishable. I could go on more about this, but let's just move on for now.

 

1 O thou seeker after truth! Behold the power and greatness of Bahá’u’lláh! Within a short span of time, He hath stirred up the East and the West, and raised aloft, in the midmost heart of the world, the banner of love and harmony, of unity and peace, of fellowship and conciliation, of truthfulness and rectitude. He hath freed from enmity and strife a great multitude of souls belonging to divers and opposing nations, to disparate and contending religions, and hath brought them under the sheltering canopy of fellowship, love, and unity.

First, the "1" is not part of the text. That's just what happens when you cut and paste from the bahai.org website. I could get rid of it, but it's nice to have that little marker telling us where we are in the text, so I'm keeping it in there.

I love how He begins. "O thou seeker after truth!" What a great encouragement. It's like He's telling us we're on the right track. "Keep going!" I feel like He's spurring me on, sort of like a loving family member at the side of the road encouraging the marathon runner.

Then, after telling us we're going in the right direction, He specifically directs our gaze to the "power and greatness of Baha'u'llah". He points out to us unmistakable signs: this stirring up, and the raising of a banner.

But what is a banner? What's its purpose? While it historically has the sign of the legion to which the soldiers belong, and can act as a rallying point, it also helps those that are lost in the crowd to find their way back to camp. Oftentimes it has a symbol of great meaning, or an important message for those around to see. This particular banner bears the message of "love and harmony, of unity and peace, of fellowship and conciliation, of truthfulness and rectitude".

As I re-read those attributes, it's interesting to see that they are couplets. It's almost like He's telling how to act towards each other. We must first love each other and act in harmony with those we love. We have to be in unity with each other, which implies that we are diverse, for without diversity all we can achieve is uniformity. This diversity, however, can be difficult, and often leads to conflict, even with those we love. So peace must be coupled with this unity.

Fellowship is interesting to me. It implies a closeness that the other words don't. I mean, it's possible to love someone without actually liking them. Fellowship, though, has within it a sense of belonging, a shared purpose. Conciliation, however, means a bringing about of peaceful relations, It implies that there was strife that has now been overcome.

Truthfulness is that which accords with reality. This is important, because if our actions are not truthful, what good are they? Rectitude means upright and honourable behaviour. You can be truthful and still hurt people with your truth. ("That dress looks horrible on you." "This is the worst food I've ever tasted.") Honourable behaviour is when you act with honesty and fairness, and those actions are worthy of respect.

By the way, you may think these redundant, truthful and honest, but they are not. Truthfulness has nothing to do with you. It is what is real, no matter what you may believe. Honesty is when you speak or act in a manner that is in accordance with your beliefs. If you actually believe something that is false, you can be honest without being truthful. Of course, if you believe something false, and jokingly say something true by accident, then you can be truthful without being honest, so there is that.

Anyways, it's a fascinating list. These are the virtues on the banner that Baha'u'llah has hoisted. This is what we are all being called to.

After this list, 'Abdu'l-Baha points out that Baha'u'llah has "freed from enmity and strife" so many people from such diverse backgrounds. When we look at the Baha'i world today, this is even more true now than it was just over a century ago.

As trials and tribulations rain down upon us from so many directions, we can find shelter under that canopy raised by Him, that "canopy of fellowship, love, and unity". You will note, of course, that those are also the first half of three of those couplets. This time, though, they are in a different order. It is like we enter that canopy because of our fellowship and meet complete strangers there. Once we meet them, get to know them, our love increases until we achieve unity.

Now we are ready to move onto the next paragraph.

 

2 What power this is, and what strength! What greater proof couldst thou desire? He hath brought East and West into close embrace. Singly and alone, He hath withstood the world and uplifted His mighty Cause in the Most Great Prison. Though subjected to utter abasement, He hath crowned His loved ones with the diadem of everlasting glory. Were one to gaze with the eye of justice, this would be sufficient proof.

If we were ever concerned about power or strength, this is where we find it, through this true fellowship, love, and unity. By bringing the world together, what other power can overcome that? Are we concerned about a single ruler, or one little nation? One measly country? There is no possible way they can stand up to the collective might of a united planet. A strong union will always prevail.

And who was it that did this? Who raised this great standard? One Prisoner. Alone. By Himself, with the might of God helping, of course.

In the midst of your troubles and despairs, don't forget that Baha'u'llah was "subjected to utter abasement". "Remember My days", He says in the Tablet of Ahmad, "during thy days..." And yet even then, despite these torments, He still "crowned His loved ones with the diadem of everlasting glory".

Wow.

If you are seeking the truth, look no further than His Cause, for surely you will find it there.

3 Thou hast written concerning the cost of postage. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá hath offered up his life for thee, how much more his earthly possessions! Upon thee be greetings and praise.

Wait. What? "The cost of postage"?

As in, "How much is a stamp?"

I feel like the Master is saying, "Don't worry. I got it. I'll pay for the stamp."

I can just imagine His smile as He wrote that last bit.