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Celebrating the two hundredth Anniversaries of The Birth of Baha'u'llah and The Bab |
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Introduction In 2017 Baha'is around the world will celebrate the two hundredth anniversary of the Birth of Baha'u'llah. Then in 2019 they will celebrate the two hundredth anniversary of the Birth of the Bab. This journal will contain poems and prose inspired by these two anniversaries. In addition, I will include thoughts and poems inspired by the scriptures revealed by Baha'u'llah and the Bab. Before Naw-Ruz of 2015, the Baha'i or Badi calendar "was synchronized to the Gregorian calendar".1 After Naw-Ruz of 2015, the date of the vernal equinox was established as the birthplace of Baha'u'llah which unlocked the Baha'i calendar from the Gregorian calendar.2 Because of this the dates of the celebrations are now calculated according to the Baha'i/Badi calendar instead of the Gregorian calendar which was the case before Naw-Ruz 2015. Bicentenary of the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh  Bicentenary of the Birth of the Bab Remembering 'Abdu'l-Baha Twin Holy Days Celebrated on the fist and second day following the eight new moon after Naw-Ruz The Celebration of the Birth of the Báb occurred on October 21, 2017. The Bicentenary of the Birth of the Báb will occur on October 29, 2019 Born: 1 Muharram 1235 AH - 20 October 1819 The Bicentenary Celebration of the Birth of Bahá'u'lláh occurred on October 22, 2017 The Celebration of the Birth of Bahá'u'lláh will occur on October 30, 2019 Born: 2 Muharram 1233 AH - 12 November 1817 Centenary of the Ascension of 'Abdu'l-Baha More information as 2021 progresses. Links to Articles Articles in the Huffington Post Baha’is Prepare for Bicentennial in 2017 By Shastri Purushotma (December 30, 2016)Baha’is To Celebrate “Twin Holy Days” For First Time Worldwide By Shastri Purushotma (November 5, 2015)200 Years Since His Birth: Who Is Bahá’u’lláh? by Genevieve Seri (September 9. 2017)Articles in Baha'i Chronicles http://bahaichronicles.org/ Articles in Beyond Foreignness 200 Articles in 200 Days for the 200th Anniversary of Bahá’u’lláh’s Birth by Michael Curtotti The Short Obligatory Prayer Revealed by Bahá'u'lláh "I bear witness, O my God, that Thou hast created me to know Thee and to worship Thee. I testify, at this moment, to my powerlessness and to Thy might, to my poverty and to Thy wealth. There is none other God but Thee, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting." Prayers and Meditations by Bahá’u’lláh, CLXXXI The Remover of Difficulties Revealed by The Bab "Is there any Remover of difficulties save God? Say: Praised be God! He is God! All are His servants and all abide by His bidding!" Selections from the Writings of the Báb Prayer for America Revealed by 'Abdu'l-Baha "O Thou kind Lord! This gathering is turning to Thee. These hearts are radiant with Thy love. These minds and spirits are exhilarated by the message of Thy glad-tidings. O God! Let this American democracy become glorious in spiritual degrees even as it has aspired to material degrees, and render this just government victorious. Confirm this revered nation to upraise the standard of the oneness of humanity, to promulgate the Most Great Peace, to become thereby most glorious and praiseworthy among all the nations of the world. O God! This American nation is worthy of Thy favors and is deserving of Thy mercy. Make it precious and near to Thee through Thy bounty and bestowal." Baha'i Prayers Footnotes |
Prophethood August 11, 2017 at 9:40pm Prophethood:
To The Blessed Beauty
Manifestation of divinity!
Mirrors reflecting reality's essence!
From the beginning
that has no beginning
they have reflected
the attributes of God
to humanity,
and will continue to do so
until the end
that has no end.
Stepping out of the veils of light,
they reveal the Primal Will,
the Word of God,
manifest divinity,
renew God's ancient faith,
and bestow eternal life.
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}This is Poem 93... [Read more] God's Word August 11, 2017 at 9:38pm God's Word:
To The Blessed Beauty
Power is in the Word of God!
The power to unite
the scattered nations of humankind
into a planetary society.
Love is in the Word of God!
The love that binds
soul to soul
and creates a new human species
out of the separate tribes
and races.
Peace is in the Word of God!
The peace passing all understanding,
which creates a world free of war
with citizens free of fear.
Justice is in the Word of God!
The justice
that is God's b... [Read more] Tokens of God's Love August 11, 2017 at 9:36pm Tokens of God's Love:
To The Blessed Beauty
The tokens of God's love,
His greatest gifts to humanity,
are His Manifestations,
the Prophets He sends
in every age
to reveal his will
to humankind.
Each Messenger comes
when the human race is falling
into the pit of self-destruction
because of obedience
the its own selfish desires.
Each one has
a specific mission,
brings laws,
and Holy Writings
to carry us forward
until the next divine messenger
arrives,
with ... [Read more] God's Gift August 11, 2017 at 9:35pm God's Gift:
To The Blessed Beauty
"Our gift from God is who we are:
Our gift to God is what we become."
Author Unknown
What is God's gift to us?
It is our souls;
the spiritual mirror within
each human being that,
when polished,
reflects the divine attributes.
What is our gift to God?
It is the effort
we make to polish the mirror,
so that we can become
our true selves.
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}This is Poem 90 of 200 Dedicated to the B... [Read more] So Be It August 11, 2017 at 9:33pm So Be It:
To The Blessed Beauty
S ometimes we just have to let God;
O pen our hearts and souls to his will.
B eg His assistance, and shout "Amen!"
E ven before the project begins.
I t isn't easy to achieve success, but
T aking God as a partner decreases failure's risk.
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}Amen: An Interjection meaning "it is so; so be it (used after a prayer, creed, or other formal statement to express solemn ratification or agree... [Read more] World Citizen August 11, 2017 at 9:32pm World Citizen:
To The Blessed Beauty
"The utterance of God is a lamp, whose light is these words: Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch."
Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh , CXXXII: “The Purpose of the one true God, exalted…”
Can you see Earth as a single nation?
If so,
you are a world citizen.
Citizens of Earth,
fruits of the tree of humanity,
look beyond today.
Can you imagine a world without... [Read more] Song of the Blessed Beauty August 11, 2017 at 9:30pm Song of the Blessed Beauty:
To The Blessed Beauty
“God is sufficient unto me; He verily is the all sufficing.”
"In Him let the trusting trust."
Baha'u'llah, The Sufferings of Baha'u'llah , page 5
Intoned by two rows of Babi prisoner
chained together
the song of the Blessed Beauty{footnote:#}One of Baha'u'llah's titles.
reverberated day and night
from the Síyáh-Chál{footnote:#}The Black Pit of Tehran
to the palace of Nasir-al... [Read more] Call of the Nightingale August 11, 2017 at 9:28pm Call of the Nightingale:
To The Blessed Beauty
Reverberating
from the Garden of Ridvan{footnote:#}Paradise
God's Nightingale calls
to the Children of The Book,
to the followers
of all religions or none.
Echoing across
the Earth the nightingale's song
proclaims unity,
forgiveness of sins, and a
new heaven and a new Earth.
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}The form is Naga Uta, which is a Japanese form meaning "long song". The syllable count is similar t... [Read more] Deity August 11, 2017 at 9:27pm Deity:
To The Blessed Beauty
Reality's essence!
Creation's ultimate cause;
Preexisting;
Eternal - cannot perish;
Everlasting - cannot decline;
Self-Subsisting entity that does not alter;
Unknowable and inaccessible except through the Mirrors of the Divine Manifestations{footnote:#}Also referred to as Prophets.
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}This is my personal limited human understanding of God. This is Poem 85 of 200 Dedicated to the Blessed Beauty.
... [Read more] Will of God August 11, 2017 at 9:26pm Will of God:
To The Blessed Beauty
1
Why does the wind become a storm?
It is the will of God
working through nature;
obedience
in the final analysis
becomes freewill's choice.
2
The Will of God,
the Plan of God,
revealed
through successive prophets
moves humanity forward.
The individual
can chose to obey
the God's chosen prophet,
or to disobey;
either way
God's Will Be Done.
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}This is Poem 84 of 200 Dedica... [Read more] Making the World a Kinder Place August 11, 2017 at 9:24pm Making the World a Kinder Place:
To The Blessed Beauty
"Where there is no vision the people perish."
Proverbs 29:18
We live in a world without vision,
where bombs fall
on the unfortified roofs of grade schools,
and bodies are stacked,
cord wood waiting for the fire.
To make the world a kinder place
humanity's vision must be restored,
its hope reestablished,
and its faith refreshed.
How can humanity's vision be restored?
Through knowledge of self:
... [Read more] Night of Joy August 11, 2017 at 9:22pm Night of Joy:
To The Blessed Beauty
"Say: This is the night wherein the veils of glory were parted before the eyes of the people of certitude, and the Bird of Heaven warbled its melody in the midmost heart of the celestial realm. Rejoice, then, O embodiments of sanctity in the Everlasting City!"
Bahá’u’lláh, Lawḥ-i-Mawlúd (Tablet of the Birth), #44{footnote:#} Quoted in Days of Remembrance : Birth of Bahá’u’lláh
Raise your voices in praise!
Sing ... [Read more] Courage to Change August 11, 2017 at 9:19pm Courage to Change:
To The Blessed Beauty
"The troubles of this world pass, and what we have left is what we have made of our souls; so it is to this we must look, - to becoming more spiritual, drawing nearer to God, not matter what our human minds and bodies are going through."
Shoghi Effendi
Death lurks around the corner,
waiting to embrace
the aware
and the unaware
with equal fervor.
Spiritual transformation can't be delay,
can't be put off,
or igno... [Read more] Chapters in the Book of God August 11, 2017 at 9:17pm Chapters in the Book of God:
To The Blessed Beauty
Each religion is a chapter in the book of of God.
Personal Epiphany
In the Book of God
each chapter reveals His love
for humanity.
Open the book,
look at the chapter titles,
each is the name of a religion
that was revealed
by a Divine Messenger.
Can you name the chapters in God's Book?
Can you name the Messenger?
Baha'u'llah
The Bab
Muhammad
Christ
Buddha
Moses
Krishna
Zoroaster
Abraham
{... [Read more] Contemplating the Three Onenesses August 11, 2017 at 9:16pm Contemplating the Three Onenesses:
To The Blessed Beauty
One God
Original cause
generated evolution's laws.
Nature responded
with cause and effect.
Each spiritual law
has its physical counterpart.
The Divine Unknowable Essence
is the original cause.
The Deity
operates in accordance with Its own laws;
directs evolution's spiritual and material symphony.
One Race
Original parents
produced a single species.
Nature's prism
the spectrum separ... [Read more] Fruits of the Tree of Life: August 11, 2017 at 9:14pm Fruits of the Tree of Life:
To The Blessed Beauty
How can humanity's hunger be satisfied?
How can humanity's thirst be quenched?
With the fruits of the Tree of Life
from which the wine of unity is distilled!
What are the fruits of the Tree of Life
that will sate humankind's hunger
and quell its thirst?
Gather from the Tree of Life
the twelve fruits of peace;
harvest the fruits of
The Oneness of God,
The Oneness of humanity,
The Common foundation of all re... [Read more] Candles of Unity August 11, 2017 at 9:12pm Candles of Unity:
To The Blessed Beauty
"Behold how its light is now dawning upon the world’s darkened horizon. The first candle is unity in the political realm, the early glimmerings of which can now be discerned. The second candle is unity of thought in world undertakings, the consummation of which will erelong be witnessed. The third candle is unity in freedom which will surely come to pass. The fourth candle is unity in religion which is the cornerstone of the foundation it... [Read more] Living a Baha'i Life August 11, 2017 at 9:10pm Living a Baha'i Life:
To The Blessed Beauty
To live a Baha'i life,
I must move forward
taking each day as it come,
and dedicating it
to The Blessed Beauty.
To live a Baha'i life,
I must breath
one prayer at a time,
while I attempt,
with the help of the Holy Spirit,
to obey Baha'u'llah's commands.
To live a Baha'i life,
I must plant seeds
one heart at a time,
proclaiming the good news
of The Glory of God.
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:... [Read more] Prayer Beads August 11, 2017 at 9:08pm Prayer Beads:
To The Blessed Beauty
Alláh-u-Abhá!
Intoned in morning's silence,
God's praise upon my lips.
Alláh-u-Abhá!
I move each green bead,
Across across green lace cording.
Alláh-u-Abhá!
Empowers my fearful soul,
To ascend out of doubt's crypt.
Alláh-u-Abhá!
Heals my heart's broken winged bird
To proclaim Baha'u'llah's name.
Alláh-u-Abhá!
Centers my scattered thought
On the Point of Adoration,
Alláh-u-Abhá!
Attunes... [Read more] Every Step is a Prayer August 11, 2017 at 9:06pm Every Step is a Prayer:
To The Blessed Beauty
Every step is a prayer for assistance,
or of gratitude.
We walk the path of most resistance,
the road taking us
into the future,
the road insuring
that every inch gained
is purchased
through sacrifice
and prayer.
We walk a road echoing
with voices of hate,
voices that attempt to drown out
the hymns of unity
rising above the chaos
of our fears.
We walk the path of knowledge,
and scientific discovery
that reveals the r... [Read more] Voice of God August 11, 2017 at 9:04pm Voice of God:
To The Blessed Beauty
We hear the voice of God
speaking from the vocal chords
of His mirrors.
Children,
of the receding night,
we stand on the edge of morning
listening to God's voice
as it echoes
with the approaching light.
"O Lord,"
we prostrate ourselves in fear,
"forgive us,
and heal the wounds of doubt
that tested our patience
and our faith."
Picking up a Holy Book,
we listen for the divine voice
that reverberates
through t... [Read more] Divine Unity August 11, 2017 at 9:02pm Divine Unity:
To The Blessed Beauty
Makes no distinction
between the revealers or God's light.
Admits the validity
of each Divine Prophet.
The fulfillment
of God's promise to the faithful.
{dropnote:"Poet's Note:"}This is Poem 72 of 200 Dedicated to the Blessed Beauty.
... [Read more] Dawning Place August 11, 2017 at 9:01pm Dawning Place:
To The Blessed Beauty
{embed:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkaAPIPNOR4}
Mashriqu’l-Adhkárs{footnote:#}Dawning place of the praise and mention of God. ,
dawning place of the praise of God,
sets on the Shore of Lake Michigan
inviting humanity
to come
into her sanctuary
or walk through her gardens.
All are welcome,
because the Baha'i Temple
is a symbol
of unit,
Do not stand outside
and look,
go inside,
sit down,
and pray or meditate.
{drop... [Read more] Reconnecting With the Source August 11, 2017 at 8:59pm Reconnecting With the Source:
To The Blessed Beauty
One prayer at a time
I am reconnecting
with the source of life and love.
I am walking out of the darkness
into the light of dawn,
into the splendor of morning,
intoning praise to the Blessed Beauty,
to the Glory of God.
I stand
under the newly risen sun,
watching it rays
scatter the night's darkness,
and proclaim divine love.
I am reconnecting with the source,
returning to the light,
and retrieving hope
from ... [Read more] Experiencing the Presence of the Holy Spirit August 11, 2017 at 8:57pm Experiencing the Presence of the Holy Spirit:
To The Blessed Beauty
How does a poet experience the Holy Spirit?
How does the presence of the Holy Spirit feel?
Inhaling the splendor
of dawn over the Rockies
after a March thunderstorm.
Exhaling the glory
of starlight piercing
the cold hydrogen of interstellar space.
Caressing the beauty
of the Pacific Ocean
on a clear and windy day.
Witnessing the grandeur
of the Grand Canyon
from a jet plane.
Tasting a ray of w... [Read more] |
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