The Fast is a time for us to re-calibrate, so to speak, to refocus our vision, to balance our lives in accordance with the Divine laws and guidance, to detach ourselves from this world of dust, and to prepare for the eternal life. However, these vital actions should all be daily habits and not just confined to the Fasting period. Perhaps, we should reflect on what is at stake after the end of this earthly sojourn, so to reinforce the critical value of this time.

So much of our energy is drained seeking earthly things, that many do not have the time or attraction to pray, meditate, and to offer selfless service to others.

His Holiness Christ warned about putting off our spiritual duties in Matthew 6:34,

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” (King James Bible)

We know, as spiritual beings, that we have a limited amount of time here in this physical state, which is less than the twinkling of an eye when compared to eternity, and, that we have serious spiritual work to do. Depending on our fruits, at our end, we will either experience, “a joy and gladness that is impossible to describe” or a “fear and trembling that nothing can exceed! Hasn’t Baha’u’llah cautioned us to begin with the end in mind and to bring ourselves to account each day, nay, every moment of our lives?

“Set before thine eyes God’s unerring Balance and, as one standing in His Presence, weigh in that Balance thine actions every day, every moment of thy life.

Bring thyself to account ere thou art summoned to a reckoning, on the Day when no man shall have strength to stand for fear of God, the Day when the hearts of the heedless ones shall be made to tremble.” (Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 235)

We are encouraged and guided to prepare for the afterlife, like we would for any trip we are excited about, especially one that brings us ever closer to God. A life that is lived right will see death “as a messenger of joy,” something to look forward to and to not fear. That is why it is critically important to “seek the Kingdom first” and to get our spiritual packing done because we know not the hour or day that we will be “summoned to a reckoning.”

“It is clear and evident that all men shall, after their physical death, estimate the worth of their deeds, and realize all that their hands have wrought. I swear by the Day Star that shineth above the horizon of Divine power!

They that are the followers of the one true God shall, the moment they depart out of this life, experience such joy and gladness as would be impossible to describe, while they that live in error shall be seized with such fear and trembling, and shall be filled with such consternation, as nothing can exceed. Well is it with him that hath quaffed the choice and incorruptible wine of faith through the gracious favor and the manifold bounties of Him Who is the Lord of all Faiths….

The souls of the infidels, however, shall — and to this I bear witness — when breathing their last be made aware of the good things that have escaped them, and shall bemoan their plight, and shall humble themselves before God. They shall continue doing so after the separation of their souls from their bodies.” (Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 170)

So, get excited and be grateful! The Fast is a special time of cleansing and forgiveness when, “Thou (God) hast:
—–> UNLOCKED doors of thy bounty
—–> OPENED wide the portals of Thy tender mercy
—–> ENDOWED every hour with a special virtue
—–> ENABLED to have fellowship with Thee
—–> RAINED down that which beseemeth Thy grace and befitted thy bounty
—–>CAUSED this hour to excel every other hour”

We should praise God every hour, even every minute for this Fast when His special bounties and mercies are raining down upon us and offering us a fresh start. Ponder the fact that JUSTICE is giving you what you deserve, while MERCY is clemency, forgiveness, and compassion. Praise be to God that He is opening wide the portals of His tender mercy.

Clearly, there will be reckoning of our lives and while we may forget, “guardian angels” are taking note as warned in the Holy Qur’an, 

“16. It was We who created man and We know what dark suggestions his soul makes to him: for We are nearer to him than (his) jugular vein.

17. Behold, two (guardian angels) appointed to learn (his doings)
learn (and not them), one sitting on the right and one on the left

18. Not a word does he utter but there is a sentinel by him, ready (to note it).

19. And the stupor of death will bring truth (before his eyes): “This was the thing which thou wast trying to escape!”

20. And the Trumpet shall be blown: that will be the Day whereof warning (had been given).

21. And there will come forth every soul: with each will be an (angel) to drive, and an (angel) to bear witness.

22. (It will be said:) “Thou wast heedless of this; now have We removed thy veil, and sharp is thy sight this Day!” 23. And his companion will say: “Here is (his record) ready with me!”

No one escapes a reckoning or final accounting. The Fast is a special time to get our “spiritual packing” done so that we are prepared for the next life. Perhaps it would benefit us to begin with the end in mind to place this earthly sojourn into perspective.

“Attach not thyself to anything unless in it thou seest the reality of God – this is the first step into the court of eternity. The earth life lasts but a short time, even its benefits are transitory; that which is temporary does not deserve our heart’s attachment. (Abdu’l-Baha, Divine Philosophy, p. 134)

“The essence of true safety is to observe silence, to look at the end of things and to renounce the world. (Baha’u’llah, Tablets of Baha’u’llah, p. 156)

Happy Fasting
Barbara

Be sure to click on the bubble (upper right of screen) and comment.

“The first sign of faith is love.”

‘Abdu’l-Bahá promises, “if we have faith, “Nothing is impossible.” So to be clear, we can’t have faith without love, because love is the first sign. On this side of the sod, we sometimes experience doubt, worry, fear, and even despair. We want to believe, but at times, circumstances often become overwhelming. If that happens and we desire greater bounty from God, perhaps we may wish to ponder these encouraging words of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá,

Nothing will be impossible to you if you have faith.”

BUT, WHAT IS FAITH?

Bahá’u’lláh explains,

“The essence of faith is fewness of words and abundance of deeds; he whose words exceed his deeds, know verily his death is better than his life.” (1)

“For faith, which is life eternal, is the sign of bounty, and not the result of justice.” (2)

Bahá’u’lláh explains further,

“faith is an endowment from the Higher Kingdom and changes all beliefs into an aliveness in the spirit. The quickening of the soul renews the atoms of the body to the very marrow of the bone … The capacity for response to sorrows … has been heightened greatly. “(3)

ARE YOU GETTING GOOSEBUMPS?

Bahá’u’lláh said faith leads to “renewing the atoms of the body to the very narrow of the bone!!!! Meditate on that and these other meanings:

“Regard thou faith as a tree. Its fruits, leaves, boughs and branches are, and have ever been, trustworthiness, truthfulness, uprightness and forbearance. (4)

“Sincerity is the foundation-stone of faith. That is, a religious individual must disregard his personal desires and seek in whatever way he can wholeheartedly to serve the public interest; and it is impossible for a human being to turn aside from his own selfish advantages and sacrifice his own good for the good of the community except through true religious faith.” (5)

WHAT IS THE FIRST SIGN OF FAITH?

The first sign of faith is love. (6)

“To acquire faith man must cast out the ’stranger’ from his heart. To the extent that he succeeds in doing this, he will acquire faith. Once the spark of faith is ignited within the heart it must be allowed to grow steadily into a flame, otherwise it could die because of attachment to this world.” (7)

The Holy Bible describes it this way: “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

But hope is not enough. Only through the power of faith, can we achieve the impossible, but not through just any old faith. ‘Abdul-Baha explains that we must also 1)rise up in the Cause, 2) be filled with the Holy Spirit, and 3)have faith that is steadfast as a rock!

“I say unto you that any one who will rise up in the Cause of God at this time shall be filled with the spirit of God, and that He will send His hosts from heaven to help you, and that nothing shall be impossible to you if you have faith. And now I give you a commandment which shall be for a Covenant between you and me: that ye have faith; that your faith be steadfast as a rock that no storms can move, that nothing can disturb, and that it endure through all things even to the end; even should ye hear that your Lord has been crucified, be not shaken in your faith; for I am with you always, whether living or dead; I am with you to the end.”

As ye have faith so shall your powers and blessings be. This is the standard—this is the standard—this is the standard.”

‘Abdul-Baha

Bahá’u’lláh shares another critical ingredient for faith, SUBMISSION!

“Faith comes to a man through submission to God. The surrendering of the self with all its accomplishments renders the soul free of attachment to this mortal world. It drives the ’stranger’ away from the heart and enables him to receive the ‘Friend’ within its sanctuary.”

“Bahá’u’lláh states: O Son of Man! Humble thyself before Me, that I may graciously visit thee… In another passage He reveals: O Son of Man! If thou lovest Me, turn away from thyself; and if thou seekest My pleasure, regard not thine own; that thou mayest die in Me and I may eternally live in thee.” (9)

As you can see, the human spirit cannot become heavenly without faith.

“But the human spirit, unless assisted by the spirit of faith, does not become acquainted with the divine secrets and the heavenly realities. It is like a mirror which, although clear, polished, and brilliant, is still in need of light. Until a ray of the sun reflects upon it, it cannot discover the heavenly secrets. (10)

In conclusion, remember ‘Abdu’l-Bahá”s promise, “As ye have faith, so shall your powers and blessings be,” and that if we have faith, “Nothing is impossible.”

And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” (11)

1) (Bahá’u’lláh, Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, p. 156)

2)(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions, p. 129)

3)(Bahá’u’lláh, Kitáb-i-Iqan, p. vi.)

4) (Bahá’u’lláh, The Compilation of Compilations vol II, p. 327

5) (‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The Secret of Divine Civilization, p. 96-97

6) (‘Abdu’l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 336)

7) (Adib Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh v 2, p. 217-218)

9) (Adib Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh v 2, p. 220)

10) (‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Bahá’í World Faith, p. 316)

11 (Matthew 17:20, King James Bible)

These specific days of the Fast, the 19 days before Spring, are unlike other days. No other time of the year is like this time. The earth is being cleansed by the physical wind, snow, water, and breezes in preparation for Spring, when the whole earth is renewed.

Likewise, during this spiritual Fast, we cleanse ourselves through prayer, meditation, and holy deeds to also be renewed and spiritually cleansed from all that is abhorrent to God. The Fasting prayers highlight the importance of this special time and occasion of the Fast and the bounties, blessings, mercies, gifts, and forgiveness we receive during this special, unique, and holy time.

1. ENDOWED EVERY HOUR WITH A SPECIAL VIRTUE- “Thou hast endowed every hour of these days with a special virtue.”

2. EACH ASSIGNED THEIR PORTON OF VIRTUE– “Thou hast, also, assigned unto every soul a portion of this virtue.”

3. REMEMBRANCE– “For Thine ardent lovers Thou hast, according to Thy decree, reserved, at each daybreak, the cup of Thy remembrance.”

4. BOUNTY & GRACE– Rain down, then, upon us and upon them from the clouds of Thy mercy what beseemeth the heaven of Thy bounteousness and grace.

5. PORTALS OF TENDER MERCY– Thou hast unlocked the doors of Thy bounty before the faces of Thy creatures, and opened wide the portals of Thy tender mercy unto all the dwellers of Thine earth.

6. FELLOWSHIP & COMMUNION– “Thou hast graciously enabled to have fellowship with Thee and to commune with Him Who is the Revealer of Thyself.”

7. ASSISTANCE– ..”Do Thou assist them to attain what muster befit so august a station.”

“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.”

8. PURGING– “Send down, therefore, upon them what will thoroughly purge them of all that Thou abhorrest, that they may be wholly devoted to Thee, and may detach themselves entirely from all except Thyself.”

9. GIFT OF PRESENCE IN AFTERLIFE- “…gift of Thy presence in Thy worlds hereafter—worlds which are inscrutable to all except Thee.

10. PROMISE OF EXALTATION– “Ordain in the course of this year what shall exalt Thy loved ones.”

11. HIDDEN KNOWLEDGE & WISDOM – “To make known unto me what lay hid in the treasuries of Thy knowledge and concealed within the repositories of Thy wisdom.”

12. FULFILLED WISHES -“Thou hast fulfilled the wishes of them that have set their hopes on Thee, and hast granted them their desires, through Thy grace and Thy favors, “

13. FORGIVENESS– “…and by Thy Name through which the ocean of forgiveness surged before Thy face,”

14. GENEROSITY– “…and the clouds of Thy generosity rained upon Thy servants, to write down for everyone who hath turned unto Thee, and observed the fast prescribed by Thee, the recompense decreed for such as speak not except by Thy leave, and who forsook all that they possessed in Thy path and for love of Thee.”

15. CANCEL TRESPASSES-“… to cancel the trespasses of those who have held fast to Thy laws, and have observed what Thou hast prescribed unto them in Thy Book.

16. SPIRITUAL FLIGHT– “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,”

16. CERTITUDE – “…and will wash us from the stain of such doubts as have hindered the suspicious from entering into the tabernacle of Thy unity.”

17. ETERNAL MERCY AND FAVOURS –” Do Thou ordain for me and for my loved ones the good of this world and of the world to come.”

18. HIDDEN GIFTS -“Supply them, then, with the Hidden Gift Thou didst ordain for the choicest among Thy creatures.”

19. JOY, SOLACE, EXHILARATION: REWARDS FOR THOSE WHO SUFFER IN GOD’S PATH

“…to ordain for Thy loved ones, who under the blaze of the orb of Thy trials have clung to the cord of patience, all the good Thou hast reckoned in Thy Books and Thy Tablets. Write down, then, for such as have been afflicted with adversities for Thy sake, the reward of those who have suffered martyrdom in the path of Thy good-pleasure. Send down, moreover, upon them, O Lord, that which will rejoice their hearts, solace their eyes, and exhilarate their souls. Thou art, verily, the Most Powerful, the Most Exalted, the Help in Peril, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

“This is the hour, O my Lord, which Thou hast caused to excel every other hour, and hast related to the choicest among Thy creatures. I beseech Thee, O my God, by Thy Self and by them, to ordain in the course of this year what shall exalt Thy loved ones. Do Thou, moreover, decree within this year what will enable the Daystar of Thy power to shine brightly above the horizon of Thy glory, and to illuminate by Thy sovereign might, the whole world.”

HAPPY FASTING
BARBARA

Have you noticed how many times love is associated with fire, kindling, and burning?

Baha’u’llah, in The Seven Valleys wrote:

“Wherefore must the veils of the satanic self be burned away at the fire of love, that the spirit may be purified and cleansed and thus may know the station of the Lord of the Worlds. Kindle the fire of love and burn away all things.”

Abdul-Baha advised us to “concentrate all the thoughts of our heart on love and unity.” So let’s each ask ourselves that question. Am I concentrating all my thoughts on LOVE??? If so, great! Please click on the comment bubble above right, to share some of your success stories. If not however, here are a few reasons why you may want to reconsider disobeying His advice.

SO, WHAT ARE SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF LOVE?

One thing that people deeply in love share in common, is that they are all deliriously happy and they derive great joy from serving each other and seeing the other person happy.

‘Abdul-Baha was always asking people if they were happy because God wants us to be happy, BECAUSE HE LOVES US. When you love someone, making and seeing the other person happy is not a duty or imposition, it is joy itself. Love is the key to happiness. That is why it is so important to make love our primary state of being.

Reflect on the following guidance on how to have your soul filled with the spirit of life?

“O SON OF MAN! I loved thy creation, hence I created thee. Wherefore, do thou love Me, that I may name thy name and fill thy soul with the spirit of life.” (1)

Clearly, our first love must be for our Creator, who rescued us from the wretchedness of nothingness and placed us at the apex of creation. How can we not be happy and grateful?

“All that has been created is for man who is at the apex of creation and who must be thankful for the divine bestowals, so that through his gratitude he may learn to understand life as a divine benefit. (2)

“O SON OF SPIRIT! There is no peace for thee save by renouncing thyself and turning unto Me; for it behooveth thee to glory in My name, not in thine own; to put thy trust in Me and not in thyself, since I desire to be loved alone and above all that is.” (3)

We are taught that God’s love is all encompassing, so why do we sometimes feel lonely, unloved, and unhappy? Perhaps it’s because we have to open our hearts and be attracted to that love in order to receive it. God’s love can not reach us unless we love Him first. If God’s powerful love cannot reach us, than perhaps no other human’s love can reach us either. Think about that, especially with our conflicting relationships where love is conditional. It may not be the world that is souring our relationships and blocking our blessings; since love is the carrier, could it possibly be us?

Ponder this vital point: We must love others first in order to receive their love, just as we are told we must love God first to receive His unconditional love. This is a critical distinction in the service work. You can’t love and serve God without loving and serving humanity. And, you can’t reach people you do not love. And you can’t love people if you don’t really know them and have a relationship with them.

“O SON OF BEING! Love Me, that I may love thee. If thou lovest Me not, My love can in no wise reach thee. Know this, O servant.” (4)

Love is an energy that needs a receiver. If God sends His love and we are not open to receiving it, then it cannot influence our lives. This is also true in any relationship.

Real love is not conditional; you don’t fall in and out of it, because you are loving the God (spiritual qualities) you see in the person, not how they satisfy some immediate material, physical, spiritual, or emotional need of yours.

Similar to the Baha’i marriage vow, in which you make the promise to God and not the other person, your vow to God is to abide by His Will in relationship to the other person. If either person does not love and obey God, why would either expect love and loyalty from each other?

Abdu’l-Baha warns us,

“But, if the hearts of the people become void of the divine grace-the love of God-they

1) wander in the desert of ignorance,

2) descend to the depths of ruin and

3) fall to the abyss of despair where there is no refuge.

4)They are like insects living on the lowest plane.“(5)

We find it hard to love people when we are angry, jealous, hurt, excluded, or have hatred in our hearts. Baha’u’llah warns us,

“Say: Jealousy eats the body and anger burns the liver. Refrain from these two as you would avoid a lion.” (6)

Happy Fasting

Barbara Talley

SOURCES:

1. Baha’u’llah, The Arabic Hidden Words)

2. (Abdu’l-Baha, Divine Philosophy, p. 134)

3. (Baha’u’llah, The Arabic Hidden Words)

4. (Baha’u’llah, The Arabic Hidden Words)

5. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá: Tablets of Abdul-Baha Abbas, Vol. III, p. 325.

6. (Cited in “Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era”, p. 108)

(Compilations, The Compilation of Compilations vol. I, p. 460)

Fasting is more than just not eating with Barbara Talley

Dear Friends.

It is the illusion of “otherness” that keeps humanity separate, competing, and at odds or war. During this Fast let’s focus our energies on inclusion, unity, friendship, bonding, loving-kindness, and transformation so that we can become more spiritual beings. The Fast will generate the heat required to create the love and radiance that is necessary to produce worthy deeds.

The goal is to “translate that which is written into reality and action.” Fasting is more than just not eating. Fasting is a about transformation.

GUIDANCE

“Cleanse ye your eyes, so that ye behold no man as different from yourselves.

See ye no strangers; rather see all men as friends, for love and unity come hard when ye fix your gaze on otherness.

And in this new and wondrous age, the Holy Writings say that we must be at one with every people; that we must see neither harshness nor injustice, neither malevolence, nor hostility, nor hate, but rather turn our eyes toward the heaven of ancient glory.

For each of the creatures is a sign of God, and it was by the grace of the Lord and His power that each did step into the world; therefore they are not strangers, but in the family; not aliens, but friends, and to be treated as such.

Wherefore must the loved ones of God associate in affectionate fellowship with stranger and friend alike, showing forth to all the utmost loving-kindness, disregarding the degree of their capacity, never asking whether they deserve to be loved. ‘

In every instance let the friends be considerate and infinitely kind. Let them never be defeated by the malice of the people, by their aggression and their hate, no matter how intense.

If others hurl their darts against you, offer them milk and honey in return; if they poison your lives, sweeten their souls; if they injure you, teach them how to be comforted; if they inflict a wound upon you, be a balm to their sores; if they sting you, hold to their lips a refreshing cup.”

REFECTION

Remember “one hour’s reflection is preferable to seventy years of pious worship. Pick one or more to meditate on today.

HOW CAN I…”

1) Associate in affectionate fellowship with stranger and friend alike?

2) Show forth to all the utmost loving-kindness?

3) Disregard the degree of a person’s capacity?

4) Never ask whether they deserve to be loved?

5) Cleanse my eyes so that I see no one as a stranger, an alien, or different than me?

6) See ALL as friends and family?

7) Be as one with every people?

8 Turn my eyes toward the kingdom of Glory so that I no longer see harshness, injustice, malevolence, hostility, and hate?

9) Be considerate and infinitely kind?

10) Not be defeated by the malice, aggression, and hate, no matter how intense?

11) Return honey when people hurl darts at me?

12) Sweeten their souls if they poison my life?

13) Teach them how to be comforted when they injure me?

14) Be balm to their sores if they inflict a wound upon me?

15) Hold to their lips a refreshing cup if they sting me?

We have a lot to think about during this Fast, and all year long.

Happy Fasting
Barbara