This blog contains responses to blog prompts, & thoughts on spiritual or religious themes |
‘Idál (Justice), 1 Núr (Light) 176 B.E. - Wednesday, June 5, 2019 Feast of Núr
“O beloved ones, be firm and steadfast! O imploring ones, trust in God and rely upon Him! O humble ones, be attached to God and cling to Him! . . . Let us encourage each other and set all in motion. Let us strive to diffuse the Fragrance of God and engage ourselves in exalting the Word of God! . . . The Feast and the enjoyment of the Kingdom are in complete harmony, and the Dawn of Favour is breaking with the Light of Guidance! It is the Melody of the Kingdom of Abhá which is descending from the Supreme Concourse . . ..” ‘Abdu'l-Bahá-Star of the West, Star of the West- 3 A bright sunny day Perfect to consume love's light From the scriptures God's Glory The Nineteen-Day Feasts are unlike any spiritual service I have ever attended. Each Feast is divided into three portions: () the Spiritual Portion, (2) the Business Portion, and (3) the Social Portion. During the Spiritual Portion the scripture and prayer of Baha'u'llah, The Bab, and 'Abdu'l-Baha are read. The Business Portion consist of the discussion of community business. During this portion letters from the Universal House of Justice, the National Spiritual Assemble, and reports from the Local Spiritual Assembly are read. In the Social Portion food is served and the community members socialize. The Baha'i year is divided into nineteen months of nineteen days each. The first day of each month is the Feast Day. Each month is named after an attribute of God, so the month of Nur is the month of Light. The first day, which is when the Feast of that month is normally held, is the Feast of Light. The Baha'i day begins and ends at sunset, so the first day of Nur begin at sunset on June 4 and ends at sunset on June 5. I miss attending the community Feast, which I haven't attended in quite a while. However, this does not mean I can't celebrate the Feast by myself. I can read the prayer, the sacred scriptures, and any letters sent to my e-mail box from the Local or National Assemblies. Invariably one of these e-mails will contain a copy of a letter from the Universal House of Justice. This year, the Feast Day of Nur falls on the Day of Justice. |