Sunday, August 30, 2009

Thoughts on the Education of Children

Today, as many children attend some type of Sunday school, and as an even larger number of children prepare to return to the public, private or Parochial classroom, I offer this thought:

"... the beloved of God and the maid-servants of the Merciful must train their children with life and heart and teach them in the school of virtue and perfection. They must not be lax in this matter; they must not be inefficient. Truly, if a babe did not live at all it were better than to let it grow ignorant, for that innocent babe, in later life, would become afflicted with innumerable defects, responsible to and questioned by God, reproached and rejected by the people. What a sin this would be and what an omission!" (Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith - p. 396)

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Thoughts on Money and the Soul

I have not posted anything on this blog for more than a week. I was having some computer problems. While I lacked access to a working computer, I was reading the book The Soul of Money by Lynne Twist. I just put some quotes from that book on the blog for this website:
www.everydaywoman.com.au.

I would now like to offer a quote about the soul, a quote taken from the book Tablets of Abdu'l-Baha Abbas. Here is that quote:

"The mysteries of which man is heedless in this earthly world, those well he discover in the heavenly world, and there will he be informed of the secret of trugh; how much more will he recognize or discover persons with whom he hath been associated. Undoubtedly, the holy souls who find a pure eye and are favored with insight will, in the kingdom of lights, be acquainted with all mysteries, and will seek the bounty of witnessing the reality or every great soul. Even they will manifestly behold the Beauty of God in that world. Likewise will they find all the friends of God, bot those of the former and recent times, present in the heavenly assemblage."

Monday, August 17, 2009

Thoughts on Offering a Helping Hand

This morning I want to open with a short quote from Abd'ul-Baha:

"Where there is love,nothing is too much trouble,and there is always time."-Abdul'Baha

A number of Baha'is living in and around the area of the Bonny Doon fire have taken those words to heart. They have provided shelter to staff and others who live at Bosch, a Baha'i School/Camp that is located in that region of the country. I have been to Bosch, and I pray that the fire does not harm that School. That is a wonderful place in which to ponder the thoughts of Abdu'l-Baha.

Monday, August 10, 2009

Thoughts the Encourage Action

On August 8, 1912. the people of Dublin, New Hampshire had a lot to think about. Abdu'l-Baha had presented his own sort of "call to action" two days earlier, when speaking to an audience in Dublin. Here is part of what he said, in response to one question:


"mere knowledge is not sufficient for complete human attainment. The teachings of the Holy Books need a heavenly power and divine potency to carry them out. A house is not built by mere acquaintance with the plans. Money must be forthcoming; volition is necessary to construct it; a carpenter must be employed in its erection. It is not enough to say, 'The plan and purpose of this house are very good; I will live in it.' There are no walls of protection, there is no roof of shelter in this mere statement; the house must be actually built before we can live in it.
Briefly, the teachings of the Holy Books need a divine potency to complete their accomplishment in human hearts. In Persia Bahá’u’lláh reared and taught souls, established a bond of affiliation among various peoples and united divergent religious beliefs to such an extent that twenty thousand devoted ones sacrificed themselves for the Cause of God in the glorious unity of martyrdom. No differences whatever remained among these blessed souls—Christians, Jews, Muslims, Zoroastrians, all blended, unified and agreed through the potency of His heavenly power, not by mere words, not by merely saying, 'Unity is good, and love is praiseworthy.' "

The above passage comes from the book The Promulgation of Universal Peace.

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Thoughts on the Real Purpose of Religion

While Abdu'l-Baha was here in the United States,he would frequently talk to groups that were of a certain faith. Sometimes he would focus on the purpose of religion. Today I found one of those talks posted on another blog. Here is the link to that blog:
http://www.bahaiadvocate.com/?p=3

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Thoughts on Prayer

On August 2, 1912, Abdu'l-Baha was about to set out on his trip to Dublin, New Hampshire. During his journey, he certainly prayed for his friends and family. Did he expect all of his prayers to be answered?

Actually, Abdu'l-Baha talked about prayer during one of his talks in Dublin. On August 5th he said ther following:


"God will give to us when we ask Him. His mercy is all-encircling.
But we ask for things which the divine wisdom does not desire for us, and there is no answer to our prayer. His wisdom does not sanction what we wish. We pray, “O God! Make me wealthy!” If this prayer were universally answered, human affairs would be at a standstill. There would be none left to work in the streets, none to till the soil, none to build, none to run the trains. Therefore, it is evident that it would not be well for us if all prayers were answered. The affairs of the world would be interfered with, energies crippled and progress hindered. But whatever we ask for which is in accord with divine wisdom, God will answer. Assuredly!
For instance, a very feeble patient may ask the doctor to give him food which would be positively dangerous to his life and condition. He may beg for roast meat. The doctor is kind and wise. He knows it would be dangerous to his patient so he refuses to allow it. The doctor is merciful; the patient, ignorant. Through the doctor’s kindness the patient recovers; his life is saved. Yet the patient may cry out that the doctor is unkind, not good, because he refuses to answer his pleading.
God is merciful. In His mercy He answers the prayers of all His servants when according to His supreme wisdom it is necessary. "

The above passage is taken from the book The Promulgation of Universal Peace.