The Institution of the Nineteen Day Feast is primarily a spiritual feast, and is celebrated upon the first day of each of the nineteen Bahá'í months. The month of Azamat Grandeur begins on May 17, and ends on June 4. In searching for the elusive grandeur of this world, it seems appropriate to focus on the grandest person who ever walked this earth, Bahá'u'lláh, and consider the following:
“It is incumbent upon every man, in this Day, to hold fast unto whatsoever will promote the interests, and exalt the station, of all nations and just governments. Through each and every one of the verses which the Pen of the Most High hath revealed, the doors of love and unity have been unlocked and flung open to the face of men. We have erewhile declared --and Our Word is the truth--: "Consort with the followers of all religions in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship." Whatsoever hath led the children of men to shun one another, and hath caused dissensions and divisions amongst them, hath, through the revelation of these words, been nullified and abolished. From the heaven of God's Will, and for the purpose of ennobling the world of being and of elevating the minds and souls of men, hath been sent down that which is the most effective instrument for the education of the whole human race. The highest essence and most perfect expression of whatsoever the peoples of old have either said or written hath, through this most potent Revelation, been sent down from the heaven of the Will of the All-Possessing, the Ever-Abiding God. Of old it hath been revealed: "Love of one's country is an element of the Faith of God." The Tongue of Grandeur hath, however, in the day of His manifestation proclaimed: "It is not his to boast who loveth his country, but it is his who loveth the world." Through the power released by these exalted words He hath lent a fresh impulse, and set a new direction, to the birds of men's hearts, and hath obliterated every trace of restriction and limitation from God's holy Book.”
-- Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 94-96
When one ponders the words of Bahá'u'lláh, God‘s Manifestation for this age, can there be any doubt that He is crying out to humans, summarizing the current ails of the world, and then providing the cure? The copious Writings of the Three Central figures of the Bahá'í Faith, Bahá'u'lláh, `Abdu'l-Bahá, and The Báb, when pondered solemnly and thoughtfully, speak multitudes about the Grandeur of God, in a manner not before brought to the capacity of humans. Not only that, but the above words promise that the restrictions of the past have been put asunder! What are we waiting for? Never before in recorded history have humans had the good fortune to receive, in written form, the message of the Fore-runner, the Manifestation Himself, and the designated Interpreter of one of God’s revealed religions. Does that not in and of itself portend an expected grandeur beyond anything ever witnessed before by mere mortals?
All God-fearing individuals rightfully acknowledge that God is the Center of the Universe, or at least themselves, and feel that God has a place in their lives. I daresay that most individuals pray frequently with the expectation that God answers their prayers. It is a puzzlement that while most of the six billion souls on earth worship their God in some manner, their particular form of worship is in many cases completely misunderstood by their neighbors, let alone by fellow humans in foreign lands. Yes, most of us worship God in some manner, yet, look at the conditions in today’s world. Warfare is waged continually throughout the planet. Hunger is rife among a large segment of our globe‘s inhabitants. Avarice and greed are the dominate principles of most of the world’s economic and political entities. Does any of that represent grandeur? I think not.
Yet, many of the six billions of us feel that in some manner, God fulfills our individual prayer requests, in a very personal partnership. Prayers on the field of battle have no doubt been uttered by those on opposing sides throughout history. Sports teams on the field of competition pray fervently to God for assistance. Have you ever stopped to think that in almost every situation in life, opposing prayer is being uttered in some fashion? How many prayers are uttered from death row every day? And how many of those prayers are directed toward the same God, with yet a multitude of solutions being requested? Put yourself in God’s place; how do you suppose He manages to sort through the multitude of possibilities being sought by each of us? Is there any conformity of purpose? .
Each of the six billion has a concept of his “own” God, the God that has been available in his particular culture for his fore-fathers from the beginning. Each has had a Christ, a Moses, an Abraham as the basis of his beliefs, and the general feeling among humans that if it was good enough for their fathers, it is good enough for them. Judging from the chaotic conditions in our present world, a world steeped in the thoughts and prayers of six billion, give or take a few, what do we see as evidence that the all-compassionate God is answering prayers in a manner beneficial to the bulk of the world’s inhabitants?
Do we not have a disconnect here? Does this world collectively have any semblance of the Grandeur that God speaks of? Is there any evidence of God’s Grandeur among the daily suffering of millions of our brothers and sisters? Considering the current state of the world, why on Earth would one of the nineteen Bahá'í months be named Grandeur?
Consider again the following from the above quote: ‘The Tongue of Grandeur hath, however, in the day of His manifestation proclaimed: "It is not his to boast who loveth his country, but it is his who loveth the world." Through the power released by these exalted words He hath lent a fresh impulse, and set a new direction, to the birds of men's hearts, and hath obliterated every trace of restriction and limitation from God's holy Book.’
Quite simply, then, the Bahá'í Teachings were released to humans in order that the turmoil of today’s world could be overcome. The Grandeur of God has been released into the world; God has furnished the solution. He has done His part. All that is lacking is the acceptance of His Words, His Grandeur, to make the equation complete. He is patiently waiting for humans to look beyond the traditions of the past and their own egos, accept His Bounties and His Grandeur, and enter into the paradise now available if we would but listen to Him.
The Bahá'í month of Grandeur was given to us as a means for us to ponder fervently the bounties of Grandeur He wants to bestow upon us if we but listen and follow His prescription.
Hand of the Cause David Maxwell
“It is incumbent upon every man, in this Day, to hold fast unto whatsoever will promote the interests, and exalt the station, of all nations and just governments. Through each and every one of the verses which the Pen of the Most High hath revealed, the doors of love and unity have been unlocked and flung open to the face of men. We have erewhile declared --and Our Word is the truth--: "Consort with the followers of all religions in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship." Whatsoever hath led the children of men to shun one another, and hath caused dissensions and divisions amongst them, hath, through the revelation of these words, been nullified and abolished. From the heaven of God's Will, and for the purpose of ennobling the world of being and of elevating the minds and souls of men, hath been sent down that which is the most effective instrument for the education of the whole human race. The highest essence and most perfect expression of whatsoever the peoples of old have either said or written hath, through this most potent Revelation, been sent down from the heaven of the Will of the All-Possessing, the Ever-Abiding God. Of old it hath been revealed: "Love of one's country is an element of the Faith of God." The Tongue of Grandeur hath, however, in the day of His manifestation proclaimed: "It is not his to boast who loveth his country, but it is his who loveth the world." Through the power released by these exalted words He hath lent a fresh impulse, and set a new direction, to the birds of men's hearts, and hath obliterated every trace of restriction and limitation from God's holy Book.”
-- Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 94-96
When one ponders the words of Bahá'u'lláh, God‘s Manifestation for this age, can there be any doubt that He is crying out to humans, summarizing the current ails of the world, and then providing the cure? The copious Writings of the Three Central figures of the Bahá'í Faith, Bahá'u'lláh, `Abdu'l-Bahá, and The Báb, when pondered solemnly and thoughtfully, speak multitudes about the Grandeur of God, in a manner not before brought to the capacity of humans. Not only that, but the above words promise that the restrictions of the past have been put asunder! What are we waiting for? Never before in recorded history have humans had the good fortune to receive, in written form, the message of the Fore-runner, the Manifestation Himself, and the designated Interpreter of one of God’s revealed religions. Does that not in and of itself portend an expected grandeur beyond anything ever witnessed before by mere mortals?
All God-fearing individuals rightfully acknowledge that God is the Center of the Universe, or at least themselves, and feel that God has a place in their lives. I daresay that most individuals pray frequently with the expectation that God answers their prayers. It is a puzzlement that while most of the six billion souls on earth worship their God in some manner, their particular form of worship is in many cases completely misunderstood by their neighbors, let alone by fellow humans in foreign lands. Yes, most of us worship God in some manner, yet, look at the conditions in today’s world. Warfare is waged continually throughout the planet. Hunger is rife among a large segment of our globe‘s inhabitants. Avarice and greed are the dominate principles of most of the world’s economic and political entities. Does any of that represent grandeur? I think not.
Yet, many of the six billions of us feel that in some manner, God fulfills our individual prayer requests, in a very personal partnership. Prayers on the field of battle have no doubt been uttered by those on opposing sides throughout history. Sports teams on the field of competition pray fervently to God for assistance. Have you ever stopped to think that in almost every situation in life, opposing prayer is being uttered in some fashion? How many prayers are uttered from death row every day? And how many of those prayers are directed toward the same God, with yet a multitude of solutions being requested? Put yourself in God’s place; how do you suppose He manages to sort through the multitude of possibilities being sought by each of us? Is there any conformity of purpose? .
Each of the six billion has a concept of his “own” God, the God that has been available in his particular culture for his fore-fathers from the beginning. Each has had a Christ, a Moses, an Abraham as the basis of his beliefs, and the general feeling among humans that if it was good enough for their fathers, it is good enough for them. Judging from the chaotic conditions in our present world, a world steeped in the thoughts and prayers of six billion, give or take a few, what do we see as evidence that the all-compassionate God is answering prayers in a manner beneficial to the bulk of the world’s inhabitants?
Do we not have a disconnect here? Does this world collectively have any semblance of the Grandeur that God speaks of? Is there any evidence of God’s Grandeur among the daily suffering of millions of our brothers and sisters? Considering the current state of the world, why on Earth would one of the nineteen Bahá'í months be named Grandeur?
Consider again the following from the above quote: ‘The Tongue of Grandeur hath, however, in the day of His manifestation proclaimed: "It is not his to boast who loveth his country, but it is his who loveth the world." Through the power released by these exalted words He hath lent a fresh impulse, and set a new direction, to the birds of men's hearts, and hath obliterated every trace of restriction and limitation from God's holy Book.’
Quite simply, then, the Bahá'í Teachings were released to humans in order that the turmoil of today’s world could be overcome. The Grandeur of God has been released into the world; God has furnished the solution. He has done His part. All that is lacking is the acceptance of His Words, His Grandeur, to make the equation complete. He is patiently waiting for humans to look beyond the traditions of the past and their own egos, accept His Bounties and His Grandeur, and enter into the paradise now available if we would but listen to Him.
The Bahá'í month of Grandeur was given to us as a means for us to ponder fervently the bounties of Grandeur He wants to bestow upon us if we but listen and follow His prescription.
Hand of the Cause David Maxwell