It seems as though I have transplanted myself in a place that I thought I understood and have come to find out I know utterly nothing about. Sitting in my bedroom of my apartment near Durwa Al-Waha in Amman, Jordan... I see the radio tower on the building cross the way, though metal bars on a window with an additional metal shade. Why are these "security" measures need on the top floor of an apartment building? They aren't. Why are the middle aged men in my building silent as I walk past? Because I'm a western woman, I'm 7aram. There are far too many things I thought I understood, that know I realize I know nothing about. My ignorance hinders me. I don't go out on errands because I have been spoiled with personal transportation in the states and the "luxury" of finding everything at Target in one shopping trip. I don't want to have to figure out where to go to find a proper lamp, shoes, or band-aids. I rather stay at home, eat nothing - because I won't go to the produce shop, and do laundry, but I'm wasting water.
Personal challenges are one thing, but this is about spiritual challenges in the end. And not having the right to ask for a religious holiday off from work because one - I'd have to use personal time off and two - I'd still in my probational period. But I can take up to 1.5 hrs off per day unpaid leave? I don't understand. I just don't get it. And these, "I just don't get it" moments are turning into the ultimate frustration and instead of wanting to understand, I push away and reject it. How can I say, "I love Jordan and want to move my life here," but then end up wanting to push away the entire culture? I'm at a loss for words and patience. I'm so privileged to have been raise in America. So, why is it so hard to sacrifice that priviledged living environment to attempt to teach others? I knew this would be difficult and a great test - but I had no idea that it would be in such a realm I never knew I possessed.
15 July 1912
ReplyDeleteTalk at Home of Dr. and Mrs. Florian Krug
830 Park Avenue, New York
I am greatly pleased to see you. Your hearts are illumined by the lights of B. This meeting is in reality a divine, celestial assembly under the favor of God, for we have no other purpose than praising and meeting God. The prayer you have just offered is a prayer of thankfulness.
Thankfulness is of various kinds. There is a verbal thanksgiving which is confined to a mere utterance of gratitude. This is of no importance because perchance the tongue may give thanks while the heart is unaware of it. Many who offer thanks to God are of this type, their spirits and hearts unconscious of thanksgiving. This is mere usage, just as when we meet, receive a gift and say thank you, speaking the words without significance. One may say thank you a thousand times while the heart remains thankless, ungrateful. Therefore, mere verbal thanksgiving is without effect. But real thankfulness is a cordial giving of thanks from the heart. When man in response to the favors of God manifests susceptibilities of conscience, the heart is happy, the spirit is exhilarated. These spiritual susceptibilities are ideal thanksgiving.
There is a cordial thanksgiving, too, which expresses itself in the deeds and actions of man when his heart is filled with gratitude. For example, God has conferred upon man the gift of guidance, and in thankfulness for this great gift certain deeds must emanate from him. To express his gratitude for the favors of God man must show forth praiseworthy actions. In response to these bestowals he must render good deeds, be self-sacrificing, loving the servants of God, forfeiting even life for them, showing kindness to all the creatures. He must be severed from the world, attracted to the Kingdom of A, the face radiant, the tongue eloquent, the ear attentive, striving day and night to attain the good pleasure of God. Whatsoever he wishes to do must be in harmony with the good pleasure of God. He must observe and see what is the will of God and act accordingly. There can be no doubt that such commendable deeds are thankfulness for the favors of God.
(original letter of 'A too long, continued in next comment)
(continued from above)
ReplyDeleteConsider how grateful anyone becomes when healed from sickness, when treated kindly by another or when a service is rendered by another, even though it may be of the least consequence. If we forget such favors, it is an evidence of ingratitude. Then it will be said a loving-kindness has been done, but we are thankless, not appreciating this love and favor. Physically and spiritually we are submerged in the sea of God’s favor. He has provided our foods, drink and other requirements; His favors encompass us from all directions. The sustenances provided for man are blessings. Sight, hearing and all his faculties are wonderful gifts. These blessings are innumerable; no matter how many are mentioned, they are still endless. Spiritual blessings are likewise endless—spirit, consciousness, thought, memory, perception, ideation and other endowments. By these He has guided us, and we enter His Kingdom. He has opened the doors of all good before our faces. He has vouchsafed eternal glory. He has summoned us to the Kingdom of heaven. He has enriched us by the bestowals of God. Every day he has proclaimed new glad tidings. Every hour fresh bounties descend.
Consider how all the people are asleep, and ye are awake. They are dead, and ye are alive through the breaths of the Holy Spirit. They are blind while ye are endowed with perceptive sight. They are deprived of the love of God, but in your hearts it exists and is glowing. Consider these bestowals and favors.
Therefore, in thanksgiving for them ye must act in accordance with the teachings of B. Ye must read the Tablets—the Hidden Words, Ishráqát, Glad Tidings—all the holy utterances, and act according to them. This is real thanksgiving, to live in accord with these utterances. This is true thankfulness and the divine bestowal. This is thanksgiving and glorification of God.
I hope you all may attain thereto, be mindful of these favors of God and be attentive. It is my hope that I may go away with a happy heart, and my heart is happy when the friends of God love each other, when they manifest the mercy of God to all people. If I see this, I shall go away happy.
Salutations!
(New post, from Paris Talks)
ReplyDeleteO thou attracted maid-servant of God!
Thy letter was received. Thou hast manifested cheerfulness and gladness on account of the news of my happiness. ‘A hath the glad-tidings of the Kingdom. His happiness hath no sorrow in its trail and His life is not followed by any death. To him, prison is a court; to him, a tomb is a spacious palace; to him, a well is the apex of heaven; and to him, manacles and chains are the throne of ether.
If at times he becometh sad, it is not on account of affliction and adversities, but that grief is produced from a word or an act which is against the exhortations and behests of the Blessed Perfection.
For instance: I hope that the believers of God may become the cause of the unity and agreement of the human realm, and suffer other nations and communities of the world to enter under the shade of the Canopy of Oneness. Now, when the news reacheth me that the slightest differences have crept in among the believers of God, I become sad and heartbroken.
The point is this: Afflictions and hardships, ordeals or trials, do not make me weak or faint, nor do they in the slightest degree make me sad or unhappy.
Thou hast written regarding the feast: I became very happy therefrom. Convey greeting on my behalf to the favored maid-servant of God and say: “On that night thy house was the nest and the shelter of the birds of God. The divine melodies and the celestial lyres made that place a feast of heaven and an assembly of the Kingdom. ‘A was present there in heart and soul and was joyful and happy. Thank thou God.”
Announce salutation and say: “A thousand times, Well done! —that thou art working in the vineyard of the Kingdom and hast arisen to faithfulness and art engaged in the service of His Highness, the Almighty! Thou art helping the helpless ones and art comforting those who are instance.”
Convey respectful greeting and say: “May thy joy be unending and thy comfort and happiness everlasting! May thy life be eternal and the light of thy thought the heavenly glad-tidings.”
Convey greeting and kindness to the maid-servant of God and say: “If thou art desiring an illumined house, enkindle thou therein the lamp of the love of God; and if thou art seeking after a heavenly palace, make thy house the gathering place of the believers of the Merciful One; so that the splendors of the Sun of Truth may cast therein rays spiritual and the harmony of holiness ascend to the Kingdom.”
Say to the maid-servant of God! The feast given became highly acceptable and the respected personages who served in that feast are in reality worthy of all praise. They were engaged in the duty and the work of ‘A and have arisen to serve the believers of God.
I congratulate and compliment the maid-servant of God in her firmness and steadfastness in the Cause of God. Truly, I say, she is illumined, spiritual, heavenly and celestial. She taketh care of the strangers among the friends and serveth and praiseth the servants of God.
O maid-servant of God!
ReplyDeleteThy letter was read. The doors of the Kingdom are open and the bounty of God is like unto spring rain. Although the signs of material bounty are great, yet the true bounty is that of heaven, spiritual, which gives life eternal. Follow this and thy heart will become as beautiful as a garden, thine eyes bright, thy spirit happy and thy thought a comfort to souls.
Be a well-wisher of humanity and a servant of mankind. Thus the strength of the Kingdom will uphold thee and the avenues of revelation open to thee. Because today every servant is served and is an honorable lord and every maid-servant the queen of horizons. Grow in humility and meekness daily, until thou attainest eternal glory and everlasting grace.
(Tablets of 'A)
(and again, from Paris...)
ReplyDeleteI charge you all that each one of you concentrate all the thoughts of your heart on love and unity. When a thought of war comes, oppose it by a stronger thought of peace. A thought of hatred must be destroyed by a more powerful thought of love. Thoughts of war bring destruction to all harmony, well-being, restfulness and content.
Thoughts of love are constructive of brotherhood, peace, friendship, and happiness.
Nothing is impossible to the Divine Benevolence of God.
If you desire with all your heart, friendship with every race on earth, your thought, spiritual and positive, will spread; it will become the desire of others, growing stronger and stronger, until it reaches the minds of all men.
Do not despair! Work steadily. Sincerity and love will conquer hate. How many seemingly impossible events are coming to pass in these days! Set your faces steadily towards the Light of the World. Show love to all; ‘Love is the breath of the Holy Spirit in the heart of Man’. Take courage! God never forsakes His children who strive and work and pray! Let your hearts be filled with the strenuous desire that tranquillity and harmony may encircle all this warring world. So will success crown your efforts, and with the universal brotherhood will come the Kingdom of God in peace and goodwill.