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| Oxnard-Ventura Bahá'í |
Newsletter of the Oxnard and Ventura Bahá’í
Communities
February 2006 |
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“How
resplendent the luminaries of knowledge that shine in an atom, and how vast the
oceans of wisdom that surge within a drop!” ~ Bahá’u’llah |
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The
purpose of the Oxnard-Ventura Bahá'í News is to provide information about the
Bahá'í Faith and activities of the Bahá'í’s to those who wish to learn
more or attend Bahá'í devotional gatherings. If you have comments or do not
want to receive the Bahá'í News, write PO Box 7344, Oxnard, CA 93031, call
648-1222. No donations requested or accepted. Informational
Talks A
brief talk on a general topic about the Bahá'í Faith is followed by
discussion. A time to bring up any question in your heart about spiritual
topics. Reflections on the Life of the Spirit classes Monday nights in Ventura.
This discussion based interactive class covers the
acquisition of Virtues, Prayer, and Life after Death.
Probably starting around 6 and going until 8 or 8:30 p.m. Are you interested? Or
do you know someone who might be interested? It
will probably require about 3 months to complete, but missed classes can be
easily made up. Come join the fun. Cal
Arnold Stein 653-3179 or Pete Quick 659-4660 to sign up. 1st day of Ridvan Friday, April 21, 3:00 pm Barbara
Esposito's lovely garden, 1834 Bearden Court, Oxnard. TEL: 984-4390 9th day of Ridvan Friday, April 28, 7:30 pm |
Bahá’u’llah’s
Declaration of His Mission By
Dale E. Lehman The
greatest of Bahá'í festivals, the Festival of Ridván, is here. For a period
of 12 days starting on April 21st, Bahá’í’s around the world will
celebrate Bahá’u’llah’s public declaration of His mission, an event which
took place on the eve of His departure from Baghdád for Constantinople. No less
than three Holy Days are celebrated in the course of this time period, and
elections for Local and National Spiritual Assemblies take place.
The
significance of Ridván for Bahá’í’s can't be overstated. In 1844, the Báb
had arisen to proclaim the coming of a great Messenger from God, the Promised
One of all religions. During His six-year ministry, which culminated in His
public execution on July 9, 1850, the Báb called the people of Persia to purify
themselves in preparation for the arrival of "He whom God shall make
manifest." Bahá’u’llah, one of the Báb's foremost followers, was
imprisoned in 1853 on false charges. While in prison, He experienced a
revelation from God in which He learned that He was to be that Promised One. But
upon His release from prison a few months later, He told no one of this
experience. |
His growing influence prompted the authorities to seek to
move Him to another place. Baghdád was an important crossroads at that time,
and it was feared that the new religion might be spread far and wide if He were
permitted to stay there, coming into contact with travelers from all quarters. Arrangements were therefore made to transfer Bahá’u’llah
and His party to Constantinople. On the eve of His departure, Bahá’u’llah took up
residence in a garden which has since become known to Bahá’í’s as the
Garden of Ridván. (Just to confuse matters, there is also a Garden of Ridván
near Mazra'ih and Bahjí, where Bahá’u’llah spent His last days.) He spent 12 days there in preparation for the long journey
ahead. Guests flowed into the garden, rich and poor, powerful and lowly, all
paying respects to the great Personage whose influence had touched them all.
Sometime during the midst of all this activity, Bahá’u’llah declared to the
gathered Bábís that He was the Promised One spoken of by the Báb. |
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