Ascension

Today is a Holy Day in the Bahá'í Faith. It is the anniversary of the Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh. It was on this day, at about 4:00am, He passed away at Bahjí, north of Acre in what is now Israel. I was reflecting today on the troubles in Iran. It turns out that one of them is the uncle of a young person I taught children's classes to years ago. I just heard that more people have been rounded up in the last day or so. These people, government and government backed groups have desecrated and obliterated Bahá'í Cemeteries and have gone as far to exhume and destroy the remains of those believers interned there. My own grandfather's grave is one that has been removed from any possibility of future visitation. My great fear now is that the powers that be now will not stop with just arresting and harassing the believers in Iran. I am worried that they will take things further.

Two years ago and nine years ago I had the bounty to be present at Bahjí for the Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh and was overjoyed with the experience. I have written about it in my pilgrimage story so won't elaborate on it here. I look forward to this day more than any other day of the year, second only to the Martyrdom of the Báb. It was in 1992 that I had the bounty of being on Pilgrimage for that day as well. This morning, the boys and I, along with John (who became a Bahá'í last year) stood facing Bahjí and said the Tablet of Visitation. It was a special moment.

This morning I wrote the following poem upon wakening after that experience.

ASCENSION

As I stand and pray tonight
My hearts leaps at the delight
Of memories of that special night
When before His throne I did alight

When the soul finds its home
It is hard to leave and again roam
For the heart connects and wants to stay
But serving Him takes another way
We must return to our homes
and work each day
to connect other spirits in this special way
For each soul connected
His light reflected
Illuminating the world, as we start
One by one, and heart to heart

One day our part will end
It will be time, our soul to send
Home to were we once had found
That special connection
To which our souls are bound

True mysteries will start at that time
No worries of what we left behind
For this is what we prepare
Of that journey we are unaware

But standing now and praying so
One thing clearly doth show
Wherever we ultimately go
His love will be there,
Allowing souls to grow
With the love He doth bestow
-Shiidon, May 29, 2008