Monday 21 July 2008

A moment of reflection

There is a plethora of documented incidents that highlight with great clarity the various incidents of injustice, atrocities and indignities that are inflicted on the Bahá’ís that live in Iran. The cruelty is not limited to any one city, town, region, gender or age. How can any individual have such faith that they could endure the cruelties that such oppression inflicts? This poem written by Amatu’l-Bahá Rúhiyyih Khánum describes how faith calls us to do the seemingly impossible. It shows us that when there is love we are able to see the end in the beginning and to dare to work for visions yet unseen.




This is Faith


To walk where there is no path
To breath where there is no air
To see where there is no light.
This is Faith.

To cry out in the silence
The silence of the night
And hearing no echo, believe
And believe again and again
This is Faith.

To hold pebbles and see jewels
To raise sticks and see forests
To smile with weeping eyes
This is Faith.
To say God I believe when others deny
I hear when there is no answer
I see though naught is seen
This is Faith.

And the fierce love in the heart
The save love that cries
Hidden Thou art there!
Veil Thy face and mute Thy tongue

Yet I see and hear Thee love
Beat me down to the bare earth
Yet I rise and love The, love
This is Faith.

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