Bahá’í Community Life/Nineteen Day Feast
Bahá’í Community Life
[edit]Introduction
[edit]One of the most rewarding aspects of being a Bahá’í is living in a community with other Bahá’ís. Living near other Bahá’ís, however, does not guarantee the development of a sense of community. “A firmly-founded, busy and happy community life develops only when Bahá’ís work together to become the leaves of one branch and the waves of one sea.”¹
1. Nineteen Day Feast
[edit]In every community Bahá’ís gather at specific times for prayers, consultation, and fellowship. These gatherings are called Nineteen Day Feasts because they are held once every nineteen days. Each Bahá’í month is nineteen days long, and the Feast is usually held on the first day of the month. Since the Bahá’í day begins at sunset, the Feast may be observed anytime after sunset. For example, a Feast being held on the calendar day of October 16 may be observed anytime between sunset October 15 and sunset October 16.
The Feast is the heart of Bahá’í community life. It is a time when Bahá’ís come together to pray and read from the Writings; to discuss their plans, activities, and problems; and to enjoy each other’s company.
The Feast has three parts. The first consists of prayer and meditation. During this section Bahá’í prayers and passages from the Bahá’í Writings are read. The Writings may also be set to music. One may sing a prayer instead of reading it. Other reverent music may also be played during this portion of the Feast. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá says Bahá’ís should “invoke God with perfect joy and fragrance, [and] sing the verses, glorifications and praises of the Self-Subsistent Lord. . . .”²
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The second part of the Feast consists of consultation on the affairs of the community. Consultation may come about in a number of ways. One is through reports from the Local Spiritual Assembly. During the consultative part of the Feast the Local Spiritual Assembly must report on its activities, and individuals may want to ask questions or make suggestions and recommendations to the Assembly. For example, the community may want to begin holding children’s classes or plan a public meeting. This is the proper time for community members to express their ideas on the subject and to make recommendations to the Spiritual Assembly. Consultation may also begin through the sharing of letters from The Universal House of Justice or the National Spiritual Assembly. The Local Spiritual Assembly may read these letters and ask the community for comments and suggestions. Yet another source of items for consultation is the teaching work. Reports may be given, and again the friends have the opportunity to share ideas or, perhaps, to tell about a successful fireside. News and letters from Bahá’ís in other places may also be shared. Since community affairs are freely discussed, only Bahá’ís may attend the Feasts. Every member of the Bahá’í family is thus free to express himself openly, without being concerned about the impression his comments might have on non-Bahá’ís.
The last part of the Feast is social. Refreshments are served, and the Bahá’ís enjoy fellowship. Fellowship enables the
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Bahá’ís to get to know each other better and to grow into a loving Bahá’í family. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá says the believers must “associate with each other in the utmost love, joy and fragrance.”³ Such association and fellowship, He says, should make the hearts “become perfectly united. . . .”⁴
Every Bahá’í should attend the Feasts regularly, unless he is ill or out of town. Because attendance at the Feasts is so important, everyone should make plans ahead of time not to miss them. By sharing ideas during the consultation and contributing to the loving atmosphere, one helps his community grow. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá has said that, when an atmosphere of fellowship, love, and unity exists, the Feast is like the Lord’s Supper. Who would want to miss such a meeting?
One person or a group of Bahá’ís may be asked to make the arrangements for the Feast. This means choosing the Writings to be read during the devotional portion of the Feast, providing some refreshments, and finding a place to meet. The Feast may be held in a home, a Bahá’í center, or some other convenient place.
2. Individual Devotion
[edit]A very important contribution to healthy Bahá’í community life is each individual’s devotion to God. Bahá’u’lláh says that man’s basic purpose in life is to know and to love God. One of the obligatory prayers states, “I bear witness, O my God, that Thou hast created me to know Thee and to worship Thee.”⁵ All men depend on God for spiritual life. Man’s soul longs for nearness to God. One cannot be happy until he recognizes his need for God and begins to reach out toward Him. Bahá’u’lláh warns that God’s love cannot reach man and change him until he begins to love God: “O Son of Being! Love Me, that I may love thee. If thou lovest Me not, My love can in no wise reach thee. Know this, O servant.”⁶
Man’s natural love for God increases when he remembers gratefully that God has sent Bahá’u’lláh. God has promised always to give His guidance to mankind and never to leave man