Lectionary Readings for Thursday, April 2nd, 2020

Book of God’s Word Chapter 21, Chapter 22

Chapter 21

1. On the next day Zarathustra appeared before the multitude, and I’hua’Mazda spake
through him, saying:

2. I came not in an age of darkness, but of light and knowledge. I am not here to proclaim
miracles; I serve the Father, whose Son I am.

3. In heaven above there are two kinds of spirits; those who serve the earth and those who
serve the Father. If ye serve the earth ye shall be ministered unto by the spirits of the
lower heavens, who are bound to the earth. If ye serve the Father, ye are ministered unto
by the spirits of the higher heavens.

4. Because ye were united in prayer last night to the Father, His holy angels brought ye
food. His harvests are over all the earth; His fields are broad. It is not just that He also
gather it and bring it to you. To be just to Him, go ye and bring forth out of the fat earth
wherewith all ye need, rejoicing in Him. Cease warring; kill not anything He created
alive, that runs on the ground or flies in the air. And no flesh save fish, which is without
blood, and is cold in life, shall enter your mouths.

5. In the morning, when ye first awake, pray to the Creator, Ormazd, praying after this
manner: Glory be to Thee, Thou All Light! Because Thou hast created me alive; I will
strive with all my might to be upright before Thee; I have faith Thou createdst me wisely;
and I know Thou wilt show me the right way.

6. Make my eyes sharper to see into my own soul than into all else in the world, I will
discover its dark spots and wash them clean. Seal Thou up my eyes from the sins of
others, but magnify their goodness unto me, that I may be ashamed of my unworthiness
before Thee.

7. This day will I run quickly to the distressed and helpless, and give them joy by some
deed or word. Seal up my tongue against slandering any man, or woman, or child, for they
are of Thy creation, and of Thine Own handiwork.

8. What Thou feedest me with, sufficient is it for the day thereof; complaint shall not
escape from my mouth. Quicken me all day, O Ormazd, with this, my prayer, that I may
become a glory in Thy works. Amen!

9. I’hua’Mazda said: Touching prayer, remember, that to utter words, but to practice not,
is of little value. He that is true to his own light is strong in soul; to be false to one’s own
light is to put out the eyes and stop up the ears. He that would rise in heaven, let him
begin to rise on earth. The resurrection lieth in following the All Highest Light one
already hath. He that doeth not this, is a fool to ask the Father to raise him up. Hell fire is
his boundary in the next world.

10. Because Ormazd sacrificed Himself, He created all things. By sacrifice for the
elevation of others doth a man begin at the beginning of approaching Ormazd. This is
resurrection, in fact.

Chapter 22

1. I’hua’Mazda called together those who swore allegiance to the Zarathustrian law; and
he separated them from the others, and there were in ten days thirty thousand professed
followers.

2. Nevertheless, I’hua’Mazda spake to Zarathustra, saying: Of all these, only one in ten
will remain long in faith. And to establish the tenth firmly is more valuable than to have
ten times as many who understand not what they profess. Zarathustra asked: How can a
tenth be made firm?

3. I’hua’Mazda said: Long ago I told thee to go and live with the I’hins. Zarathustra said: I
understand. I learned the Wheel of Ormazd from the I’hins. Then said I’hua’Mazda: Make
thou a Wheel of Ormazd. (See BOOK OF SAPHAH, tablet Semoin, E-O-IH, and Eloih. –Ed.)

4. Zarathustra made a wheel, and hung it slanting, facing the sun at high noon. Then
I’hua’Mazda explained to the people, saying: This is a symbol of the name of the Creator,
Ormazd, the All Light Master! Put it in the place betwixt the horns of the crescent, for it
is sacred; it is the Sign of the Altar; it is called the Altar. Let the Faithists go with me, and
I will explain.

5. They carried it to the meeting-place and faced it in the same direction. And when the
people stood in a circle around it, I’hua’Mazda said: The name of this place shall be Harel,
and the name of the wheel shall be Altar. Behold, then, ye have already sworn an oath
under the thigh, in the custom of your forefathers, but ye shall now renew your oath on
the Altar of Ormazd, and His Holy Book.

6. I’hua’Mazda then administered the oath unto many, wherein they covenanted to turn
from evil and strive to do good; and each and every one turned the wheel once round, as a
witness before the Father. When they had all covenanted, I’hua’Mazda said: Ye shall
make many wheels, and carry them along the roadways, and wherever one road crosseth
another ye shall fix an Altar; and ye shall dedicate the wheel to the Creator.

7. And whoever passeth that way afterward shall halt and remember his Creator; and he
shall renew his covenant, to turn from evil and strive to do good; and in testimony before
the Father, he shall turn the wheel once round.

8. Thus was established the sacred wheel of Zarathustra amongst the I’huan race.

9. I’hua’Mazda spake to Zarathustra, saying: What is the most potent thing? Zarathustra
said: The eye is the most potent. The eye is most to be feared; the most desirable. The
eye of man can go away from man; his hand cannot go away from him, nor his
foot. Man’s eye can go to the mountains; to the clouds, the moon, the sun and the stars.

10. I’hua’Mazda said: If the eye of man is his most potent instrument, what then? So,
Zarathustra made a picture of an eye, and placed it over the altar. Whereupon I’hua’Mazda
made the people covenant anew, but this time to the I’hua’Mazdian law, the Ormazdian
law. Whereupon they said: I know Thine eye is upon me night and day; nothing is hidden
from Thy sight, O Ormazd!

11. And I’hua’Mazda commanded them to place a picture of an eye over the altars in all
places of worship.

12. Then came the first night of the new moon, and Zarathustra went into the place of
worship; and a great multitude also came in. So I’hua’Mazda said: This is mas night
for the spirits of the dead. That the widow, Hi’ti’us, may have joy this night, I will sing
and pray for the spirit of the king. And, afterward, for all spirits who are in darkness.

13. When they sang and prayed, the spirit of the king came in sar’gis, and talked to
Hi’ti’us, and to others. And, after that, the spirit of the king prayed and sang
with I’hua’Mazda. Thus was established the first night of the new moon as moon’s
night (mass) for the spirits of the dead, and it was demonstrated before the living.

14. I’hua’Mazda taught through Zarathustra for forty days and nights; teaching the
Zarathustrian law, the Ormazdian law. And thousands and thousands of people were
converted unto righteousness; and these were called disciples (ga’spe Zarathustra) of
Zarathustra.

15. Zarathustra inquired of I’hua’Mazda what was the best, most potent thing for the
generations of men. Then answered I’hua’Mazda, saying: The best, most potent thing for
the generations of men is to teach the very young child the ever presence of the All Potent
Eye, which sees into the body of mortals, into the behavior of mortals, and into the soul.

16. Zarathustra inquired concerning very young children. Then I’hua’Mazda answered,
saying: In three days and five days and seven days the rite of circumcision for the males,
and piercing the ears for the females. And, when they are old enough, they shall be
consecrated on the wheel.

17. Zarathustra said: To consecrate, what is that? Then answered I’hua’Mazda: To profess
the All Highest, the Creator, Ormazd. And from that time forth the young child shall pray
to Ormazd every night before going to sleep, and pray every morning as soon as awake to
Ormazd, renewing its covenant and acknowledging the presence of the All Potent Eye.

18. Zarathustra inquired concerning children who were not thus provided. I’hua’Mazda
answered, saying: Such children may live, or they may die. If they die, they fall into the
care of the drujas and become drujas themselves; but if they live, they will grow up liars
and druks, killing and stealing.

19. Zarathustra inquired concerning a consecrated child, if it die? Then I’hua’Mazda
answered: If a consecrated child die, its soul is received in heaven by the consecrated
spirits of Ormazd. It is then taken to a place of all good, a place of delight.

20. When these things were explained to the disciples, the mothers brought their children
before Zarathustra; and I’hua’Mazda consecrated them on the altar, and they were baptized
with water and fire, and given names by the rab’bah.