{"id":1194,"date":"2020-04-01T20:39:56","date_gmt":"2020-04-01T20:39:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/religionoflight.org\/ns\/lightofgod\/?p=1194"},"modified":"2020-04-01T20:39:56","modified_gmt":"2020-04-01T20:39:56","slug":"lectionary-readings-for-thursday-april-2nd-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/religionoflight.org\/ns\/lightofgod\/2020\/04\/01\/lectionary-readings-for-thursday-april-2nd-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"Lectionary Readings for Thursday, April 2nd, 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt\"><strong>Book of God&#8217;s Word Chapter 21, Chapter 22<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">Chapter 21<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"fontstyle0\">1. On the next day Zarathustra appeared before the multitude, and I&#8217;hua&#8217;Mazda spake<br \/>\nthrough him, saying:<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"fontstyle0\">2. I came not in an age of darkness, but of light and knowledge. I am not here to proclaim<br \/>\nmiracles; I serve the Father, whose Son I am.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"fontstyle0\">3. In heaven above there are two kinds of spirits; those who serve the earth and those who<br \/>\nserve the Father. If ye serve the earth ye shall be ministered unto by the spirits of the<br \/>\nlower heavens, who are bound to the earth. If ye serve the Father, ye are ministered unto<br \/>\nby the spirits of the higher heavens.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"fontstyle0\">4. Because ye were united in prayer last night to the Father, His holy angels brought ye<br \/>\nfood. His harvests are over all the earth; His fields are broad. It is not just that He also<br \/>\ngather it and bring it to you. To be just to Him, go ye and bring forth out of the fat earth<br \/>\nwherewith all ye need, rejoicing in Him. Cease warring; kill not anything He created<br \/>\nalive, that runs on the ground or flies in the air. And no flesh save fish, which is without<br \/>\nblood, and is cold in life, shall enter your mouths.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"fontstyle0\">5. In the morning, when ye first awake, pray to the Creator, Ormazd, praying after this<br \/>\nmanner: Glory be to Thee, Thou All Light! Because Thou hast created me alive; I will<br \/>\nstrive with all my might to be upright before Thee; I have faith Thou createdst me wisely;<br \/>\nand I know Thou wilt show me the right way.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"fontstyle0\">6. Make my eyes sharper to see into my own soul than into all else in the world, I will<\/span><br \/>\n<span class=\"fontstyle0\">discover its dark spots and wash them clean. Seal Thou up my eyes from the sins of<br \/>\nothers, but magnify their goodness unto me, that I may be ashamed of my unworthiness<br \/>\nbefore Thee.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"fontstyle0\">7. This day will I run quickly to the distressed and helpless, and give them joy by some<br \/>\ndeed or word. Seal up my tongue against slandering any man, or woman, or child, for they<br \/>\nare of Thy creation, and of Thine Own handiwork.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"fontstyle0\">8. What Thou feedest me with, sufficient is it for the day thereof; complaint shall not<br \/>\nescape from my mouth. Quicken me all day, O Ormazd, with this, my prayer, that I may<br \/>\nbecome a glory in Thy works. Amen!<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"fontstyle0\">9. I&#8217;hua&#8217;Mazda said: Touching prayer, remember, that to utter words, but to practice not,<br \/>\nis of little value. He that is true to his own light is strong in soul; to be false to one&#8217;s own<br \/>\nlight is to put out the eyes and stop up the ears. He that would rise in heaven, let him<br \/>\nbegin to rise on earth. The resurrection lieth in following the All Highest Light one<br \/>\nalready hath. He that doeth not this, is a fool to ask the Father to raise him up. Hell fire is<br \/>\nhis boundary in the next world.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"fontstyle0\">10. Because Ormazd sacrificed Himself, He created all things. By sacrifice for the<br \/>\nelevation of others doth a man begin at the beginning of approaching Ormazd. This is<br \/>\nresurrection, in fact.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"fontstyle0\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">Chapter 22<\/span><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"fontstyle0\">1. I&#8217;hua&#8217;Mazda called together those who swore allegiance to the Zarathustrian law; and<br \/>\nhe separated them from the others, and there were in ten days thirty thousand professed<br \/>\nfollowers.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"fontstyle0\">2. Nevertheless, I&#8217;hua&#8217;Mazda spake to Zarathustra, saying: Of all these, only one in ten<br \/>\nwill remain long in faith. And to establish the tenth firmly is more valuable than to have<br \/>\nten times as many who understand not what they profess. Zarathustra asked: How can a<br \/>\ntenth be made firm?<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"fontstyle0\">3. I&#8217;hua&#8217;Mazda said: Long ago I told thee to go and live with the I&#8217;hins. Zarathustra said: I<br \/>\nunderstand. I learned the Wheel of Ormazd from the I&#8217;hins. Then said I&#8217;hua&#8217;Mazda: Make<br \/>\nthou a Wheel of Ormazd. (See B<\/span><span class=\"fontstyle0\">OOK OF <\/span><span class=\"fontstyle0\">S<\/span><span class=\"fontstyle0\">APHAH<\/span><span class=\"fontstyle0\">, tablet Semoin, E-O-IH, and Eloih. &#8211;Ed.)<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"fontstyle0\">4. Zarathustra made a wheel, and hung it slanting, facing the sun at high noon. Then<br \/>\nI&#8217;hua&#8217;Mazda explained to the people, saying: This is a symbol of the name of the Creator,<br \/>\nOrmazd, the All Light Master! Put it in the place betwixt the horns of the crescent, for it<br \/>\nis sacred; it is the Sign of the Altar; it is called the Altar. Let the Faithists go with me, and<br \/>\nI will explain.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"fontstyle0\">5. They carried it to the meeting-place and faced it in the same direction. And when the<br \/>\npeople stood in a circle around it, I&#8217;hua&#8217;Mazda said: The name of this place shall be Harel,<br \/>\nand the name of the wheel shall be Altar. Behold, then, ye have already sworn an oath<br \/>\nunder the thigh, in the custom of your forefathers, but ye shall now renew your oath on<br \/>\nthe Altar of Ormazd, and His Holy Book.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"fontstyle0\">6. I&#8217;hua&#8217;Mazda then administered the oath unto many, wherein they covenanted to turn<br \/>\nfrom evil and strive to do good; and each and every one turned the wheel once round, as a<br \/>\nwitness before the Father. When they had all covenanted, I&#8217;hua&#8217;Mazda said: Ye shall<br \/>\nmake many wheels, and carry them along the roadways, and wherever one road crosseth<\/span><br \/>\n<span class=\"fontstyle0\">another ye shall fix an Altar; and ye shall dedicate the wheel to the Creator.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"fontstyle0\">7. And whoever passeth that way afterward shall halt and remember his Creator; and he<br \/>\nshall renew his covenant, to turn from evil and strive to do good; and in testimony before<br \/>\nthe Father, he shall turn the wheel once round.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"fontstyle0\">8. Thus was established the sacred wheel of Zarathustra amongst the I&#8217;huan race.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"fontstyle0\">9. I&#8217;hua&#8217;Mazda spake to Zarathustra, saying: What is the most potent thing? Zarathustra<br \/>\nsaid: The eye is the most potent. The eye is most to be feared; the most desirable. The<br \/>\neye of man can go away from man; his hand cannot go away from him, nor his<br \/>\nfoot. Man&#8217;s eye can go to the mountains; to the clouds, the moon, the sun and the stars.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"fontstyle0\">10. I&#8217;hua&#8217;Mazda said: If the eye of man is his most potent instrument, what then? So,<br \/>\nZarathustra made a picture of an eye, and placed it over the altar. Whereupon I&#8217;hua&#8217;Mazda<br \/>\nmade the people covenant anew, but this time to the I&#8217;hua&#8217;Mazdian law, the Ormazdian<br \/>\nlaw. Whereupon they said: I know Thine eye is upon me night and day; nothing is hidden<br \/>\nfrom Thy sight, O Ormazd!<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"fontstyle0\">11. And I&#8217;hua&#8217;Mazda commanded them to place a picture of an eye over the altars in all<br \/>\nplaces of worship.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"fontstyle0\">12. Then came the first night of the new moon, and Zarathustra went into the place of<br \/>\nworship; and a great multitude also came in. So I&#8217;hua&#8217;Mazda said: This is mas night<br \/>\nfor the spirits of the dead. That the widow, Hi&#8217;ti&#8217;us, may have joy this night, I will sing<br \/>\nand pray for the spirit of the king. And, afterward, for all spirits who are in darkness.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"fontstyle0\">13. When they sang and prayed, the spirit of the king came in sar&#8217;gis, and talked to<br \/>\nHi&#8217;ti&#8217;us, and to others. And, after that, the spirit of the king prayed and sang<br \/>\nwith I&#8217;hua&#8217;Mazda. Thus was established the first night of the new moon as moon&#8217;s<br \/>\nnight (mass) for the spirits of the dead, and it was demonstrated before the living.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"fontstyle0\">14. I&#8217;hua&#8217;Mazda taught through Zarathustra for forty days and nights; teaching the<br \/>\nZarathustrian law, the Ormazdian law. And thousands and thousands of people were<br \/>\nconverted unto righteousness; and these were called disciples (ga&#8217;spe Zarathustra) of<br \/>\nZarathustra.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"fontstyle0\">15. Zarathustra inquired of I&#8217;hua&#8217;Mazda what was the best, most potent thing for the<br \/>\ngenerations of men. Then answered I&#8217;hua&#8217;Mazda, saying: The best, most potent thing for<br \/>\nthe generations of men is to teach the very young child the ever presence of the All Potent<br \/>\nEye, which sees into the body of mortals, into the behavior of mortals, and into the soul.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"fontstyle0\">16. Zarathustra inquired concerning very young children. Then I&#8217;hua&#8217;Mazda answered,<br \/>\nsaying: In three days and five days and seven days the rite of circumcision for the males,<br \/>\nand piercing the ears for the females. And, when they are old enough, they shall be<br \/>\nconsecrated on the wheel.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"fontstyle0\">17. Zarathustra said: To consecrate, what is that? Then answered I&#8217;hua&#8217;Mazda: To profess<br \/>\nthe All Highest, the Creator, Ormazd. And from that time forth the young child shall pray<br \/>\nto Ormazd every night before going to sleep, and pray every morning as soon as awake to<br \/>\nOrmazd, renewing its covenant and acknowledging the presence of the All Potent Eye.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"fontstyle0\">18. Zarathustra inquired concerning children who were not thus provided. I&#8217;hua&#8217;Mazda<br \/>\nanswered, saying: Such children may live, or they may die. If they die, they fall into the<br \/>\ncare of the drujas and become drujas themselves; but if they live, they will grow up liars<br \/>\nand druks, killing and stealing.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"fontstyle0\">19. Zarathustra inquired concerning a consecrated child, if it die? Then I&#8217;hua&#8217;Mazda<\/span><br \/>\n<span class=\"fontstyle0\">answered: If a consecrated child die, its soul is received in heaven by the consecrated<br \/>\nspirits of Ormazd. It is then taken to a place of all good, a place of delight.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"fontstyle0\">20. When these things were explained to the disciples, the mothers brought their children<br \/>\nbefore Zarathustra; and I&#8217;hua&#8217;Mazda consecrated them on the altar, and they were baptized<br \/>\nwith water and fire, and given names by the rab&#8217;bah.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1195\" style=\"width: 229px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1195\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1195\" src=\"http:\/\/religionoflight.org\/ns\/lightofgod\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Plate-11-219x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"219\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/religionoflight.org\/ns\/lightofgod\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Plate-11-219x300.jpg 219w, https:\/\/religionoflight.org\/ns\/lightofgod\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Plate-11-197x270.jpg 197w, https:\/\/religionoflight.org\/ns\/lightofgod\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/Plate-11.jpg 280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 219px) 100vw, 219px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-1195\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Plate 11.<br \/>UG-SA or UH-GA<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Book of God&#8217;s Word Chapter 21, Chapter 22 Chapter 21 1. On the next day Zarathustra appeared before the multitude, and I&#8217;hua&#8217;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. &#8230; <span class=\"more\"><a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/religionoflight.org\/ns\/lightofgod\/2020\/04\/01\/lectionary-readings-for-thursday-april-2nd-2020\/\">[Read more&#8230;]<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[46,40,39,34,36,35,38,33,41,31,32,47,50,48,44,45,43,42],"class_list":{"0":"entry","1":"post","2":"publish","3":"author-lightofgod","4":"post-1194","6":"format-standard","7":"category-lectionary-readings","8":"post_tag-calendar","9":"post_tag-daily-readings","10":"post_tag-eloih","11":"post_tag-faithism","12":"post_tag-faithist-church","13":"post_tag-faithists","14":"post_tag-jehovih","15":"post_tag-kosmon-era","16":"post_tag-lectionary-readings","17":"post_tag-oahspe","18":"post_tag-oahspe-bible","19":"post_tag-observances","20":"post_tag-religion-of-light","21":"post_tag-sabbath","22":"post_tag-united-covenant","23":"post_tag-united-covenant-of-light","24":"post_tag-yeshua","25":"post_tag-yoshu"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/religionoflight.org\/ns\/lightofgod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1194","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/religionoflight.org\/ns\/lightofgod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/religionoflight.org\/ns\/lightofgod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/religionoflight.org\/ns\/lightofgod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/religionoflight.org\/ns\/lightofgod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1194"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/religionoflight.org\/ns\/lightofgod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1194\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1196,"href":"https:\/\/religionoflight.org\/ns\/lightofgod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1194\/revisions\/1196"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/religionoflight.org\/ns\/lightofgod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1194"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/religionoflight.org\/ns\/lightofgod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1194"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/religionoflight.org\/ns\/lightofgod\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1194"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}