I'm always blown away by this passage whenever I read it...
O My Brother! A pure heart is as a mirror; cleanse it with the burnish of love and severance from all save God, that the true sun may shine within it and the eternal morning dawn. Then wilt thou clearly see the meaning of “Neither doth My earth nor My heaven contain Me, but the heart of My faithful servant containeth Me.” And thou wilt take up thy life in thine hand, and with infinite longing cast it before the new Beloved One.
-- Baha'u'llah
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Talking about purity of heart, have you noticed in 2 of the commonly available Bahai prayers for spiritual qualities, that, when we ask God for a pure heart, He is the actor, and we are "just" a recipient?
It would seem to me, that "purity of heart" would not be prefaced as a gift from God, but something that we should have to earn, by good conduct, or some other prescription of spiritual exercises. To pray for a pure heart, seems to me, at least, rather awkward, when I really stop and think about it. But then, maybe I am just a bit unusual.
So, I forgot to summarize my point, which is that this passage begins with a staggering accomplishment, namely the pure heart is already accomplished, and what we are now deepening on are the attributes that one with a pure heart now has! The maintenance of it, it seems to me is the burnishing, and severance. Perhaps we did, as children, have a pure heart, and then our parents let or joined partners with society to write something else on that childish, and weak, but pure heart. As inevitable as being cast out of the Garden, perhaps? I mean, if we were all born with a pure heart, it would seem an easier thing to keep what you're born with, rather than go out and find and install something you never had. Mistakes would seem to be fewer in the former case. The interpretation of the Garden of Eden would say that because of free will, we were never meant to keep that purely ignorant and pre-mature state for very long anyway. Still, it seems that parents bear a grave responsibility.
I have never met a grown adult born in the USA who from childhood, because of parental practices, has grown up with a pure heart. Maybe it was just my neighborhood ;-)
Seems to me that the definition of the "Fruits of the Spirit" and and the definition of "Love" as described in the Bible are the basis for a "Pure Heart". It is not something you are born with or something you achieve. Rather it is turning your heart over to these principles and trying your best to live your life by those principles that defines a "Pure Heart". Basically love and patience are the keys that open the doors of your heart to God's will (intent). Giving in to love and patience and letting go of self centered ambitions is the place to start. A "Pure Heart" never puts its own needs before the needs of others and looks to God (not itself) to provide it's own needs. As with any act of faith we have to make the effort first (show our intent) before God can help us understand his way.
Specifically is "the eternal morning" and how does it affect the human heart?
Anon's "place to start" is something I have been pondering over for a looooooong time, recently ;-). First I wonder if I could recognize someone with a pure heart. Secondly, though in theory I believe it, I wonder if there is someone who is recognized for their achivement, has the "pure heart" as described here. Yes we all believe it is possible, but I personally, have never met anyone other than a housewife or two with what I would probably think of as a "Pure Heart" (I use capital letters, because I might bestow this compliment as I would give flowers to someone who is nice and kind, I am thinking of a person who is notably distinguished by this quality?
Are you going to say "Mother Theresa"? ;-)
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