Homage by Mark Marangella

My Father and 3rd Guardian of the Bahá’i Faith

 Dear Fellow Bahá’i Councilors,

I would like to take pause and pay homage to my father, the 3rd Guardian of the Bahá’i Faith, on this 1st day of September, the anniversary of his passing last year to the Abhá Kingdom, where he joined the rarified company of his predecessor Guardians.

He is surely missed and fondly remembered on this day by my mother, my brothers, our immediate and extended family, and me and, I am sure as well by our Guardian of the Faith, Nosrat’u’llah Bahremand, the Hands of the Cause, the Councilors and all the valiant and dedicated champions of the Faith around the world,  who, through their many trials and tribulations, stood steadfastly by his side during his 49 year ministry with the shared belief that:

"Divorced from the institution of the Guardianship the World Order of Bahá'u'lláh would be mutilated and permanently deprived of that hereditary principle" which as 'Abdu'l-Bahá has written, has been invariably upheld by the Law of God."   - Shoghi Effendi.

 Joel Marangella reaffirmed and defended the foundation during his ministry upon which we now stand today, as Orthodox Bahá’is, and for which we remain unwavering in our faith and committed in our actions.

 Joel Marangella is no longer with us but his deeds will continue to inspire all of us, who were honored by his presence and understanding of the importance of his mission of maintaining the true Faith during a particularly turbulent and challenging period.

 I close  with the following passage from The Hidden Words of Bahá’u’lláh,  that I believe best exemplifies the message that he gave to his devoted family and to his dedicated followers of the true Faith of Bahá’u’lláh :

“O SON OF SPIRIT!  My first counsel is this:  Possess a pure, kindly and radiant heart, that thine may be a sovereignty ancient, imperishable and everlasting. - Bahá’u’lláh

Yá Bahá’u’l-Abhá

 Your servant in the Cause of the Bahá’i Faith,

Mark.