Chapter 38. The Bema Festival

1. The Great High King is seated on his Bema (throne, altar, platform), he looks at the deeds of every one of us. This is the Bema of Isho and the Maiden of the Light and the Judge of the Assembly; this is the Day whereon his dawning and his light appear. The whole air gives light, the Sphere shines today; even the earth also puts forth blossom, the waves of the sea are still, for the gloomy winter that was full of trouble has passed away – let us too escape from the iniquity of evil! See, today every tree has been renewed once more! See, the rose-flowers have spread abroad their beauty for the parasites that harmed their leaves have been taken away. Cut also the chains and the parasites of our sins! Now then we make the festival observing your holy day, and passing the night keeping vigil in your joy, O Glorious One; so wash us now in the dewdrops of your joy!

2. For this is the Day which you have given us as a present that we may beseech you, Maran, and you may forgive us our sins; he who despises today shall be despised on the day of laying aside the body. We worship you, O Advocate! And we implore in the presence of your Bema that you may forgive us our sins that we have committed in the whole year! For there is no one in this flesh who is free from sin in his heart; it is you alone who are the searcher of hearts – forgive us what we have done! Look upon your beloved ones, O Blessed; pity your children, give us the grace of absolution!

3. O Soul, this visible Bema, the Word, has been set before you that it may sow in you through what is visible the memory of the hidden Law which you have forgotten since the day you drank the water of madness. O Soul, to you has come the Day of Rejoicing; reveal all your sins today and remember your end and prepare yourself in your works, for the Bema of Wisdom moves you thereto. This is the Way of Truth, this is the Stairway that leads on high, which shall take us up to the Light; come then, and walk on these holy steps! From the beginning he is this Way, namely the First Man, and Isho the Radiant and the Spiritual Advocate; they have summoned you, O Soul, that you should go up on high thereby!

4. Let the Bema become for you a landing place of your lifetime, a cleansing place of your life, a chest-filled with teaching, a ladder to the Height, a measuring balance of your deeds. Receive the holy Seal from the Mind of the Assembly and fulfil the Precepts, to accept most actively every injunction, command and seal of perfect peacefulness: that we do not lie, do not murder and that we do not unnecessarily eat flesh so that we may purify ourselves. The Judge who is in the Air, will himself, give you his three graces; you shall receive the Baptism of the Celestial Being in the Perfect Man; the Luminaries will perfect you and take you to your Kingdom; your Father, the First Man, shall give to you your everlasting life; a divine Messenger of Truth shall give to you the diadem of Light, she shall give you your garland of renown. Light your Lamp, O Sons of Joy, and keep watch on the Day of the Bema for the Bridegroom of Rejoicing, and receive the holy Light-Rays of the Good Father!

5. Hail, resplendent Bema! Hail, Day of Rejoicing, the Blessed Bridegroom! See, our lamps are ready; see, our lamps are full of oil! Hail, Gate of the Light, Straight Way of Life, good Shepherd of his sheep, the souls’ Hope of Life! Hail, Tree of Knowledge that is in the midst of this host of trees, whereof when we were blind we ate and saw! Hail, O Rising of the Dead, the New Era of the Souls that has stripped us of the Old Man and put the New Man upon us! Hail Mind of the Father, Garland of the Renown of the Celestial Being, the Spirit of holiness which scans the All, the Perfect love of the Father! Hail, Rejoicing of the Celestial Beings, the Angels’ Inner Repose, the whole Will of the Powers of the Light, the Trust of the Sons of the Kingdom! This is the purity of the Messenger of the Light, of the Saving Messiah, of the Spiritual Advocate, of the Love of the Father; this is the purity of the Good Faith, of Perfection, Patience, Wisdom and Godliness; this is the honour of Fasting, Prayer and Alms-giving, of blessed poverty, the Honour of Humility and Kindliness!

6. Blessed are you, Great Wheel of the Word, upright Bema of the great Law-giver, the Seat of the Fathers of the Light who are free from error, the Basis of the Sweet Victory that is full of Wisdom! Hail Bema of Victory, Great Sign of our Bright City, joyous and shining Garland of the victorious Souls but judgement and conviction of the sinners! You are the Blessed Root, you are the strengthening of the Luminaries, you are the Gift of the Air, you are the manifesting of Light’s Victory! You are the Medicine for the healing of our wounds, you are the one that crushes evil while you place a garland on godliness; you are the one that purifies the Light from darkness; you are the one who gives rest to the Souls!