Befriended Stranger

The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded on the seventh leaf of the Most Exalted Paradise is this: O ye men of wisdom among nations! Shut your eyes to estrangement, then fix your gaze upon unity. Cleave tenaciously unto that which will lead to the well-being and tranquility of all mankind. This span of earth is but one homeland and one habitation. It behoveth you to abandon vainglory which causeth alienation and to set your hearts on whatever will ensure harmony. In the estimation of the people of Baha man’s glory lieth in his knowledge, his upright conduct, his praiseworthy character, his wisdom, and not in his nationality or rank. O people of the earth! Appreciate the value of this heavenly word. Indeed it may be likened unto a ship for the ocean of knowledge and a shining luminary for the realm of perception.
(Baha’u'llah, Tablets of Baha’u'llah, p. 67)

With more than a little help from my friends, and particularly delicious food prepared by Sharrie (who should be running a catering business!) and very yummy fresh peach cobbler prepared by Rochelle, I hosted an Interfaith Dinner Dialogue event which was both thought provoking and delightful. Just like last year, this event presented an opportunity for dialogue while ensured each person to be heard uninterrupted and opened the door for further sharing of not just what each of the participants’ religion says but what their actual personal faith experience has been. I am particularly encouraged that the Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington is in fact encouraging follow up meetings with the same, or different, group of people, later in September, and possibly in November and January. Several of my guests inquired about the Baha’i Faith and I invited all of them to the Musical Prayer Station in two week. Those who attended adhered to Judaism, Islam, several Christian denominations,  and Nature-based beliefs but were all interested in a sincere interfaith dialogue. As Sharrie and I were talking later tonight, there seems to be a need for more such events which would give a safe venue for getting to know each other and building peace through dialogue.

The civility of tonight’s dialogue contrasted dramatically with the plight of the Baha’is of Iran, whose seven leaders just got sentenced to jail for 20 years! Indeed the religious freedom we enjoy in this country, just like any freedom, can be easily taken for granted but should be even more appreciated when put in the context of the brutally intolerant experience of so many others throughout the globe.

May we all pray for the freedom of those unjustly imprisoned!

O people! Consort with the followers of all religions in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship. Thus hath the day-star of His sanction and authority shone forth above the horizon of the decree of God, the Lord of the worlds.
(Baha’u'llah, Tablets of Baha’u'llah, p. 21)

I just received the list of the participants in this year’s Interfaith Dinner Dialogue which I will co-host on Sunday. It includes: Baha’i, Follower of Jesus, Non-denominational Christian, Nature-based (Wicca), Protestant, Jewish, Islamic. What is missing is Zoroastrian, Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist! Last year’s dialogue was wonderful and resulted in many unexpected new friendships! May the new friendship gained this year be as rewarding!

Every faith is amazing! And as one of the participants in tonight’s Amazing Faith Dinner Dialogue noted, faith is more than the absense of a doubt. Faith is what shapes us from within and propels us into action without, reaching out to the world and its citizens and sharing a smile. Smile, as another participant noted, is contagious. And so is peaceful dialogue.

Let all associate, therefore, in this great human garden even as flowers grow and blend together side by side without discord or disagreement between them.
(Abdu’l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 68)

Blessed by the help of wonderful friends who helped with cooking the most delicious vegetarian food one could hope for, I was able to host the wonderful Dinner Dialogue organized by the Interfaith Conference of the Metropolitan Washington (IFC). This was not the largest but certainly most diverse group I have ever hosted at my humble abode. The moderator, a young intern with the IFC is Protestant Christian but his girlfriend is Baha’i. There were two Muslim ladies, one a school teacher from Bangladesh and the other one, a poet from Indonesia, and there was a young Catholic woman who works on conflict resolution through fostering dialogue and understanding with the Islamic religious schools of Pakistan.

The dinner was followed by a moderated dialogue during which we all were asked to answer questions prepared in advanced, randing from how personal our relationship with God is, through the role of our faith communities in getting us through difficult times, to the nature of evil and our personal role in confronting it, whatever its source may be.

As everyone confirmed at the end of the dialogue, inter-religious peace is not only possible but inevitable, as it is the goal of our Creator. It was a perfect opportunity for me to invite my guests to the Monday Prayer Station and many of them expressed interest in attending.

One can only be grateful for the wonderful times we live in, times of openness and curiosity and sharing and appreciating.

May God bless us all, no matter what our religion of origin maybe, because the religion of our destination is the same:

This is the changeless Faith of God, eternal in the past, eternal in the future.
(Baha’u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u'llah, p. 136)

From Monday’s Prayer Station readings:

(Now) when a man sets out on a journey, he takes provisions with him;
If it be for one day’s march, he takes provisions for two days;
If it be for two days’ march, he takes provisions for three;
If it be for ten days’ march, he takes provisions for fifteen;
And he thinks that he will come back in health to his well-beloved friends, parents, and brethren.

How then is it that men take no provisions for that unavoidable journey,
On which one must go once for all, for all eternity?

(Zoroastrianism, The Zend-Avesta)

The tree which fills the arms grew from the tiniest sprout; the tower of nine storeys rose from a (small) heap of earth;
the journey of a thousand li commenced with a single step.

(Taoism, Tao Te Ching)

O Thou, my God! Who guidest the seeker to the pathway that leadeth aright, Who deliverest the lost and blinded soul out of the wastes of perdition, Thou Who bestowest upon the sincere great bounties and favors, Who guardest the frightened within Thine impregnable refuge, Who answerest, from Thine all-highest horizon, the cry of those who cry out unto Thee. Praised be Thou, O my Lord! Thou hast guided the distracted out of the death of unbelief, and hast brought those who draw nigh unto Thee to the journey’s goal, and hast rejoiced the assured among Thy servants by granting them their most cherished desires, and hast, from Thy Kingdom of beauty, opened before the faces of those who yearn after Thee the gates of reunion, and hast rescued them from the fire of deprivation and loss – so that they hastened unto Thee and gained Thy presence, and arrived at Thy welcoming door, and received of gifts an abundant share.

(Bahá’í Faith, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá)

It’s never too late to start preparing for the unavoidable journey. Would you join me?

Two years and a half ago when I started this blog, I had no idea that befriending strangers would become so vital to my growth and health. Tonight, observing the discussion during the Ruhi 2 study circle I host and facilitate on Wednesdays made me aware that I have indeed gained friends on whom I have come to rely. Such friendships in times of difficulties have been a gentle reminder of the One True Friend:

Glory be to Thee, O my God! Thou hearest Thine ardent lovers lamenting in their separation from Thee, and such as have recognized Thee wailing because of their remoteness from Thy presence. Open Thou outwardly to their faces, O my Lord, the gates of Thy grace, that they may enter them by Thy leave and in conformity with Thy will, and may stand before the throne of Thy majesty, and catch the accents of Thy voice, and be illumined with the splendors of the light of Thy face.

Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. None can withstand the power of Thy sovereign might. From everlasting Thou wert alone, with none to equal Thee, and wilt unto everlasting remain far above all thought and every description of Thee. Have mercy, then, upon Thy servants by Thy grace and bounty, and suffer them not to be kept back from the shores of the ocean of Thy nearness. If Thou abandonest them, who is there to befriend them; and if Thou puttest them far from Thee, who is he that can favor them? They have none other Lord beside Thee, none to adore except Thyself. Deal Thou generously with them by Thy bountiful grace.

Thou, in truth, art the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Compassionate.

(Baha’u'llah, Prayers and Meditations by Baha’u'llah, p. 72)

How fitting then to receive tonight this message:

The Bahá’í Faith is a member of the InterFaith Conference (IFC) of Metropolitan Washington through the Spiritual Assembly of Washington, D.C.

In the last two years they have trained many individuals as moderators in interfaith dialogue and are currently engaged in setting up hosts and groups of people (10-12 for each location) to hold interfaith dialogue.  This process involves a host who serves dinner to 10-12 strangers who have indicated through the IFC that they are interested in these dialogues.

The dinner/dialogue is scheduled for the evening of Sunday, Aug 9. If you would like to participate as either a host (the people will come to your home for dinner), or as a guest, please go to the following site and fill out the form.

Oh,  how I hope to be given a chance to become a host. Wouldn’t it be great to serve dinner to a dozen of strangers and talk about Faith?

Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:  Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt
(King James Bible, Hebrews, 8:8-9)

Gather them, then, together around this Divine Law, the covenant of which Thou hast established with all Thy Prophets and Thy Messengers, and Whose ordinances Thou hast written down in Thy Tablets and Thy Scriptures. Raise them up, moreover, to such heights as will enable them to perceive Thy Call.
(Baha’u'llah, Prayers and Meditations by Baha’u'llah, p. 106)

Dear friends!

What nurtures your soul? What makes your heart tender? Prayer, music, fellowship, food cooked with love, tea poured in peace, cake shared
with smile? Whatever the answer might be, sharing prayers with friends gets us all closer to the Creator and recharges us for the week ahead.

I invite you and your loves ones to the regular Monday evening interfaith Prayer Station!

This Monday, June 1st, the theme is Divine Covenant. I have many books of prayers from different faith traditions but if you wish, feel free to bring your own prayer.

We’ll start at 7 pm with light refreshments followed by reading, at 7:30 pm, of selected Holy Writings from diverse religions on the theme
of Divine Covenant. We’ll also uplift and refresh our souls with music, and offer prayers as the spirit moves us.  We’ll conclude with
tea and cake.

We’ll also say prayers for anyone in need, so if you can’t join us and would like to request prayers please contact me.

In His service,
Mitko

I am on my way to Chicago to participate in the 3rd Baha’i Chorale Festival. Come see me perform with 150 other singers at the Baha’i House of Worship on Sunday, May 24th, 2009. There will be two concerts, at 10 am and 12:30 pm. And as part of the chorale festival I will get to solo with the Washington Metropolitan Baha’i Chorale. This should all be fun and very refreshing change from the grueling weeks.

Part of the fun will be seeing old and new friends. Curiously, my hotel roommate will be no other than Red Grammer, the Grammy Award nominated singer. See Red perform his “See Me Beautiful” at the Great Wall of China:

And as promised to myself and a dear soul who played instrumental role in my healing, I have started taking a series of online courses on the Tanakh, the New Testament and overall Christianity. I will be writing more about my study progress in due time.

Until then, remain in peace and in God’s All-Embracing Grace!

Last night my friend Lucien and I listened to three different versions of  “O Son of Justice” put to music — one in English by The Toronto Baha’i Chorale, “Wither can a lover go”, and two by Vedad, one in Farsi and one in Spanish:

4. O SON OF JUSTICE!
Whither can a lover go but to the land of his beloved? and what seeker findeth rest away from his heart’s desire? To the true lover reunion is life, and separation is death. His breast is void of patience and his heart hath no peace. A myriad lives he would forsake to hasten to the abode of his beloved.
(Baha’u'llah, The Persian Hidden Words)

If such musical variety is impressive, the abundance of Holy Writings on Divine Justice is just staggering. Here is a selection from which we picked but a few to read last night as we prayed for nearness to God, detachment, protection and most of all justice:

Amongst us are some that submit their wills (to Allah), and some that swerve from justice. Now those who submit their wills — they have sought out (the path) of right conduct: But those who swerve, they are (but) fuel for Hell Fire.
(Islam, The Holy Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah  72)

For the word of the LORD is upright; and all His work is done in faithfulness. He loveth righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the lovingkindness of the LORD
(Judaism, Kesuvim (Writings), Tehillim (Psalms))

XII. Bestir yourselves, O people, in anticipation of the days of Divine justice, for the promised hour is now come. Beware lest ye fail to apprehend its import and be accounted among the erring.

(Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u'llah, p. 16)

2. O SON OF SPIRIT!
The best beloved of all things in My sight is Justice; turn not away therefrom if thou desirest Me, and neglect it not that I may confide in thee. By its aid thou shalt see with thine own eyes and not through the eyes of others, and shalt know of thine own knowledge and not through the knowledge of thy neighbor. Ponder this in thy heart; how it behooveth thee to be. Verily justice is My gift to thee and the sign of My loving-kindness. Set it then before thine eyes.
(Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, The Arabic Hidden Words)

The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel

To know wisdom and instruction; to comprehend the words of understanding; To receive the discipline of wisdom, justice, and right, and equity; To give prudence to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion; That the wise man may hear, and increase in learning, and the man of understanding may attain unto wise counsels; To understand a proverb, and a figure; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; but the foolish despise wisdom and discipline.
(Judaism, Kesuvim (Writings), Mishlei (Proverbs))

And now concerning thy question regarding the nature of religion. Know thou that they who are truly wise have likened the world unto the human temple. As the body of man needeth a garment to clothe it, so the body of mankind must needs be adorned with the mantle of justice and wisdom. Its robe is the Revelation vouchsafed unto it by God. Whenever this robe hath fulfilled its purpose, the Almighty will assuredly renew it. For every age requireth a fresh measure of the light of God. Every Divine Revelation hath been sent down in a manner that befitted the circumstances of the age in which it hath appeared.
(Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u'llah, p. 81)

O people of Justice! Be as brilliant as the light, and as splendid as the fire that blazed in the Burning Bush. The brightness of the fire of your love will no doubt fuse and unify the contending peoples and kindreds of the earth, whilst the fierceness of the flame of enmity and hatred cannot but result in strife and ruin. We beseech God that He may shield His creatures from the evil designs of His enemies. He verily hath power over all things.
(Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u'llah, p. 95)

Know verily that the essence of justice and the source thereof are both embodied in the ordinances prescribed by Him Who is the Manifestation of the Self of God amongst men, if ye be of them that recognize this truth. He doth verily incarnate the highest, the infallible standard of justice unto all creation. Were His law to be such as to strike terror into the hearts of all that are in heaven and on earth, that law is naught but manifest justice. The fears and agitation which the revelation of this law provokes in men’s hearts should indeed be likened to the cries of the suckling babe weaned from his mother’s milk, if ye be of them that perceive. Were men to discover the motivating purpose of God’s Revelation, they would assuredly cast away their fears, and, with hearts filled with gratitude, rejoice with exceeding gladness.
(Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u'llah, p. 174)

Beware lest thou be led to connive at injustice. Set thy heart firmly upon justice, and alter not the  Cause of God, and be of them whose eyes are directed towards the things that have been revealed in His Book. Follow not, under any condition, the promptings of thine evil desires. Keep thou the law of God, thy Lord, the Beneficent, the Ancient of Days. Thou shalt most certainly return to dust, and shalt perish like all the things in which thou takest delight. This is what the Tongue of truth and glory hath spoken.
(Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u'llah, p. 230)

CXVIII. Lay not aside the fear of God, O kings of the earth, and beware that ye transgress not the bounds which the Almighty hath fixed. Observe the injunctions laid upon you in His Book, and take good heed not to overstep their limits. Be vigilant, that ye may not do injustice to anyone, be it to the extent of a grain of mustard seed. Tread ye the path of justice, for this, verily, is the straight path.
(Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u'llah, p. 250)

Be generous in prosperity, and thankful in adversity. Be worthy of the trust of thy neighbor, and look upon him with a bright and friendly face. Be a treasure to the poor, an admonisher to the rich, an answerer of the cry of the needy, a preserver of the sanctity of thy pledge. Be fair in thy judgment, and guarded in thy speech. Be unjust to no man, and show all meekness to all men. Be as a lamp unto them that walk in darkness, a joy to the sorrowful, a sea for the thirsty, a haven for the distressed, an upholder and defender of the victim of oppression. Let integrity and uprightness distinguish all thine acts. Be a home for the stranger, a balm to the suffering, a tower of strength for the fugitive. Be eyes to the blind, and a guiding light unto the feet of the erring. Be an ornament to the countenance of truth, a crown to the brow of fidelity, a pillar of the temple of righteousness, a breath of life to the body of mankind, an ensign of the hosts of justice, a luminary above the horizon of virtue, a dew to the soil of the human heart, an ark on the ocean of knowledge, a sun in the heaven of bounty, a gem on the diadem of wisdom, a shining light in the firmament of thy generation, a fruit upon the tree of humility.
(Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u'llah, p. 285)

A Book sent down in truth unto men of insight! It biddeth the people to observe justice and to work righteousness, and forbiddeth them to follow their corrupt inclinations and carnal desires, if  perchance the children of men might be roused from their slumber.
(Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u'llah, p. 306)

Say: Let truthfulness and courtesy be your adorning. Suffer not yourselves to be deprived of the robe of forbearance and justice, that the sweet savors of holiness may be wafted from your hearts upon all created things. Say: Beware, O people of Baha, lest ye walk in the ways of them whose words differ from their deeds. Strive that ye may be enabled to manifest to the peoples of the earth the signs of God, and to mirror forth His commandments. Let your acts be a guide unto all mankind, for the professions of most men, be they high or low, differ from their conduct. It is through your deeds that ye can distinguish yourselves from others. Through them the brightness of your light can be shed upon the whole earth. Happy is the man that heedeth My counsel, and keepeth the precepts prescribed by Him Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
(Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u'llah, p. 304)

Members of the human race! Hold ye fast by the Cord which no man can sever. This will, indeed, profit you all the days of your life, for its strength is of God, the Lord of all worlds. Cleave ye to justice and fairness, and turn away from the whisperings of the foolish, them that are estranged from God, that have decked their heads with the ornament of the learned, and have condemned to death Him Who is the Fountain of wisdom. My name hath uplifted them to lofty grades, and yet, no sooner did I reveal Myself to their eyes than they, with manifest injustice, pronounced the sentence of My death. Thus hath Our Pen revealed the truth, and yet the people are sunk in heedlessness.
(Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u'llah, p. 342)

Whoso cleaveth to justice, can, under no circumstances, transgress the limits of moderation. He discerneth the truth in all things, through the guidance of Him Who is the All-Seeing. The civilization, so often vaunted by the learned exponents of arts and sciences, will, if allowed to overleap the bounds of moderation, bring great evil upon men. Thus warneth  you He Who is the All-Knowing. If carried to excess, civilization will prove as prolific a source of evil as it had been of goodness when kept within the restraints of moderation. Meditate on this, O people, and be not of them that wander distraught in the wilderness of error. The day is approaching when its flame will devour the cities, when the Tongue of Grandeur will proclaim: “The Kingdom is God’s, the Almighty, the All-Praised!”
(Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u'llah, p. 342)

The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded on the third leaf of the Most Exalted Paradise is this: O son of man! If thine eyes be turned towards mercy, forsake the things that profit thee and cleave unto that which will profit mankind. And if thine eyes be turned towards justice, choose thou for thy neighbour that which thou choosest for thyself. Humility exalteth man to the heaven of glory and power, whilst pride abaseth him to the depths of wretchedness and degradation.
(Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Tablets of Baha’u'llah, p. 64)

The word of God which the Supreme Pen hath recorded on the sixth leaf of the Most Exalted Paradise is the following: The light of  men is Justice. Quench it not with the contrary winds of oppression and tyranny. The purpose of justice is the appearance of unity among men. The ocean of divine wisdom surgeth within this exalted word, while the books of the world cannot contain its inner significance. Were mankind to be adorned with this raiment, they would behold the day-star of the utterance, ‘On that day God will satisfy everyone out of His abundance,’[1] shining resplendent above the horizon of the world. Appreciate ye the value of this utterance; it is a noble fruit that the Tree of the Pen of Glory hath yielded. Happy is the man that giveth ear unto it and observeth its precepts. Verily I say, whatever is sent down from the heaven of the Will of God is the means for the establishment of order in the world and the instrument for promoting unity and fellowship among its peoples. Thus hath the Tongue of this Wronged One spoken from His Most Great Prison.
[1 cf. Qur'án 4:129.]
(Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Tablets of Baha’u'llah, p. 66)

In the land shall be his possession in Israel: and my princes shall no more oppress my people; and the rest of the land shall they give to the house of Israel according to their tribes. Thus saith the Lord GOD; Let it suffice you, O princes of Israel: remove violence and spoil, and execute judgment and justice, take away your exactions from my people, saith the Lord GOD.
(Christianity, King James Bible, Ezekiel,45:8)

And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
(Christianity, King James Bible, Genesis)

Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
(Christianity, King James Bible, Isaiah)

Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
(Christianity, King James Bible, Jeremiah)

Verily, God bids you pay your trusts to their owners, and when ye judge between men to judge with justice. Verily, God, excellent is what He admonishes you with; verily, God both hears and sees.
O ye who believe! obey God, and obey the Apostle and those in authority amongst you; and if ye quarrel about anything, refer to God and the Apostle, if ye believe in God and the last day; that is better and fairer as a settlement.
(Islam, The Holy Qur’an (E.H. Palmer tr), Sura   4 – Women)

O ye who believe! be ye steadfast in justice, witnessing before God though it be against yourselves, or your parents, or your kindred, be it rich or poor, for God is nearer akin than either. Follow not, then, lusts, so as to act partially; but if ye swerve or turn aside, God of what ye do is well aware.
(Islam, The Holy Qur’an (E.H. Palmer tr), Sura   4 – Women)

Verily, God bids you do justice and good, and give to kindred (their due), and He forbids you to sin, and do wrong, and oppress; He admonishes you, haply ye may be mindful! Fulfil God’s covenant when ye have covenanted, and break not your oaths after asseverating them, for ye thereby make God your surety; verily, God knows what ye do.
(Islam, The Holy Qur’an (E.H. Palmer tr), Sura  16 – The Bee)

O people of God! That which traineth the world is Justice, for it is upheld by two pillars, reward and punishment. These two pillars are the sources of life to the world. Inasmuch as for each day there is a new problem and for every problem an expedient solution, such affairs should be referred to the Ministers of the House of Justice that they may act according to the needs and requirements of the time. They that, for the sake of God, arise to serve His Cause, are the recipients of divine inspiration from the unseen Kingdom. It is incumbent upon all to be obedient unto them. All matters of State should be referred to the House of Justice, but acts of worship must be observed according to that which God hath revealed in His Book.
(Bahá’í Faith, Baha’u’llah, Tablets of Baha’u'llah, p. 26)

Have you been on a road never traveled before? Where you have to trust the directions or you risk getting overwhelmed by the fear of the unknown and turning back too soon, before reaching the goal. Now imagine that 4000 others are on the same road. Or to be more precise, imagine that 6 million others are heading in the same direction, following paths as unique as each one of us is.

That to me was the essence of the Regional Baha’i Conference I attended last weekend, in Atlanta, Georgia; one of 41 announced in a fashion illustrating the world embracing vision of the Baha’i Faith, for in the letter of the Universal House of Justice calling for these conferences, the 41 host cities were listed with no country indicated. We do live in one world, after all, and if you don’t know where Yaounde or Antofagasta is, too bad; go check your friendly Google

There was an exciting anticipation in preparing for the trip to the conference. Nobody knew exactly what it was going to be, although we all sensed it would be important. There was a sense of gratitude in being able to trust the wisdom of this call by the governing institution of the worldwide Baha’i community to gather together and celebrate the achievements in a plan which as contemporary and ambitious as it is, is still a humble response to the Tablets of the Divine Plan which Abdu’l-Baha, the Son of the Prophet-Founder of the Baha’i Faith, revealed some 90 years ago to exhort the American Baha’is to share with their compatriots and the whole world the healing message of Baha’u'llah.

Going by bus to Atlanta was an adventure on its own. 50 people intoxicated by the spirit of love (with no alcohol involved, thank you very much) shared stories and songs in anticipation of a family reunion with 4000 others from the Southeastern States and the Bahamas. The few hours of sleep were of no consequence; we were too elated to notice.

The vision of us all arriving at the Georgia World Convention Center was that of rivers of people merging into an ocean of love. Then the African drums started the call to togetherness.

That one of the two counselors delegated by the Universal House of Justice to speak and inspire us, American Baha’is, was from Kenya was, personally to me, very poignant and appropriate for a global religion in learning mode whose followers are doing their best to trust the call to unity — we all learn from each other.

We all studied two messages from the Universal House of Justice, some of the whose inspiring words follow:

Undeflected by the turmoil and distractions of the world around you, direct your energies to the task at hand with expanded vision and renewed consecration.  New achievements invariably bring new challenges.  Every steadfast believer is called to a faith and determination, a commitment to unity and sacrifice that will lift the Cause to a new stage in its development.  May all find a part to play.  May all appreciate the contribution of others.  May all pour forth time and resources to support the advancement of your clusters, to foster the capacity of your co-workers, and to quicken the spirit of love and devotion that propels you forward.
~ The Universal House of Justice, 6 December 2008

We then discussed how to practically help communities throughout the Southeast achieve a sustainable growth in activities that nurture the spirituality of every human being by aligning us all to the noble goal of our Creator to build an ever advancing human civilization. And we were encouraged to not be discouraged if along this road we occasionally fail:

If, however, for a few days, in compliance with God’s all-encompassing wisdom, outward affairs should run their course contrary to one’s cherished desire, this is of no consequence and should not matter.
(Baha’u'llah, Fire and Light, p. 10)

Wouldn’t you want to join us on the road never traveled?

Just a few random thoughts before jumping into a “Go / No Go” meeting at work…

Monday’s Prayer Station once again reminded me how much the question of the meaning of life is on people’s minds.

I was reflecting last night on the value of journaling one’s thoughts. There is a qualitative difference between when I journal my own thoughts and when I journal my reflections on inspired thoughts and Holy Writings. Life is so much easier when there is a guiding light to follow. I am so blessed to have this light in the Baha’i Faith.

This morning Gmail randomly selected a quote for me:

Robert Byrne: The purpose of life is a life of purpose.

Baha’i Readings sent me a message too:

The most important thing is to polish the mirrors of hearts in order that they may become illumined and receptive of the divine light. One heart may possess the capacity of the polished mirror; another be covered and obscured by the dust and dross of this world. Although the same Sun is shining upon both, in the mirror which is polished, pure and sanctified you may behold the Sun in all its fullness, glory and power revealing its majesty and effulgence, but in the mirror which is rusted and obscured there is no capacity for reflection although so far as the Sun itself is concerned it is shining thereon and is neither lessened nor deprived. Therefore our duty lies in seeking to polish the mirrors of our hearts in order that we shall become reflectors of that light and recipients of the divine bounties which may be fully revealed through them.

‘Abdu’l-Baha

Staying out of trouble, making sure not to do the wrong things, is so much less than a life of inspired service.

Being not the center of the universe but of service to others is so much more fulfilling than consuming whatever others might provide or might be manipulated out of.

Becoming a father was one (or rather two) of those pivotal moments in my life that very dramatically showed me that the meaning of life is in serving God and His creation. I am happy for Phillipe for experiencing this joy and blessing as well!

Blessings to you all!