Daily Frameworks for 20 February 2024

Fidál, 14 Mulk (Dominion), 180 B.E.

Arising to Serve

Quote for Reflection:

By adhering to the Divine teachings and following the guidance of the Centre of the Faith, you have succeeded in achieving unity of thought on issues concerning service to the Cause and the advancement of spiritual civilization. May you recognize the value of this accomplishment and not underestimate its significance. You are also mindful of one essential, practical point, namely: that believers differ in their capacity, aptitude and approach, in their understanding, wisdom and spiritual discipline, in their degree of commitment and willingness to sacrifice, as well as in their personal preferences and priorities. As members of a diverse but united community, then, you must remain, one and all, as tightly bound as threads in the cord of the Covenant to which all must cling. Be at all times a source of encouragement and support to one another, and together seek after new avenues of service. In association with friends, neighbours and acquaintances, may you dispel the darkness of iniquity and tyranny with the light of love and fidelity. Pay no heed to rumours. Rather may you draw sustenance from the power of unity and rely upon the penetrating influence of “holy words and pure and goodly deeds” ¹ and “a virtuous life and a goodly behaviour” ² —this, that you may become the cause of love, unity and harmony within your community and among your fellow citizens. Be confident that every step taken in the path of God with sincerity will attract heavenly confirmations, for He “imparteth to the drop the power of the sea, and turneth the atom into a very sun.” ³ — Universal House of Justice ⁴

Question for Consideration:

What types of spiritual discipline help one contribute towards unity in one’s community? ⁵

Google Gemini Response:

The message from the Universal House of Justice highlights several aspects of spiritual discipline that contribute to unity within a community:

Recognizing the Value of Unity:

• Understanding the significance of achieving unity in thought and action for serving the Cause and advancing spiritual civilization.
• Appreciating the diverse contributions individuals bring to the community.
  

Embracing Diversity with Oneness:

• Accepting and celebrating differing capacities, aptitudes, approaches, and perspectives within the community.
• Remaining tightly bound together despite these differences, like threads in the cord of the Covenant.
  

Mutual Support and Encouragement:

• Offering encouragement and support to one another to strengthen individual and collective efforts.
• Seeking new avenues of service together through collaboration and shared vision.
  

Spreading Light through Love and Fidelity:

• Dispelling negativity and promoting goodness through love and loyalty to the ideals of the Faith.
• Ignoring rumors and focusing on the positive influence of “holy words,” good deeds, and virtuous behavior.
  

Building Harmony through Action:

• Becoming active agents of love, unity, and harmony within the community and beyond.
• Taking sincere steps in the path of God, knowing that even small actions can have significant positive effects.
  

Key Takeaways:

The message emphasizes that unity arises not from uniformity but from respecting and valuing diversity while aligning around shared goals and principles. Spiritual disciplines like humility, understanding, open-mindedness, active listening, collaboration, and service are crucial for achieving this.

Additional Points:

• Prayer and meditation: Seeking spiritual guidance and strength through these practices can help cultivate the qualities needed for unity.
• Studying Sacred Texts: Deepening understanding of the Bahá’í teachings provides a shared foundation for unity.
• Humility and Self-reflection: Recognizing and managing personal biases and limitations contributes to genuine connection.
• Active Participation: Engaging in community activities and offering one’s talents and abilities strengthens the collective.
  

Ultimately, building unity is an ongoing process requiring continuous effort and commitment from all community members. By practicing these spiritual disciplines and striving for understanding and cooperation, you can contribute to a more loving, harmonious, and effective community dedicated to serving humanity.

Remember, interpretations of this message and approaches to spiritual practice can vary within the Bahá’í community. The primary goal is to live by the ideals of love, unity, and service, contributing to a brighter future for all.

1. “O CHILDREN OF ADAM! Holy words and pure and goodly deeds ascend unto the heaven of celestial glory. Strive that your deeds may be cleansed from the dust of self and hypocrisy and find favor at the court of glory; for ere long the assayers of mankind shall, in the holy presence of the Adored One, accept naught but absolute virtue and deeds of stainless purity. This is the daystar of wisdom and of divine mystery that hath shone above the horizon of the divine will. Blessed are they that turn thereunto.”
   Bahá’u’lláh. The Hidden Words. Translated by Shoghi Effendi. Bahá’í Reference Library. Accessed February 19, 2024. https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/bahaullah/hidden-words/3#810818726. ↩
2. “In one of the Tablets these words have been revealed: O people of God! Do not busy yourselves in your own concerns; let your thoughts be fixed upon that which will rehabilitate the fortunes of mankind and sanctify the hearts and souls of men. This can best be achieved through pure and holy deeds, through a virtuous life and a goodly behavior. Valiant acts will ensure the triumph of this Cause, and a saintly character will reinforce its power. Cleave unto righteousness, O people of Bahá! This, verily, is the commandment which this wronged One hath given unto you, and the first choice of His unrestrained Will for every one of you.”
   Bahá’u’lláh. Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh. Translated by Shoghi Effendi. Bahá’í Reference Library. Accessed February 19, 2024. https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/bahaullah/gleanings-writings-bahaullah/3#998953432. ↩
3. “And if, confirmed by the Creator, the lover escapeth the claws of the eagle of love, he will enter the Realm of Knowledge and come out of doubt into certitude, and turn from the darkness of wayward desire to the guiding light of the fear of God. His inner eye will open and he will privily converse with his Beloved; he will unlock the gates of truth and supplication and shut the doors of idle fancy. He in this realm is content with the divine decree, and seeth war as peace, and in death findeth the meaning of everlasting life. With both inward and outward eyes he witnesseth the mysteries of resurrection in the realms of creation and in the souls of men, and with a spiritual heart apprehendeth the wisdom of God in His endless manifestations. In the sea he findeth a drop, in a drop he beholdeth the secrets of the sea.
   ““Split the atom’s heart, and lo!
   ““Within it thou wilt find a sun.”” (Hátif-i-Iṣfahání, d.1783)
   Bahá’u’lláh. The Call of the Divine Beloved: Selected Mystical Works of Bahá’ú’lláh.” Bahá’í Reference Library. Accessed February 19, 2024. https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/bahaullah/call-divine-beloved/4#443944657. ↩
4. Universal House of Justice. “31 October 2008 – To the Believers in the Cradle of the Faith.” Bahá’í Reference Library, October 31, 2008. https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/the-universal-house-of-justice/messages/20081031_001/1#810176565 ↩
5. Ruhi Institute. Arising to Serve. 2.1.1.PE September 2020. Vol. Book 2. 6 vols. Embarking on a Path of Service. Cali, Columbia: Ruhi Foundation, 2020, 53. https://www.ruhi.org/en/walking-a-path-of-service/#AS. ↩