Fidál, 19 Núr (Light), 183 B.E.
Quotes for Reflection
This, so far as it can be foreseen, is the course the Bahá’í community will seek to tread. For the present hour, we urge you to recommit your energies, keeping your focus on the mission immediately before you. We are immensely gratified to see the assured composure with which the community of the Greatest Name has sought to offer the divine remedy under all conditions, especially during this period when society’s established patterns of life have been disrupted and risks of different kinds are being faced by so many. Withal, the friends must guard against being drawn into the ultimately futile conflict and strife that characterizes so much of the discussion of the affairs of society, or—heaven forbid—allowing interaction of this type to permeate, even fleetingly, the conversations of the community. Yet such vigilance on your part in avoiding discord and in not becoming entangled in society’s controversies should under no circumstances be construed as aloofness from the many pressing concerns of this time. Far from it. You are among the most active and earnest of humanity’s well-wishers. But, whether through deeds or words, the merit of your every contribution to social well-being lies, first, in your resolute commitment to discover that precious point of unity where contrasting perspectives overlap and around which contending peoples can coalesce. — Universal House of Justice [1]
Question for Consideration
How can one apply the general call for Bahá’í s to “render service to the world of humanity” while focusing on the aim of an ongoing series of global plans for “the release of the society-building power of the Faith in ever-greater measures” to social endeavors in eldercare? [2]
Perplexity Computer Response
Engaging in Discourse: The Public Dimension
The Bahá’í approach to social action includes “participation in the prevalent discourses of society”. The discourse on aging is urgent: demographic shifts are producing rapidly growing elder populations globally, while existing eldercare systems are widely acknowledged to be inadequate, dehumanizing, and financially unsustainable. The Bahá’í International Community’s 2023 statement to the European Commission illustrates what principled discourse engagement looks like: it does not advocate for the Bahá’í Faith, but offers frameworks drawn from Bahá’í experience — community, intergenerational solidarity, the elder as protagonist, the limits of professionalized care — that can enrich public conversations without sectarian framing. [3] [4] [5]
At the local level, a Bahá’í or Bahá’í-inspired group working in eldercare can bring these same insights into conversations with municipal governments, healthcare providers, social service agencies, faith communities, and civic organizations. The Universal House of Justice’s repeated call to be “resolute in discovering precious points of unity where contrasting perspectives overlap and where contending people can coalesce” applies directly here. [6]
Footnotes
[1] Universal House of Justice. “25 November 2020 – To the Bahá’ís of the World.” Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/967504840
[2] Perplexity Computer. “Rendering Service to Humanity Through Bahá’í-Oriented Eldercare.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. June 22, 2026. https://www.perplexity.ai/computer/a/7136fb50-4676-4fcd-8695-c2ee4ec4d94f
[3] Bahá’í International Community Brussels Staff. “BIC Brussels: Reimagining the elderly’s role in society.” Bahá’í International Community, December 6, 2023. https://www.bic.org/news/bic-brussels-reimagining-elderlys-role-society
[4] International Environment Forum Staff. “Community Social Action.” International Environment Forum. https://iefworld.org/cmpcommunityaction
[5] Baha’i International Community Brussels Staff. “A European strategy for the elderly: The irreplaceable role of community life.” Bahá’í International Community, November 29, 2023. https://www.bic.org/statements/european-strategy-elderly-irreplaceable-role-community-life
[6] Universal House of Justice. “26 May 2024 – To the Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity.” Bahá’í Reference Library. https://www.bahai.org/r/155231074
Be the Voice of…
Therefore, all souls should consider it incumbent upon them to investigate reality. Reality is one; and when found, it will unify all mankind. Reality is the love of God. Reality is the knowledge of God. Reality is justice. Reality is the oneness or solidarity of mankind. Reality is international peace. Reality is the knowledge of verities. Reality unifies humanity. — ‘Abdu’l-Bahá The Promulgation of Universal Peace | Bahá’í Reference Library.
Frameworks for Understanding the World 