A Violently Shaken World

Recently, I came across an interesting blog (www.elikamahony.com/blog) of  Ms. Elika Mahony. I am taking the liberty of sharing a post entitled, “A violently Shaken World.”

“Our world has been violently shaken in the last couple of weeks.  Thousands have suffered and countless lives have been lost in China and in Myanmar.  So many are suffering and many others are looking for explanations and trying to make sense of these catastrophes.

From the wise counsels of Abdu’l-Baha I have gleaned the following: 

In times of tragedy we are reminded that we are one human family, all with the same needs and all suffering from the same pain.  We also see how tragedy brings out the most noble side of humanity: strangers and friends alike arise to offer help, to contribute money and material goods, and to pray for their fellow human beings who are grieving and who are suffering. 

While we try to do our best to assist in whatever ways we can, ‘Abdu’l-Baha also reminds that we must remember that this physical existence is just the beginning of our eternal journey towards God.  Those who have died are not gone, they have simply gone on ahead of us to the spiritual realms.  It is as if God has taken a potted plant out of its small pot and replanted it in a vast garden where it can grow much better.  Physical death is not the end but it’s the beginning of their growth in the spiritual life, as our souls are immortal.

Physical disasters also remind us that this mortal life is inherently unstable and unpredictable.  It reminds us that what is important is the development of our souls because that’s what is everlasting.  Everything else is temporary.  We realize that we must seize every opportunity to show love, to be of service, and to help others.  If we do this, then every moment we’re alive has true meaning. When we leave this world, all that we take with us are what we have made of our souls and our good deeds.  And as a society, if we don’t learn from these disasters and make safety more important than profit, then that in itself is a second tragedy.”

The foremost among the principles of the Baha’i Faith is the oneness of humanity. And the Baha’i writings state, “implies an organic change in the structure of present-day society, a change such as the world has not yet experienced.” And at the heart of this change stands Baha’u’llah’s imperative: Let your vision be world-embracing, rather than confined to your own self.”

The Baha’i writings also tell us that such unity cannot be created without justice. “There is no force on earth that can equal in its conquering power the force of justice and wisdom,” wrote Baha’u’llah. “The purpose of justice is the appearance of unity among men.”

Both principles, unity and justice, are essential if international negotiations over things like elimination of poverty or disaster relief operations.