AT THIS time of alarming events on the face of the earth, many people dream apocalyptic dreams. Far from expecting "end-times", Bahais are encouraged to look forward and outward toward the "Lesser Peace". A period within which peace will dawn and progress toward the culmination of the "Most Great Peace", the Lesser Peace will, in essence, signal a political peace with spiritual underpinnings, and the Most Great Peace, somewhat apocalyptically, be a largely spiritual one. (The Prophet-Founder of the Baha'i Faith, Bahaullah, offered the latter to the rulers of the world at one time. They rejected it and will have to accept the Lesser Peace for now. Eventually, "the Most Great Peace shall come").The fact is that we are in a "war-weary" world wars at home, wars abroad, and still we ignore the portent of things. There has not been a time, over the last 76 years, give or take a few between the two World Wars, when we have not had a conflict going on, or one brewing, somewhere on Planet Earth.
To be a Bahai, however, is to be imbued with ineffable optimism. We take comfort in Bahaullah's words that "new bounties, perfect bestowals, are awaiting and already descending" upon mankind. The blessings that were ours in the youth of mankind, "although timely and sufficient during the adolescence of mankind, are now incapable of meeting the requirements of [his] maturity".
Once the maturity of humankind is well on the way to achievement, there is little that we cannot accomplish. By the same token, there is nothing that typifies human behaviour as immature as does injustice. The sun shines on just and unjust alike; however, we are called to give account for our injustices as never before. There is no one so unjust as the thief, the liar and the tyrant. They can bring great disunity upon a community. The Baha'i Writings inform us that those in authority should show no kindness to them for fear that they may not change their ways.
The injustices inherent in untrustworthiness and oppressive behaviour reflect a lack of unity among people, among sister countries, and within our world community. It is a sign of our growing maturity that we long for this unification : "The Tabernacle of Unity is raised... of one tree are all ye the fruit and of one bough the leaves", Bahaullah says. "The world is but one country, and mankind its citizens...Let not a man glory in that he loves his country; let him rather glory in this, that he loves his kind." There is, however, no denying that the road to true unity is a long and arduous one.
- Bahai Assembly
A BLOW TO MATERIALISM
WE HAVE experienced during the past year the Rites of Passage of the last millennium into this the new era of humankind. Materialism whilst not dead and it will never die, took a body blow. The passage was rough and we will continue to experience shock waves perhaps until the end of this decade or even longer. These Rites of Passage have thrown down the gauntlet to thinking humans. We have to face those challenges to humankind. We also have our own peculiar challenges.
Our challenges begin with realizing that we have to convince ourselves first that we are a people of peace and love. We do not have to convince anyone else first. We have to convince ourselves first that we are a people who have a bright and wonderful future together in this island home. We have to understand first that each of us is to set the example and become the role model and not ask or instruct the other to do as I say. Each of us from whatever walk of life must first give of our best and not decry the other's efforts at anytime.
Moses' hardest task was to convince the children of Israel that they had to flee enslavement. It was much harder than convincing the Egyptians that they were to 'let my people go' and then it still took 40 years of wandering in the desert before reaching the Promised Land.
These challenges are some of my wishes for us Jamaicans to grasp and to practise so that our tolerances may be enhanced, our tourism may be successful, our other efforts may be rewarded and all our achievements may be enjoyed. The real pleasure is in the journey and not at the arrival.
May this New Year bring the sense of reality to all of us. It is a time of renewal. This year will be our fortieth anniversary.
- Ainsley Henriques is President, Neveh Shalom Institute (Past president of the United Congregation of Israelites, and chairman of the Jamaica National Heritage Trust).
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