If you did not get a chance to read part I of this blog post, the link is: http://3-d-project.blogspot.ca/2013/02/theme-love-of-god-part-i.html.
Devotion
Righteousness is not that ye turn your faces towards the east or the west, but righteousness is, one who believes in God, and the last day, and the angels, and the Book, and the prophets, and who gives wealth for His love to kindred, and orphans, and the poor, and the son of the road, beggars, and those in captivity; and who is steadfast in prayer, and gives alms; and those who are sure of their covenant when they make a covenant; and the patient in poverty, and distress, and in time of violence; these are they who are true, and these are those who fear. (The Qur'an (E.H. Palmer tr), Sura 2 - The Heifer) |
Amongst others is this sentence: "O Remnant of God, I am wholly sacrificed to Thee; I am content with curses in Thy way; I crave naught but to be slain in Thy love; and God the Supreme sufficeth as an Eternal Protection." (Abdu'l-Baha, A Traveller's Narrative, p. 4) |
Deeper
Learning
‘Abdu'l-Bahá, as recorded in Paris Talks, explains four kinds of love,
the first of which is God’s love for man:
“The first is
the love that flows from God to man; it consists of the inexhaustible graces,
the Divine effulgence and heavenly illumination. Through this love the world of
being receives life…This love is the origin of all the love in the world of
creation.”(‘Abdu'l-Bahá, Paris Talks, p. 179)
While reflecting on this type of
love, the sun came to my mind. Every species on earth is dependent on the sun’s
light and heat for its survival and growth. Every mineral, plant, animal and
human receives a share according to its needs. If the sun were to be cut off, life
of every kind would face annihilation, and our planet would become barren like
Mars. In the same way, the Sun of Reality is the cause of our existence and our
sustainer. In the invisible world, man’s love and attraction to God is the
reason for the uninterrupted progress of human life:
“The second is
the love that flows from man to God. This is faith, attraction to the Divine,
enkindlement, progress, entrance into the Kingdom of God, receiving the
Bounties of God, illumination with the lights of the Kingdom. This love is the
origin of all philanthropy….” (‘Abdu'l-Bahá, Paris Talks, p. 179)
The second principle of love flows
from the soul to its Creator only when a spiritual birth has taken place, as was
discussed previously. No one is forced into this, rather it is a conscious
effort on the part of a soul, moved by freewill, to establish a relationship
with Divinity. This soul begins to see the Beauty of God with new eyes and approaches
paradise according to his own capacities.
‘Abdu'l-Bahá discusses the third
kind of love:
“The third is
the love of God towards the Self or Identity of God. This is the
transfiguration of His beauty, the reflection of Himself in the mirror of His
Creation. This is the reality of love, the Ancient Love, the Eternal Love.
Through one ray of this Love all other love exists.” (‘Abdu'l-Bahá, Paris
Talks, p. 179)
God spreads His knowledge through
His creation, the most exquisite tapestry of His attributes and names. Knowledge,
love and beauty come together to generate the most magnificent fruit of
creativity.
‘Abdu’l-Bahá continues with the
fourth kind of love:
“The fourth is
the love of man for man. The love which exists between the hearts of believers
is prompted by the ideal of the unity of spirits. This love is attained through
the knowledge of God, so that men see the Divine Love reflected in the heart.
Each sees in the other the Beauty of God reflected in the soul, and finding
this point of similarity, they are attracted to one another in love. This love
will make all men the waves of one sea, this love will make them all the stars
of one heaven and the fruits of one tree. This love will bring the realization
of true accord, the foundation of real unity.” (‘Abdu'l-Bahá, Paris Talks, p.
179)
We are all very familiar with this
kind of love. In order to demonstrate this love, we must understand our true
nature, that we are created noble and in the image of the Most Glorious. When
we see the same image in others, we are drawn to them in a bond of love.
Finally, the realization that we are drops of the same ocean dawns upon us.
When this idea grows into a global consciousness, the concept of “us and them”
evaporates, and is replaced with a consciousness of the oneness of humanity. To
love and be loved by others and to treat them as we would like to be treated is
the golden rule of every religion. Our love for our fellow human beings can
turn our current living conditions into paradise: The Golden Age. This is God’s
promise to us.
Reflection
What are some of the challenges in understanding and
showing these four kinds of love?
Deeds (path of
service)
It is
incumbent upon thee to summon the people, under all conditions, to whatever
will cause them to show forth spiritual characteristics and goodly deeds, so
that all may become aware of that which is the cause of human upliftment, and
may, with the utmost endeavor, direct themselves towards the most sublime
Station and the Pinnacle of Glory. (Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the
Wolf, p. 27)
One can think of many things that will lead to human
upliftment. One, I think, of the most challenging is to love all mankind. In
contrast, caring for our family or ethnic group is well understood. How does
one love everyone on this planet to the extent we care for their wellbeing?
There are many obstacles to remove before reaching this ideal. Some might think
that it is not attainable, but Baha’is believe it is possible. What are some of
these obstacles?
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