Suffering must propel us to redouble our efforts
In a separate article, “Processes affected by lockdown rules”, we share information on practical questions such as what to do about weddings and funerals. That article also gives details of the National Spiritual Assembly’s guidance to Local Spiritual Assemblies on administrative processes such as the cancellation of Annual Meetings this year.
Here are some thoughts on how all of us can help amplify the spirit of togetherness among ourselves and in the wider community.
Individual believers, the community and the institutions in Aotearoa have been quick to launch creative responses to the new social situation brought about by physical distancing measures now in force to combat the coronavirus pandemic. These wonderful initial efforts augur well for a growing surge of positive energy as we adapt courageously to conditions that are both dire and full of potential for spiritual renewal.
The Regional Bahá’í Councils for the North and South Islands are promoting a highly promising approach to strengthening community-building activities in the face of physical distancing measures. This is the “groups of families” approach which some communities are already developing, with the Regional Councils and Auxiliary Board members taking the lead.
This approach, adapted to present circumstances, emphasises small online groups, perhaps groups composed of several households in a neighbourhood, or other natural networks. Besides core activities like devotional gatherings, such online groups can offer space for elevated conversations, social connecting and other community-building purposes. In some communities, Local Spiritual Assemblies may wish to utilise such decentralised online means for implementing the Nineteen Day Feasts in various groupings within their locality.
The idea of forming such groupings of households for devotional meetings is not new but the model lends itself to online settings and may well flourish during a time when people are confined to their homes and miss having wider social connections. Creating such online groups now could help those looking for reassurance, as well as potentially laying the foundations for these groups to go on progressing after physical distancing measures eventually come to an end. These initial groupings could become a powerful point of attraction for bringing others into a widening conversation about the well-being of their community.
Over time, this approach has shown itself to lead not only to growth in other core activities, but has the potential to bring about positive change at the most profound level of culture.
The above is but one approach to the intensification of our task that lies before us as Bahá’ís at this moment in history. The meaning of our times is well captured by the following quotation from a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi:
...You seem to complain about the calamities that have befallen humanity. In the spiritual development of man a stage of purgation is indispensable, for it is while passing through it that the over-rated material needs are made to appear in their proper light. Unless society learns to attribute more importance to spiritual matters, it would never be fit to enter the golden era foretold by Bahá’u’lláh. The present calamities are parts of this process of purgation; through them alone will man learn his lesson. They are to teach the nations that they have to view things internationally; they are to make the individual attribute more importance to his moral than his material welfare.
In such a process of purgation, when all humanity is in the throes of dire suffering, the Bahá'ís should not hope to remain unaffected. Should we consider the beam that is in our own eye, we would immediately find that these sufferings are also meant for ourselves, who claimed to have attained. Such world crisis is necessary to awaken us to the importance of our duty and the carrying on of our task. Suffering will increase our energy in setting before humanity the road to salvation; it will move us from our repose, for we are far from doing our best in teaching the Cause and conveying the Message with which we have been entrusted....
(From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual believer in reply to a letter dated October 14, 1931: Bahá'í News, No. 58, January 1932, p. 1)
Besides collective worship and service, we can also become more prepared to face difficult times ahead by cultivating our individual spiritual resources through prayer and study of the Writings.
For those who enjoy listening to Bahá'í talks, a few New-Zealand based presentations are available here: https://sites.google.com/bahai.org.nz/deepeningtalks/summer-schools
Even the strongest people are feeling considerable stress from the sudden shock with which the pandemic and physical distancing measures have impacted daily life. We should not forget this pertinent advice: “We must not only be patient with others, infinitely patient!, but also with our own poor selves, remembering that even the Prophets of God sometimes got tired and cried out in despair!” (From a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, 22 October 1949)
A sense of firm resolve to do our duty needs to be combined with tolerance and loving-kindness, so that united, we may win the day.
He waka eke noa! We’re all in this together!
