Historic gathering releases spiritual forces in Aotearoa

A representative who attended the historic gathering in the Holy Land to commemorate the centenary of the passing of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá wrote this report.

Miraculous gathering of the nations

With the magnetic power of love, four representatives of the national and regional Bahá'í institutions miraculously attended the historic gathering of nations in the Holy Land to commemorate the 100 year anniversary of the incredible life and passing of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá. They were joined by some 600 other representatives from National Spiritual Assemblies and Regional Bahá’í Councils across the globe. In addition, other distinguished guests, and staff at the Bahá’í World Centre took attendance to 1,400.

The oneness of humanity was evident. Many nations were represented for the first time including Arab nations and those with newly formed National Assemblies or administrative bodies.

Why “miraculously”? As if the very hand of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá guided each stage, the Holy Land’s border opened just prior to the gathering and closed immediately afterwards. The New Zealanders needed to secure managed isolation places for their return in a hotly contested ballot for places, secure flights that were not cancelled, and pass Covid testing prior to departure and on arrival. Travel is not the same anymore! Each hurdle was leaped in quick succession in a nail-biting journey. Other travelers had equally compelling stories. Aotearoa’s representatives have returned with the love of the Universal House of Justice to share with our institutions and the entire New Zealand community.

Diversity of representatives at the House of Abbud

Spiritual energy released through profound contemplation

To prepare participants for this historic occasion, the Universal House of Justice arranged visits to Holy sites focused on the incredible life of service of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá - who was essentially in ‘lockdown’ most of His life - whether exiled, imprisoned or under house arrest. There we contemplated His perfect example, as the essence of love, joy and service, and a life that we can only strive to emulate.

We were privileged to visit the very room on the very night where His radiant Soul winged its flight 100 years before, and to pay homage to Him at a moving service where tributes and prayers were reverently offered. We also considered the historic enterprise underway in building His befitting resting place and had the bounty to visit that blessed spot under construction.

The three day commemoration programme included keynote addresses considering anew the legacy of ʻAbdu'l-Bahá in the ongoing protection and guidance He has provided in His Will and Testament - that Mighty Treatise written by the Centre of God’s Covenant to Man that laid out the future World Order of His Father, Bahá'u'lláh. This Will and Testament lays the foundation for the administrative order, setting out the roles of the Guardian and the Universal House of Justice under whose protection we remain, and to which we owe our allegiance.

Of particular insight was the incredible development of the world-embracing, loving and encouraging administration of the National Spiritual Assemblies - the generals in the army of light - who are likewise supported by their lieutenants, their Regional Bahá’í Councils. Never before has the significance of this development in the maturity of the Faith been laid out so clearly.

We looked back at the extraordinary distance the Bahá’í world has travelled through the implementation of His Divine Plan. In a relatively short span of humanity’s development - 100 years - the community has grown from a small band of devoted believers in a handful of countries, to the gathering of the nations at the Seat of the Universal House of Justice - proof enough of the great strides that have been taken.

Even more striking was the realisation of the exponential growth across the globe in the noble and spiritual enterprise we are undertaking - to transform society and bring about global prosperity. Built on the power of the educational process laid out in the training institute process, there has been more than a tripling of core activities over the last Five Year Plan and even greater growth in the numbers of participants, while clusters have advanced in their ability to administer to an ailing world. All this achieved during a global pandemic! Our capacity to bring a depth of understanding of the Healing Message of Bahá'u'lláh to ever larger numbers of people was as clear as the beautiful weather we enjoyed.

Preparing for a dynamic thrust forward in the Divine Plan

Very little was given away about the specifics of the upcoming momentous Nine Year Plan but we can guess that it will include a renewed commitment to learning about this growth process and rededicating our lives to service as ʻAbdu'l-Bahá did. When we stand before the Blessed Beauty in the next world, what will we say? That we focused on this material world, or that we have already soared in the spiritual realms?

All the New Zealand population will be invited to the series of conferences that will be held early next year to consider the next steps in our journey - for Aotearoa to take ever greater strides in service to the Divine Plan, as did ʻAbdu'l-Bahá.

The Universal House of Justice assures us:

“We are confident that the spiritual forces generated by this gathering will be diffused throughout your communities and will inspire the friends as they prepare themselves for the upcoming series of worldwide conferences, which will launch the Bahá’í world into the next stage of the Divine Plan. To this end, we will offer our ardent prayers at the Sacred Threshold.”

Photos above: More diversity outside the House of Abdullah Pasha; House of ‘Abdu’l-Baha where He passed away in the early hours of 27 November 1921; Door at the Shrine of the Bab and Abdu’l-Baha; Detail of Pilgrim House in Bahji