It would be easy to be overcome and completely disheartened by events happening in the world right now,and truthfully writing a Message of Hope from the comforts of my home may seem rather negligible at this moment.
But imagine if more mothers were in charge of world affairs!
In reflecting on where, and how, I – a local mother in the neighbourhood – can constructively contribute to international peace building efforts, I turn to the guidance offered through the Baha’i Teachings.
In the teachings, I’m reminded that it is within the family that the individual is born and nurtured, and within the family that individuals begin to learn how to live together with others.
The family unit is the basic building block of community, and beyond, of the entire social order.
“A family is a nation in miniature. The conditions surrounding the family surround the nation.”
A Baha’i pattern of family life calls for each individual member of a family, referring to the framework of principals, virtues and practises outlined in the sacred teachings of the Faith, to contribute to and advance, both the spiritual and material conditions of the world through community building efforts.
It is characterized by a balance of individual prayer, meditation and devotion, alongside collective acts of service and consultation: aimed at fostering unity, justice, and the overall prosperity of humanity.
A society fashioned to meet the requirements of the age of the maturity of the human race requires both a mature conception of family and an ability to extend the insights derived from that conception to the relationships that shape the nation and the world.
World peace really does begin in the home.
The part to be played by families will be increasingly necessary and impactful in the years and decades ahead.
All families have a vital contribution to make to strengthen the peace building efforts of their communities and societies.
Bahá’i Writings state: “My home is the home of peace. My home is the home of joy and delight. My home is the home of laughter and exultation.
“Whosoever enters through the portals of this home, must go out with gladsome heart.
“This is the home of light; whosoever enters here must become illumined.
“This is the home of knowledge: the one who enters it must receive knowledge.
“This is the home of love: those who come in must learn the lessons of love; thus may they know how to love each other.”
Enquiries regarding the Interfaith Network, City of Greater Dandenong: administration@interfaithnetwork.org.au or 8774 7662.
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