Fall 2018 issue of Bahá’í Canada

The Universal House of Justice, in its 29 Dec., 2015 message to the Continental Board of Counsellors, described a journey through life that held, at its heart, a deep and personal love for Bahá’u’lláh and His Cause. It noted, in particular, how “the marvelous exploits of the youth in the field of service are one of the finest fruits of the present Plan.”

And as the individual moves from youth into adulthood, the “freedom of movement and availability of time” that “enable many youth to serve in ways that are directly related to the needs of the community” start to change. “As they advance further into their twenties, their horizons broaden,” and other activities, “equally demanding and highly meritorious,” begin to draw on the attention of young adults as they consider their education, work and family life in their immediate and far-reaching futures.

With these changing requirements on how to spend their time, youth and young adults face many questions about what it looks like to pursue these activities while maintaining attention on the various realms of service that contribute to Bahá’í community life. How to weave the many strands of life to create a cohesive whole, drawn together through service to Bahá’u’lláh, is something that many people, of all ages, are striving to understand.

While we realize that this is a continually evolving topic, this issue of Bahá’í Canada shares some thoughts on this pivotal question. Through our featured article sharing the reflections of a few youth who decided to dedicate a period of their life to service, along with the stories from  across Canada from families and individuals working to place the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh at the centre of their activities – work, service, finances and family life – we can join them in contemplating the many facets of our lives and discuss the ways a coherent life can grow.

In the From the History of the Bahá’í Faith section of this magazine, we have the opportunity to explore the early life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and His perfect example – how He lived His youth focused on the teachings of His Father and, from childhood to marriage to work, His every decision was based on Bahá’u’lláh’s wishes. We also step back in time to when the Faith was new in Canada and a group of youth, through the guidance of Shoghi Effendi, transformed what it meant to live as a Bahá’í – something that we continue to see evolve today.

This issue also has the honour of sharing with the Canadian Bahá’í community insights from this year’s National Convention. The many topics discussed, including the upcoming bicentenary of the Birth of the Báb, are permeating the conversations of the community across the country, encouraging us to continue to press forward in our life-long service to the Best Beloved.