Summer 2021 issue of Bahá’í Canada
“The Divine Plan enters a new epoch and a new stage. The page is turned.”[i]
The third epoch of the Master’s Divine Plan is upon us, as announced by the Universal House of Justice in its Ridván 2021 message to the Bahá’ís of the World. “Stage by stage, epoch after epoch shall His Plan unfold,” that message proclaims, “until the light of the Kingdom illumines every heart.”[ii]
The unfoldment of His Plan, the groundwork for which has been steadfastly laid by the Canadian Bahá’í community, is evident in the rich stories of community building efforts that pour in from across the country. In this issue, we are pleased to share with you some glimpses of these efforts, as well as some of the insights being generated. Our feature article, “An unprecedented wave of prayer,” shares stories from friends who, in response to the call from the National Spiritual Assembly to raise up a devotional gathering in each home associated with the Greatest Name, have used various strategies to overcome seeming obstacles and to enrich the devotional character of their families and communities.
The article entitled “Reading reality in times of crisis,” by Amin Egea and originally published on The Bahá’í World website, explores how ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s analysis of the crises of His time in relation to World War I was profoundly distinct from those of contemporaneous thinkers, as well as the ways in which ‘Abdu’l-Bahá addressed those crises. As our thoughts naturally focus on the Master during the lead up to the centenary of His Ascension this year, it is hoped that this article allows for more profound reflection on His life.
Learning by doing has been a characteristic of many facets of the series of Plans that has led to this current One Year Plan. This past year and a half presented many opportunities for those engaged in the work of the Plan to adapt to dramatic change in their circumstances and learn new approaches to familiar activities. The article “Social action during the pandemic” highlights two undertakings that arose out of necessity during a period of restricted in-person activities.
In “The Institution of Huqúqu’lláh”, Cheryl Fennel, a Representative of that institution serving in the North, reflects on how she and the believers in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut are continuing to learn about this mighty law of the “Right of God”.
Finally, one of the concepts that the community is attempting to learn more about is that of the expanding nucleus. The article “An expanding nucleus: perspective from two neighbourhoods” explores this concept from the point of view of two neighbourhoods that have been advancing in their understanding of this idea and how it can be a useful tool in describing dynamics of teams of friends working side by side.
[i] From the Universal House of Justice to the Bahá’ís of the World, Ridván 2021.
[ii] Ibid.
