‘The Second Coming’

In the gathering economic crisis I am reminded of the words of W.B. Yeats in “The Second Coming” that

“Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;

Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world…”

Yeats also looked forward with trepidation to an ironic “Second Coming” asking in the final lines of the poem-

             “what rough beast, its hour come round at last,

Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?”

Happily the real (and far friendlier) Second Coming has already arrived. In the words of Bahá’u'lláh

“The Divine Springtime is come, O Most Exalted Pen, for the Festival of the All-Merciful is fast approaching. Bestir thyself, and magnify, before the entire creation, the name of God, and celebrate His praise, in such wise that all created things may be regenerated and made new. Speak, and hold not thy peace. The day star of blissfulness shineth above the horizon of Our name, the Blissful, inasmuch as the kingdom of the name of God hath been adorned with the ornament of the name of thy Lord, the Creator of the heavens. Arise before the nations of the earth, and arm thyself with the power of this Most Great Name, and be not of those who tarry”.

‘True Values’

It seems to me that in these times of financial crisis true values can become obscured. Economics is after all only means to an end, rather than an end in itself. In the words of Abdu’l-Bahá

“..it is clear that the honor and exaltation of man must be something more than material riches. Material comforts are only a branch, but the root of the exaltation of man is the good attributes and virtues which are the adornments of his reality. These are the divine appearances, the heavenly bounties, the sublime emotions, the love and knowledge of God; universal wisdom, intellectual perception, scientific discoveries, justice, equity, truthfulness, benevolence, natural courage and innate fortitude; the respect for rights and the keeping of agreements and covenants; rectitude in all circumstances; serving the truth under all conditions; the sacrifice of one’s life for the good of all people; kindness and esteem for all nations; obedience to the teachings of God; service in the Divine Kingdom; the guidance of the people, and the education  of the nations and races. This is the prosperity of the human world! This is the exaltation of man in the world! This is eternal life and heavenly honor”!