Writing in Snow

Midweek Reflections on Love

‘Idál (Justice), 9 Mulk (Dominion) 174 B.E. - Wednesday, February 14, 2018

"Know thou of a certainty that Love is the secret of God’s holy Dispensation, the manifestation of the All-Merciful, the fountain of spiritual outpourings. Love is heaven’s kindly light, the Holy Spirit’s eternal breath that vivifieth the human soul. Love is the cause of God’s revelation unto man, the vital bond inherent, in accordance with the divine creation, in the realities of things. Love is the one means that ensureth true felicity both in this world and the next. Love is the light that guideth in darkness, the living link that uniteth God with man, that assureth the progress of every illumined soul. Love is the most great law that ruleth this mighty and heavenly cycle, the unique power that bindeth together the divers elements of this material world, the supreme magnetic force that directeth the movements of the spheres in the celestial realms. Love revealeth with unfailing and limitless power the mysteries latent in the universe. Love is the spirit of life unto the adorned body of mankind, the establisher of true civilization in this mortal world, and the shedder of imperishable glory upon every high-aiming race and nation."

‘Abdu’l‑Bahá1

Today is Valentine's Day, the day that many people celebrate one or two forms of love, physical love and, maybe, family love. Despite the fact that Valentine's Day was originally celebrated as a holy day for Saint Valentine, very few people think about divine love or the love of God. This is strange, because without the love of the Almighty noting would exists. Every atom of the universe reflects the love of God, and owes its existence to God. When the All-Bountiful Creator spoke BE at the beginning, everything was brought into existence.

It was because of their love for God that both Christ and the Bab were executed. It was because of His love for the Almighty that Baha'u'llah was bound by chains and then exiled from His native land. It was because of his love for God through Christ that St. Valentine was beheaded on February 14, 278. It was because of her love for God through the Bab that Táhirih was strangled in September of 1852. It is because of their love for God through Baha'u'llah that the Baha'is in Iran refuse to recant their faith in spite of imprisonment and death threats. It is because of the love of God for His creation that life exists on Earth and in the rest of the universe.

Footnotes
1  Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá, 12: “Know thou of a certainty that Love is the secret of…”