Reflections on the November 28, 2023 Letter from the Universal House of Justice

Dear friends,

Like everyone else, I’ve been feeling so grateful as I ponder the beautiful recent message from the Universal House of Justice. What an amazing, comprehensive, concise reflection on the first century of the Formative Age, the world’s current turmoil, and the promise of things to come! So much for us to learn from and be inspired by, and such an eloquent presentation of the immeasurably powerful and precious gift of the Covenant! It sent me back to view again the film GLIMPSES OF A HUNDRED YEARS OF ENDEAVOR, which reviews the same period of time through stories and which largely inspired the Iowa Bahá’í History Project in the first place.

The letter, of course, gives us that glorious “mountain top” perspective on the efforts, achievements, crises, and victories of the last 100 years as only the Universal House of Justice can. The film is framed around stories of small groups of Bahá’ís going about their daily lives, learning together and finding ways to be of service. The visuals and stories make the information immediate and personal. Together, they make clear that our seemingly small daily actions and personal stories are all part of the much bigger story of the growth and development of our beloved Faith and its impact on us, our communities, and the world. They suggest that the magnificent progress we’ve seen, emerging as a global community out of obscurity and into a role of ever-increasing influence, guided by the Word and the power of the Covenant, comes about through individual and collective action. Bringing courage and sacrifice to our cooperative interaction as individuals, communities, and institutions, we engage daily in the dual processes of personal transformation and the transformation of society.

Friends, as we go about our daily lives with spirits attuned to worship, consultation, learning, teaching, and service, we don’t think that we are “making history.” I suspect even the remarkable Martha Root, the only individual specifically mentioned in the House’s letter, didn’t get up every day with a conscious awareness that her life and actions would be the stuff of history. But our stories are important! We can’t all be like Martha Root. But aren’t you glad we have her stories and those of so many other early believers, to educate and motivate us? The Guardian called us to “…use your stories to become a source of inspiration and guidance for those who read them…” (Shoghi Effendi, Lights of Guidance, p. 103). As ordinary believers and future historians look back on the second century of the Formative Age, it’s our stories they will be studying and recounting. I hope you will make a conscious choice to share yours!