"I testify, at this moment, to my powerlessness and
to Thy might, to my poverty and to Thy wealth."
- Baha'u'llah, Noon Prayer.
Those who preached conquest
are responsible for war,
and all who believed them.
Those who know peace
are responsible for paradise,
and all who will live it.
Until we know true gladness,
until we know life that never touches earth,
but caresses it, nurturing it, succouring it,
raising it skyward,
we are irresponsible
in war and in peace;
just one more lamb,
one more, for our own slaughter.
So worry not.
Forgiveness will not change
the hearts of others,
but only grants solace to your own.
We still must find and fathom
all the sources of joy and fulfillment
which will make war futile in all directions
for all people, for all time.
Until then, we need war
so people will suspect, then dwell upon
the greater reasons
for a peace that is greater
than all wars that have ever been:
a peace more glorious than all the victories
of every conqueror and all of their empires;
a peace greater than every golden civilization
which has ever raised its brilliant, infant head
only to have it chopped off again.
This Peace must be realized as The Most Great One!
so incredibly, undeniably, alluringly great!
that the mere thought of it!
will always overcome
our worst of fears,
our most insatiable! fears
of powerlessness
and poverty.
Until we've learned to love and exalt
our powerlessness and our poverty,
to value and praise them ABOVE all else!
we will never be drawn
to THAT power and THAT wealth
which will finally make peace Great,
instead of the sign of weakness and cowardliness,
narrowness and apathy, of self-indulgent ignorance
and an infantile naivity.
Peace is not the end of horror!
The same horrible suffering
will still fall from a Most Merciful God.
All of the same losses will still aflict us,
and we will not then wish otherwise.
Peace is the beginning of our greatness
as a race of divine beings
which knows it has only one body,
one heart, one mind, one dream, one love.
and cares for its body, mind, and heart
just like you wish you could care for yours
and the dearest infants, born of your womb,
and entrusted into your care.
Peace is a caring so great!
that we become who we love so well.
This is the pact of the peace-bringers.
They will NEVER walk this earth,
But will quicken every seed
that yearns for divine light
and for the water that is life indeed.
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