"Sincerity and love will conquer hate" ~Abdu'l-Baha

Nothing is more inspiring than reading the words of Abdu'l-Baha. i find myself speechless and unable to write any commentary because there is no comparison to His words. Yet i find myself constantly wanting to read His speeches and Tablets in order to have them in my heart, preferably by memory, because they are the elixir to touch the hearts of men. When i find prejudice creeping into my heart, and estrangement settling into its crevices, I know it's time to immerse myself in the warmth and radiance of Abdu'l-Baha's words.

We live in a time of such opposite extremes, of injustice and corruption..yet we also live in a world of splendour and beauty, of joy and love. Without the power of the holy spirit permeating our lives, we are subject to be affected by the former, in one way or another. For me, I tend to become critical of those who hearts are cold, or whose actions are selfish. But when I am reminded of Abdu'l-Baha's blessed counsels, I feel inspired as a channel for God's love again, and a little drop of the ocean striving toward peace:

   "I charge you all that each one of you concentrate all the thoughts of your heart on love and unity. When a thought of war comes, oppose it by a stronger thought of peace. A thought of hatred must be destroyed by a more powerful thought of love. Thoughts of war bring destruction to all harmony, well-being, restfulness and content.
   "Thoughts of love are constructive of brotherhood, peace, friendship, and happiness.
   "When soldiers of the world draw their swords to kill, soldiers of God clasp each other's hands! So may all the savagery of man disappear by the Mercy of God, working through the pure in heart and the sincere of soul. Do not think the peace of the world an ideal impossible to attain!
   "Nothing is impossible to the Divine Benevolence of God.
   "If you desire with all your heart, friendship with every race on earth, your thought, spiritual and positive, will spread; it will become the desire of others, growing stronger and stronger, until it reaches the minds of all men.
   "Do not despair! Work steadily. Sincerity and love will conquer hate. How many seemingly impossible events are coming to pass in these days! Set your faces steadily towards the Light of the World. Show love to all; 'Love is the breath of the Holy Spirit in the heart of Man'. Take courage! God never forsakes His children who strive and work and pray! Let your hearts be filled with the strenuous desire that tranquillity and harmony may encircle all this warring world. So will success crown your efforts, and with the universal brotherhood will come the Kingdom of God in peace and goodwill."  (Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 27)