We must find a way of spreading love among the sons of
humanity.
Love is unlimited, boundless, infinite! Material things are
limited, circumscribed, finite. You cannot adequately express infinite love by
limited means. The perfect love needs an unselfish instrument, absolutely freed
from fetters of every kind. The love of family is limited; the tie of blood
relationship is not the strongest bond. Frequently members of the same family
disagree, and even hate each other. Patriotic love is finite; the love of one’s
country causing hatred of all others, is not perfect love! Compatriots also are
not free from quarrels amongst themselves. The love of race is limited; there
is some union here, but that is insufficient. Love must be free from
boundaries! To love our own race may mean hatred of all others, and even people
of the same race often dislike each other. Political love also is much bound up
with hatred of one party for another; this love is very limited and uncertain.
The love of community of interest in service is likewise fluctuating; frequently
competitions arise, which lead to jealousy, and at length hatred replaces
love…. All these ties of love are imperfect. It is clear that limited material
ties are insufficient to adequately express the universal love.
The great unselfish love for humanity is bounded by none of
these imperfect, semi-selfish bonds; this is the one perfect love, possible to
all mankind, and can only be achieved by the power of the Divine Spirit. No
worldly power can accomplish the universal love.
(‘Abdu’l-Baha, from a talk,
Paris, October 24, 1911, ‘Paris Talks’)
