May your thoughts expand and your stations be exalted, so
that you may be able to diffuse the fragrances of God and to make prodigious
progress in the world of man. Unless a man acquires perfection for himself, he
cannot teach others how to attain such perfection; and unless he gets life for
himself, he cannot give life to others. We must therefore try first to acquire
the bounties of the Kingdom for ourselves and attain life everlasting, and then
endeavor to quicken the nations and give life to the world. Thus, we must
constantly pray to His Holy Court and seek His eternal bounties. We must
acquire pure hearts like unto mirrors, so that the lights of the Sun of Reality
may shine. Every night and day we must supplicate to Him and beg for His
assistance, saying:
O Lord, we are weak, make us strong; we are ignorant, make
us wise. O Lord, we are poor, give us the wealth of the Kingdom. O God, we are
dead, bestow upon us everlasting life; we are in utter lowliness, exalt us in
Thy Kingdom. Should Thy heavenly confirmations surround us, each one of us can
be a luminous star, otherwise we become lower than dust. O God, help us; make
us victorious; assist us to overcome self and desire; and deliver us from the
world of nature. O God! Quicken us through the breaths of the Holy Spirit so
that we may arise to serve Thee, engage ourselves in worshipping Thee and
broadcast the signs of Thy Kingdom with utmost truthfulness and sincerity. Thou
art the Powerful, the Mighty, the Generous and the Compassionate. (Words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha,
New York, December 3, 1912, ‘Mahmud’s Diary’)
