January, the first month of the Gregorian year on this hemisphere (and usually the first month of hard winter weather in much of it), is also unique in other ways. Despite the increasing over commercialization of its preceding holiday season, it still harbors a spirit of love, goodwill and hope for the ensuing year symbolized by such observances as Kwanza and World Religion Day, established by people of good will who wished to further understanding and promote unity between the followers of the great religions of the world-–imperative in the establishment of World Peace.
“The energies of many established religions of prophetic age become sapped by factional disputes and their truths obscured by dogma and ritual,” we glean from Baha’i Talks for All Occasions by Dr. S.I. Dean. “Isolation and hostility between religions or sects have never been part of the Teachings of a Messenger of God, If such were the basic nature of religion, it would be better to have none at all.
“That which divided the religions and sects of the world is the interpretation of similar symbols contained in all the Holy Books, and disagreements over the meanings within each Holy Book. These differing interpretations, based upon limited human understanding, become crystallized into dogma which the succeeding generations follow as time-honored tradition. Those who would make a different interpretation of the great signs and symbols too often branch off in their own direction to further sub-divide the original Teachings.”
Thus we see each religion claiming to have the only truth, and we witness hundreds of sects stemming from the simple teachings of One Manifestation of One God–each applicable to the exigencies of that particular era.
Unless the causes of warfare are removed, there can be nothing in store for humanity but a series of ever more destructive wars. And there is no agency known to man capable of stilling the causes of hatred other than a love for God expressed through love for one’s fellow men–which stands above all other loyalties or beliefs. Religion, in its original purity, has always been the cause of unity and love. If this were not so, then it would be but one more source of strife.
By learning about other great world religions, people are able to see similarities, where formerly they imagined only differences. Unfortunately, prejudices keep many people at the level of tolerance. This, of course, is far better than warfare, but it still falls far short of unity and is far from the religious zeal that originally established these religions in the world.
More recently has been added to January’s uniqueness, observance of the Birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., world renowned “Drum major for justice and peace.”
Among the innumerable pearls of wisdom stressed by Dr. MLK, Jr., (especially applicable in this day) are his remarks: “The thing we must be concerned about if we are to have peace on earth and goodwill toward men, is the nonviolent affirmation of the sacredness of ALL human life! Every man is a child of God, made in His image and therefore must be respected as such-! Until men see this everywhere, we will be fighting wars. If we don’t have goodwill toward men in this world we will destroy ourselves by the misuse of our own power. Wisdom born of experience should tell us that war is obsolete!”
The genius of these words becomes more apparent with time as more sophisticated weaponry and other excelling costs of war (especially in loss of lives on all sides) strain national budgets and destroy national and international confidence.
“We have experimented with non-violence in our struggle for racial justice in the United States,” stated Dr. King in his Christmas Eve speech of 1967. “Now the judgement of God is upon us and we must either learn to live together as brothers or we are going to perish together as fools.”
It would behoove each of us to Resolve this New Year to memorize and internalize the immortal Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi:
“Lord, Make me an instrument of Thy peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow Love; Where there is injury, Pardon; Where there is doubt, Faith; Where there is despair, Hope; Where there is darkness, Light; where there is sadness, Joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may seek, not so much to be consoled as to Console; to be understood as to Understand; to be loved as to Love. For it is in giving that we Receive; It is in pardoning the we are Pardoned; It is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.”
