The Ridvan Letter

Wow. That's all I have to say... Well, not really but that was the first word to come to mind as I read the Ridvan letter from the Universal House of Justice. After that, I had a few thoughts that I wanted to share:

...no one could have imagined then how profoundly the Lord of Hosts, in His inscrutable wisdom, intended to transform His community in so short a span of time.
This is wonderful! The House of Justice is celebrating our achievements while helping us to understand that we are all just a part of God's greater plan and that if we keep working undismayed and united, we will continue to grow and be successful in our efforts to serve the Plan.

Each and every one offered a glimpse of that race of beings, consecrated and courageous, pure and sanctified, destined to evolve over generations under the direct influence of Baha'u'llah's Revelation.
This is definitely a new way of looking at evolution! To imagine that the House saw in the participants of the conferences a glimpse of this new race of man that would embody, in the future, those attributes of God made possible by the coming of Baha'u'llah. That means we have a long way to go but, at the same time, should feel some gratitude that already in only a few generations, the signs are appearing!

In them, we saw the first signs of the fulfilment of our hope expressed at the outset of the Plan that the edifying infludence of the Faith would be extended to hundreds of thousands through the institute process.
Again, the House of Justice can see the glimmer, the beginning, the achievement of goals that move us in the right direction; but, there is so much more to do! Keep extending this influence!

The Ridvan letter is about celebration, thankfulness, and rededication to a task given us by Baha'u'llah. As the House of Justice put it, What more can we do at the opening of this most joyous Festival than to bow our heads in humility before God and offer Him thanksgiving for His unbounded generosity to the community of the Greatest Name.

After all, we are ...the community of the blissful...