12: My sister and beloved of my soul! ...
Bahíyyih Khánum and others, Bahíyyih Khánum, (1982) · Read original
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When in Bahá'í history
16 My sister and beloved of my soul!
Here on the slopes of Mount Carmel, by the cave of Elijah, we are thinking of that Most Exalted Leaf, and the beloved and handmaids of the Lord.
We pass our days in writing and our nights now in communion with God, now in bed to overcome failing health. And although, to outward seeming, we are absent from you all, and far away, still our thoughts are with you always.
I can never, never forget thee. However great the distance that separates us, we still feel as though we were seated under the same roof, in one and the same gathering, for are we not all under the shadow of the Tabernacle of God and beneath the canopy of His infinite grace and mercy?
Source: Bahíyyih Khánum and others, Bahíyyih Khánum (1982). Public domain text from Project Gutenberg eBook #19242.
Discuss this story
For adults
- Read the closing lines once more. What single phrase stays with you?
- What might Bahíyyih Khánum and others's example ask of us in our own circumstances?
- If you were to share this story aloud at a devotional gathering, which sentence would you read first?
For teens
- Who is someone you know who lives out mercy the way this story describes?
- If you were going to tell a friend this story in two sentences, what would you say?
Reflection
- What single image from this story will stay with you?
- How does mercy show up in your life right now — and where is it being asked of you?
- Read the passage a second time, slowly. What did you notice that you missed the first time?
Comprehension quiz
Which source is "12: My sister and beloved of my soul! ..." drawn from?
What period of Bahá'í history does this story belong to?
Which historical figure is featured most prominently in this story?
Which virtue does this story most clearly illustrate?
Cite this story
others, B. K. A.. (1982). *Bahíyyih Khánum*. https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/19242/pg19242-images.html
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